A Will and Grace legend has died, it’s been confirmed. Actor Charles C. Stevenson died of natural causes last month in Camarillo, California, aged 95.
The actor was best known for playing the role of Smitty on Will and Grace between 2002 and 2020. He was also known for taking on the role of preachers and priests in many of his acting jobs.
In a statement, his son, Scott, said: “In his own words, his job was ‘marrying or burying people.’ As he told it, the panic-stricken director would invariably come to him to beg him to find a way to fill in unscripted space between ‘We are gathered here together’ (where he’d probably get his close-up) and the ‘amen’ at the end of the scene (where he usually wouldn’t). Stevenson admitted that he got pretty good at that.”
Charles last appeared on Will and Grace in episode 11 of series 11, titled Accidentally on Porpoise, which aired on February 20, 2020. At the time of production, just before the world went into lockdown amidst the coronavirus pandemic, he was 89. Over his career, Charles also appeared in a string og films and television shows.
He landed his first major role at the age of 76, taking on the role of a sheriff in the Disney movie Snow Buddies, released in 2008, alongside the likes of Dylan Sprouse, Dylan Minnette, Josh Flitter and Mackenzie Mowat. Charles’ IMDb page reveals that his first documented role was playing a reporter on an episode of Voyagers! in 1982.
Throughout the decade, he took on a string of uncredited roles in various television shows, including the legendary Dynasty, as well as Cheers and L.A. Law. Other roles throughout the Nineties saw him appear on Baywatch, Empty Nest, Everybody Loves Raymond, Party of Five, Sister Sister, Murder, She Wrote and NewsRadio.
Stevenson also appeared in The Naked Gun, Pleasantville, Ghost World, Ed Wood and Men in Black, as well as Glee. Charles grew up in the Piedmont area of California before finding a love for acting at 50, having already earned a degree in English from UC Berkeley. After graduating, the late found a job in fundraising, chapter development and public awareness drives for causes including the Epilepsy Foundation and Project Hope.
The 1960s saw him move to Los Angeles, where he started working on public service announcements and community events with the likes of Henry Winkler, Jack Lemmon and James Stewart.
Away from his acting career, Charles was also a veteran of the Korean War, having served in the US Navy. Charles is survived by his five children, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
He had previously married Barbara Keller, the mother of his son Charles III and daughter, Valerie, as well as the late agent, Joy Stevenson, who is the mother to his daughter Catherine and sons, Scott and William.
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