Actor Jack Axelrod, best known for roles in "General Hospital" and "Grey's Anatomy," died at age 93.
Jennifer Garland, Axelrod's representative, confirmed the news to Entertainment Weekly, saying he died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Nov. 28.
"I had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with him in his last years, as he had no immediate family," Garland said in a statement. "We spent much time outdoors, where Jack loved to sketch, read news articles and recite Shakespearean sonnets."
Axelrod began acting while studying architecture at the University of California, Berkeley and pursued the craft while working as a licensed architect in Washington.
He went on to study under actor Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio for six years in New York City.
Axelrod gained fame for his role as mob boss Victor Jerome on "General Hospital" for three years. He also appeared in "My Name Is Earl" as the Electrolarynx Guy and in "Grey's Anatomy" as Charlie Yost, an elderly patient in a semi-comatose state who eventually wakes up and checks out of the hospital only to die in the elevator.
Axelrod made guest appearances in dozens of other shows including "Kojak," "Dallas," "Dynasty," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Star Trek: Voyager," "Frasier," "Scrubs," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Shameless," "The Office," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," and "Modern Family."
His film credits include "Hancock" (2008), "Little Fockers" (2010), "Super 8," and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (2011).
In addition to his work in movies and TV, Axelrod also acted in Off-Broadway and Broadway shows. He played Banquo in a 1969 production of "Macbeth" and joined the Broadway production of "Gandhi" the following year, although it closed after its opening night.
Axelrod shared his passion for acting by teaching at various universities such as Penn State, Temple University, Cal State Northridge & Bakersfield, and CalArts. Additionally, he served as a guest instructor at the Speiser/Sturges Acting Studio in Los Angeles.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
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