7. Ed Lauter, Actor (1938-2013)
Edward Matthew Lauter II had one of those faces. You know you’ve seen him before, but you just can’t place him. A career that started in 1971 with a guest spot on the TV show Mannix in 1971 spanned almost a half century and over 200 acting credits. Possibly best known for his portrayal of Captain Wilhelm Knauer in the 1974 version of The Longest Yard, as well as the 2005 remake, Lauter worked with everyone from Alfred Hitchcock and Burt Lancaster, to Jim Carrey and Liam Neeson.
While many of the celebrities who suffered from mesothelioma contracted the disease from being exposed to asbestos at a young age before they were famous, a lawsuit filed after his death in 2013 claimed that CBS, Ford, GE, and others, were liable after Lauter worked in facilities containing asbestos.Veteran character actor Ed Lauter worked for more than 40 years in the film and television industry, playing supporting roles alongside stars like Burt Reynolds (“The Longest Yard”), Clint Eastwood (“Trouble with the Curve”), Charles Bronson (“Death Wish 3”), Tom Cruise (“Born on the Fourth of July”) and George C. Scott (“The New Centurions”).
Lauter, 74, was in the midst of a film project when he was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in May 2013. He died less than six months later.
Lauter appeared in more than 200 films and television projects, playing a variety of roles. He was best known for playing authority figures and con men, often in crime stories. He also worked as a stand-up comedian, where he did impersonations of Humphrey Bogart, Burt Lancaster and James Cagney, among others. His history of exposure to asbestos, which likely caused his mesothelioma cancer, was unclear at the time of his death.