Trending Now: Will and Grace star Charles C Stevenson Jr dead aged 95 as cause of death confirmed – Fans React

He was best known for playing the role of Smitty on the hit sitcom

A beloved Will and Grace star has passed away, it’s been announced. Actor Charles C. Stevenson died of natural causes last month in Camarillo, California, at the age of 95.

The performer was most recognized for his portrayal of Smitty on Will and Grace from 2002 through 2020. He also became known for frequently playing preachers and priests throughout his acting career.

In a statement, his son Scott shared: “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.”

READ MORE: Rock icon died penniless in a drunken fall after being ‘abandoned by bandmates’READ MORE: Jason Bateman slammed over ‘gross and tone deaf’ question to Charli XCX

Will and Grace legend dies

Charles made his final appearance on Will and Grace in episode 11 of season 11, titled Accidentally on Porpoise, which broadcast on February 20, 2020. During filming, just before global lockdowns began due to the coronavirus pandemic, he was 89, reports the Mirror.

Throughout his career, Charles featured in numerous films and television programs.

He secured his first major role at 76, playing a sheriff in the 2008 Disney film Snow Buddies, alongside actors including Dylan Sprouse, Dylan Minnette, Josh Flitter and Mackenzie Mowat. According to Charles’ IMDb page, his earliest documented role was as a reporter in an episode of Voyagers! in 1982.

Throughout the decade, he landed numerous uncredited roles in a variety of TV shows, including the iconic Dynasty, Cheers, and L.A. Law.

His career in the 90s saw him making appearances on Baywatch, Empty Nest, Everybody Loves Raymond, Party of Five, Sister Sister, Murder, She Wrote, and NewsRadio.

Stevenson also had roles in films like The Naked Gun, Pleasantville, Ghost World, Ed Wood, and Men in Black, as well as the TV show Glee.

Charles was raised in California’s Piedmont area and discovered his passion for acting at the age of 50, after earning an English degree from UC Berkeley.

Post-graduation, he worked in fundraising, chapter development, and public awareness campaigns for organizations such as the Epilepsy Foundation and Project Hope.

In the 1960s, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he began working on public service announcements and community events alongside celebrities like Henry Winkler, Jack Lemmon, and James Stewart.

Apart from his acting career, Charles was a Korean War veteran who served in the US Navy. He leaves behind five children, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

He was previously married to Barbara Keller, with whom he had his son Charles III and daughter Valerie, and the late agent Joy Stevenson, who is the mother of his daughter Catherine and sons Scott and William.