American character actor Jack Kehler has passed away at the age of 75 following a battle with leukemia, his family confirmed yesterday (May 9).
Kehler was best known to audiences for his role in the 1998 Coen brothers movie The Big Lebowski, in which he played Marty, the landlord to Jeff Bridges’ titular character Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski. Primarily a character actor, Kehler had over 170 credits to his name across almost 40 years in the film and television industry.
Watch Kehler in a scene from The Big Lebowski below:
Other films Kehler featured in include Men In Black II, Waterworld, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. In television, Kehler had small roles in several notable shows – among them Mad Men, 24, Monk and NYPD Blue. Prior to his death, he was working on a film entitled The Platinum Loop.
Television writer Jay Faerber has remembered Kehler as “a great character actor”, praising his role in 1991’s The Last Boy Scout:
Sad to hear of Jack Kehler’s passing. Such a great character actor. I particularly loved him as “the inventor of Scrabble” in THE LAST BOY SCOUT. pic.twitter.com/zdjNPm3FxC
— Jay Faerber (@JayFaerber) May 10, 2022
Actor and director Jeff Daniel Phillips – who worked with Kehler on the 2010 short errand_boy – has remembered Kehler as a “dear talented friend”, as well as a “dedicated artist” who “gave everything to all his roles”:
With a heavy heart I say goodbye to my dear talented friend #JackKehler who passed after a battle with Leukemia. A consummate pro & dedicated artist (& later father) who gave everything to all his roles on screen & stage. I’ll miss his infectious laugh the most. Rest easy Jack🖤 pic.twitter.com/3vBZ3pQ1qY
— Jeff Daniel Phillips (@JeffDanPhillips) May 9, 2022
Kehler is survived by his wife Shawn Casey, as well as son Eddie, daughter-in-law Mari-Anne and grandson Liam.