Harvey Atkin, the mustachioed actor known for his role in the 1979 comedy « Meatballs, » died Monday after a battle with cancer.
Harvey Atkin, the mustachioed Canadian actor known for his roles in the Ivan Reitman comedy « Meatballs » and the cop drama « Cagney & Lacey, » died Monday after a battle with cancer.
He was 74.
Larry Goldhar, Atkin’s longtime friend and agent, confirmed the news in a statement to the Daily News.
« It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved friend, husband, father and grandfather Harvey passed away peacefully last night following his battle with cancer, » Goldhar said.
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Atkin’s breakout role came in 1979, when he was cast opposite Bill Murray in Ivan Reitman’s summer camp comedy « Meatballs. » Atkin played the Camp North Star director Morty Melnick, who often wound up the butt of Bill Murray’s character Tripper’s jokes.
The actor also found fame on the CBS police procedural « Cagney & Lacey, » playing staff sergeant Captain Ronald Coleman for nearly 100 episodes.
More recently, he appeared as Judge Alan Ridenour on several episodes of the popular NBC crime drama « Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. »
Atkin was also an accomplished voice actor, and lent his pipes to various animated television series, including « Beetlejuice » and « The Adventures of Tintin. »
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He is survived by his wife, Celia, two children, Lisa and Danny, three sisters and five grandchildren.
