Stage and screen actor Ronald Hunter died December 3 from heart and kidney failure complications at Woodland Hills Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 70.
Over a career that spanned nearly five decades, he appeared on Broadway and regional stages, did episodic and serial television and essayed supporting roles in numerous feature films.
Hunter made his Broadway debut in a production of “Richard III” starring Al Pacino. Subsequently, he appeared with Pacino in the Broadway revival of “The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel” and a Lincoln Center production of “Hamlet.”
His television credits include ABC medical series “The Lazarus Syndrome,” in which he co-starred with Louis Gossett Jr.; he also played Harvey Lacey in the original CBS made-for-TV movie “Cagney and Lacey” and appeared in PBS’ “Three Sovereigns for Sarah” opposite Vanessa Redgrave.
The actor guested on series including “The Golden Girls,” “Simon and Simon,” “Magnum P.I.,” “Knot’s Landing,” “The Equalizer” and “Northern Exposure,” as well as, more recently, “The Big Bang Theory,” “ER,” “Monk,” “Law & Order,” “Criminal Minds” and “Ally McBeal.”
Hunter also appeared in miniseries including NBC’s “Rage of Angels” and CBS’ “Internal Affairs.”
The actor’s film credits include roles in “Van Wilder: Party Liaison,” “The Seduction of Joe Tynan,” “Teachers,” “The Sentinel,” “Adventures of the Action Hunters and “Jakarta,” an independent production filmed over several arduous months in Thailand.
Regional theater appearances include stints at Theatre Virginia, Coconut Grove Playhouse and Gloucester Playhouse where over many summers as in-resident artistic director he directed and performed in numerous original productions and stock revivals.
Ronald Lee Hunter was born in Boston and raised in the suburb of Brookline. He completed undergraduate studies at the U. of Pennsylvania and received an MFA in theater Arts from NYU.
Hunter never married. He is survived by three adult children; two grandchildren; and his elder sister.
Donations may be made to the Actors Fund, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and other charities helping performers in their time of need.
