[688] Of a tribute to Leo McGarry, to John Spencer

A tribute to Leo McGarry, a great character in a great TV series. A tribute to a great actor, John Spencer.

According to Wikipedia further:

During the episode The Portland Trip, it is strongly suggested by a conversation between the President and Leo that Leo attended the University of Michigan, at least for undergraduate work.

You will be missed.

‘West Wing’ Actor John Spencer Dies at 58
By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer

LOS ANGELES – Actor John Spencer, who played the role of Leo McGarry in “The West Wing,” mirrored his character in several ways: Both were recovering alcoholics and both were driven.

“Like Leo, I’ve always been a workaholic, too,” he told The Associated Press in a 2000 interview. “Through good times and bad, acting has been my escape, my joy, my nourishment. The drug for me, even better than alcohol, was acting.”

Spencer died of a heart attack Friday. In a sad parallel to life, his character on the show had earlier suffered a heart attack that forced him to give up his White House job.

Spencer died after being admitted to a Los Angeles hospital during the night, said his publicist, Ron Hofmann. He would have been 59 on Tuesday.

I’ll be sacrificing my Wikipedia user page for him for a few days.

Go Blue. And God bless.