Peter Boyle Dies at 71

There are only a handful of character actors who seem to make everything better by their presence. Peter Boyle, who died today at 71, was one of those for me. Whether he was being comical (he played the monster in Young Frankenstein, my favorite Mel Brooks film) or serious, he was one of those actors that was just a joy to watch.

He's probably most famous for his role as the grumpy father on the TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, but I first remember really learning his name from a classic episode of The X Files. He played a psychic who could only tell how people were going to die, and while predicting the murder of one of the main characters became hung up on what sort of pie the character stepped on. Maybe you have to see it to appreciate it.

His credits on the IMDb are an interesting read, and show the diversity of films a working B-list actor can make. We often think that Hollywood is full only of big stars who just make one or two movies a year, but for actors whose names aren't above the marquee this isn't the case. And yet it's all those actors and actresses who nail important supporting roles that really make movies work.