Character actor James Karen, who had hundreds of roles under his belt, including on several soap operas, died Tuesday in Los Angeles, his friend Leonard Maltin confirms. He was 94.
Karen is perhaps best known for his rendition of the Poltergeist character Mr. Teague, a real estate developer who builds a suburban housing community on top of a cemetery filled with angry spirits. The Pennsylvania native also starred in the horror classic Return of the Living Dead, playing an unassuming medical warehouse manager who manages to release an experimental gas that brings the dead back to life.
Soap opera fans, however, will remember the actor from several daytime shows. Early in his career, he played the recurring character of Dr. Burke on As the World Turns as well as Linc Tyler on All My Children. He later went on to play Max Craig on Knots Landing in 1982, Elton Lawrence on Dallas from 1982 to 1983, and Avril Dawson on Dynasty in 1984.
Karen's other credits include his infamous role as Nathan Lassiter in Little House on the Prairie and appearances in TV series like The Rockford Files, Eight is Enough, The Waltons, and Cheers.
Karen is survived by his wife, Alba, and his son, Reed.
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