Veteran Hollywood actor, Ed Lauter, died aged 74 on Wednesday (Oct 17th).

According to the Associated Press, Lauter's publicist, Edward Lozzi said he had died from a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma, commonly caused by asbestos exposure.

The character actor's career spanned over 4 decades and he appeared in over 200 films, including the original 'The Longest yard' (1974), Arnold Schwarzenegger's 'Raw Deal' (1986) and the best-picture Oscar winner 'The Artist' (2011).

Television appearances were also frequent throughout Lauter's career, as he appeared in 'The X-Files', 'The A-Team', 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' and most recently he played 'Dick Healey' on the Showtime drama 'Shameless'.

Lauter began his career in the limelight as a stand-up comedian before quickly establishing himself as a prolific character actor, his diversity ranged from playing sports coaches, authority figures, violent criminals and many more, with the audience always remembering his appearance.

In a 2010 interview with Cinema Shock magazine, Lauter described himself as a "turn actor" due to him appearing in a plot at any point and been able to turn the story in a different direction.

The 74 year-old was also very dedicated to his craft, he thought growing up in Long Beach, Long Island, New York was beneficial due to the diverse individuals and characters who lived there.

Lauter used to study their actions and get to grips with different personalities by observing them from an empty telephone booth, "watching how certain characters walked, their gestures, their nuances, their mannerisms."

There is no doubt that Ed has left behind a celebrated and rich legacy. He worked up until a few months ago, having completed several films that are yet to be released and on IMDb the late actor has an incredible 204 acting credits.

ed lauter
Ed Lauter died aged 74