John Spencer, the actor who played vice-presidential candidate Leo McGarry in US television series 'The West Wing', has died aged 58.
Mr Spencer died of a heart attack after being admitted to a Los Angeles hospital yesterday. He would have been 59 on Tuesday.
In a parallel to life, his character on the show was also a recovering alcoholic who had earlier suffered a heart attack that forced him to give up his White House job.
West Wing actress Allison Janney paid tribute, describing him as a 'consummate professional actor'.
Mr Spencer had previously starred in 'LA Law' as attorney Tommy Mullaney. He played a streetwise lawyer on the David E Kelley drama that was in sharp contrast to the show's otherwise glamorous cast and setting.
He received an Emmy Award for his performance on 'The West Wing' in 2002 and was nominated four other times for the series.
Spencer grew up in Paterson, New Jersey and studied at the Professional Children's School in Manhattan.
In recent years, he worked both in studio and independent films, including 'The Rock', 'The Negotiator', and 'Albino Alligator'.
