Actor John Spencer of West Wing Fame Dead at 58

Spencer appeared on Broadway in In the Boom Boom Room and Execution of Justice for which he was a Drama League Award honoree. He won an Obie Award for his role in Still Life and received a Drama Desk nomination for his performance in The Day Room off-Broadway. His other New York stage credits include Fishing, The Ballad of Soapy Smith, El Salvador, Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, Division Street, Good As New, The Exonerated and Glimmer, Glimmer and Shine. Regional credits include mountings of Lakeboat, Red River, Loose Ends, This Story of Yours and The Glass Menagerie.

Spencer became widely known for the role of Leo McGarry in The West Wing. His performance on the hit NBC drama earned him five consecutive Emmy Award nominations and one Emmy Award. Interestingly, last season his character suffered from a heart attack on the show. Before The West Wing, Spencer was famous for playing New York attorney Tommy Mullaney on L.A. Law.

Spencer had homes in both New York and Los Angeles.