Edward Matthew Lauter II was born on October 30, 1938 in Long Beach,
New York. In a film career that extended for over four decades,
Lauter starred in a plethora of film and television productions
since making his big screen debut in the western
Dirty Little Billy (1972). He
portrayed an eclectic array of characters over the years, including
(but not limited to), authority/military figures, edgy villains, and
good-hearted heavies. Many will remember him for his appearance as the
stern Captain Wilhelm Knauer in
The Longest Yard (1974) (Lauter
also made a cameo in the 2005 remake). Lauter also worked with
Alfred Hitchcock,
Lee Marvin,
Burt Lancaster,
Jim Carrey and
Liam Neeson. With a face that seemed to
appear without warning everywhere, Lauter remained in demand for roles
on both films and television. Ed Lauter died of mesothelioma in his
home in Los Angeles, California on October 16, 2013, less than two
weeks before his 75th birthday.
The Beautiful Ones(2017)as Dante Tancredi
Blind Pass(2015)as Pastor
The Town That Dreaded Sundown(2014)as Sheriff Underwood
Shameless(2011)as Dick Healey
The Office(2005)as Sam Stone, Sr.
Q N' A with Mikki and Shay(2011)as Self
Food Paradise(2007)as Self - Film-TV Actor
La classe américaine(2012)as Self
Casting By(2012)as Self
Red Carpet Report(2009)as Self
Production History(2026)as Self
Dealing with Mesothelioma(2015)as Self
20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards(2014)as Self - In Memoriam