Charles Durning

A familiar face on the big and small screens, prolific character actor Charles Durning was born Feb. 28, 1923, in Highland Falls, N.Y. After serving heroically in World War II -- earning three purple hearts and a silver star -- he held assorted jobs before he turned to acting in the early 1960s.

For more than 10 years, Durning appeared in minor film roles until hitting pay dirt as a corrupt cop in the box-office blockbuster The Sting (1973), which opened the door to a steady stream of work for decades. Durning's sizable movie résumé also includes notable turns in Dog Day Afternoon (1975), North Dallas Forty (1979), Tootsie (1982) and Home for the Holidays (1995).

On television, Durning was a recurring guest on "Evening Shade" (1990-94) and "Rescue Me" (2004-11), and appeared in a 2004 episode of "NCIS" that integrated the lasting effects of his war experience. Nominated for two Oscars and nine Emmys during his career, Durning died Dec. 24, 2012.

Filmography