Character Actor Cliff Emmich Dead at 85

Veteran character actor Cliff Emmich—who had memorable roles in movies including Payday and Halloween II—has died of lung cancer at the age of 85. Born in Cincinnati but raised in Los Angeles, Emmich broke into show business with a bit part in 1969’s Gaily, Gaily and racked up dozens of credits on the big and small screen. Michael Landon reportedly wrote a part specially for him: a middle-aged dad whose daughter is ashamed that he is fat. “Fat guys usually get cast as bad guys,” he said in a 1978 interview. “I’ve been the heavy ‘heavy’ in Police Woman, Starsky and Hutch and Charlie’s Angels. This is my first chance to portray a nice man.”