This past Saturday, Jack Kehler, beloved character actor, and father, passed away due to complications from leukemia at the age of 75. On May 22, 1946, the actor was born in Philadelphia, Pa. His career started in the theatre, where at the age of 24, he joined Sanford Meisner and Wynn Handman.
This began a lifelong connection with them and provided Kehler with invaluable connections in the entertainment industry. In 1983 his first credit was as a gas station attendant in the sci-fi film Strange Invaders, starring Nancy Allen and Paul Le Mat. Kehler spent the rest of the decade on the small screen. He could be seen doing one-off appearances on classic shows such as Hill Street Blues, Cagney and Lacey, and St. Elsewhere.
In the 90s, he was seen as a colorful side character in action films such as The Last Boy Scout and Wyatt Earp. However, his most known role is as the landlord to Jeff Bridges’ leading role in the cult crime comedy The Big Lebowski, directed by the Coen brothers. He also continued to work in his later life. Alongside a reoccurring role on the Amazon Prime show The Man in the High Castle, his most recent credit is the Hulu show Love, Victor as a landlord. Notably, he will posthumously star in the crime film The Platinum Loop, which is currently in post-production.
He is survived by his wife, Shawn Casey; his son, Eddie Kehler; His daughter Mari-Ann; and his grandson, Liam.
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