Willy Switkes may not have been a leading man in Hollywood, but the character actor was able to make his mark, appearing in dozens of movies, including "Tootsie" and "The French Connection." He died Thursday, after battling colon cancer, at age 83, according to the Associated Press. His death was confirmed by his niece, Ellen Switkes.
Born in Washington, D.C., Willy was a longtime New York City resident, appearing in Broadway productions of "The Cherry Orchard," and "A Thousand Clowns." He also served as Buster Keaton's understudy in a 1960 touring production of "Once Upon a Mattress."
Other notable films in Switkes' career include Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver, and Woody Allen's "Bananas."...
Born in Washington, D.C., Willy was a longtime New York City resident, appearing in Broadway productions of "The Cherry Orchard," and "A Thousand Clowns." He also served as Buster Keaton's understudy in a 1960 touring production of "Once Upon a Mattress."
Other notable films in Switkes' career include Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver, and Woody Allen's "Bananas."...
- 3/12/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
New York — A character actor who had minor roles in "Tootsie," "Taxi Driver" and dozens of other films has died. Willy Switkes (Swit'-kehs) was 83.
His niece Ellen Switkes says he died of colon cancer on Thursday at a hospice in Rockville, Md.
Willy Switkes was a native of Washington, D.C., and a longtime New York City resident. He appeared in Broadway productions of "The Cherry Orchard" and "A Thousand Clowns" and was an understudy to Buster Keaton during a 1960 tour of "Once Upon a Mattress." His other films include "The French Connection" and "Bananas."
His characters often were unidentified, such as his "man at cab" credit for "Tootsie," in which he's thrown from a taxi after trying to cut in front of title character Dustin Hoffman.
His niece Ellen Switkes says he died of colon cancer on Thursday at a hospice in Rockville, Md.
Willy Switkes was a native of Washington, D.C., and a longtime New York City resident. He appeared in Broadway productions of "The Cherry Orchard" and "A Thousand Clowns" and was an understudy to Buster Keaton during a 1960 tour of "Once Upon a Mattress." His other films include "The French Connection" and "Bananas."
His characters often were unidentified, such as his "man at cab" credit for "Tootsie," in which he's thrown from a taxi after trying to cut in front of title character Dustin Hoffman.
- 3/12/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
A character actor who had minor roles in Tootsie, Taxi Driver, and dozens of other films has died. Willy Switkes was 83.
His niece Ellen Switkes says he died of colon cancer on Thursday at a hospice in Rockville, Md.
Willy Switkes was a native of Washington, D.C., and a longtime New York City resident. He appeared in Broadway productions of The Cherry Orchard and A Thousand Clowns and was an understudy to Buster Keaton during a 1960 tour of Once Upon a Mattress. His other films include The French Connection and Bananas.
His characters often were unidentified, such as his...
His niece Ellen Switkes says he died of colon cancer on Thursday at a hospice in Rockville, Md.
Willy Switkes was a native of Washington, D.C., and a longtime New York City resident. He appeared in Broadway productions of The Cherry Orchard and A Thousand Clowns and was an understudy to Buster Keaton during a 1960 tour of Once Upon a Mattress. His other films include The French Connection and Bananas.
His characters often were unidentified, such as his...
- 3/12/2013
- by Associated Press
- EW - Inside Movies
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