Character actor Milo O’Shea died in his adopted home of New York City on 2 April 2013 of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Born 2 June 1926 in Dublin, Ireland, he was nominated for two Tony Awards, and had a distinguished career on stages on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

His career got off to a slow start in the 1950s, but then started moving in the 1960s, when he had key roles as the friar in Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet (1968), and the villain Durand-Durand in Barbarella (1968). His last credited role would be as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on The West Wing (2002 and 2003).

In a statement announcing O’Shea’s death, Ireland’s Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan, said he was a “giant of stage and screen. During his career in theatre and film, both at home and abroad, he is remembered for the quality of his performances in a range of challenging and often ground-breaking roles,” including a performance as Leopold Bloom in the 1967 film adaptation of Ulysses.

His other genre roles include appearances in Early Edition (1996), Beauty and the Beast (1988), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Arabian Adventure (1979), Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World (1973), Theatre of Blood (1973), Out of the Unknown (1965 and 1969), The Adding Machine (1969), Journey to the Unknown (1968), and Out of This World (1962).

He is survived by his second wife, actress Kitty Sullivan, and two sons from his first marriage.

For O’Shea’s obituary in the Irish Times, see this link.