'The Breakfast Club' Actor Paul Gleason Dies At 67

cbs2.com/ ^ | May 28, 2006

[lunarbicep]

Paul Gleason, who played the go-to bad guy in "Trading Places" and the angry high school principal in "The Breakfast Club," has died. He was 67.

Gleason's wife, Susan, says her husband died Saturday at a Burbank hospital of mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer linked to asbestos.

Gleason appeared in over 60 movies, including "Die Hard," "Johnny Be Good," and "National Lampoon's Van Wilder." Most recently, he made a handful of television appearances in hit shows such as "Friends" and "Seinfeld."

A native of Miami, Gleason was an avid athlete. Before becoming an actor, he played Triple-A minor league baseball for a handful of clubs in the late 1950s.

Gleason honed his acting skills in the mid-1960s with his mentor Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York.

Gleason is survived by his wife, two daughters and a granddaughter. Funeral plans are pending.

[lunarbicep]

[new cruelty]

That is sad to hear. I enjoy his work.

[Spruce]

Sad. A great character actor.

[andysandmikesmom]

Sad to hear this...he was one of those actors, whose real name you may not know, but his face was so familiar, as he could turn up in any series or movie...that the thing about so many of these character actors...they do such fine work, and lend such a rich background in which the 'leading' actors and actresses work...

If it were not for the whole range of character actors in flms and TV, the leading actors would find themselves at a great loss...

Prayers for Paul Gleason and for his family...

[Jet Jaguar]

I loved him in Trading Places.

[newzjunkey]

Mesothelioma is a nasty way to go. RIP.

[Tax-chick]

I'm very sorry to see this. Such a young-ish man. I can't remember what I saw him in, but his face is very familiar.

[nhoward14]

I was just in my office and I heard a ruckus.

This is a sad loss. He was a great character actor.

[RandallFlagg]

DWAYNE?!?!

NOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[lunarbicep]

I can't remember what I saw him in, but his face is very familiar.

he was in a lot of movies & television-

Paul Gleason @ IMDb

[rintense]

Oh man, he was great. He made me laugh just as hard in 'Not Another Teen Movie'. RIP, Paul.

[rintense]

Can you describe the ruckus? :)

[lunarbicep]

Gleason as Clarence Beeks in Trading Places

[Drew68]

the angry high school principal in "The Breakfast Club,"

Just caught this film on TV the other day. A classic to 30-somethings like myself.

[cmsgop]

Not Another Teen Movie'

I own that DVD, isn't that sad.......LOL!

[LdSentinal]

I just saw him yesterday talk on Bravo's (or AMC's) 100 Funniest Movies of All Time. RIP.

[Vision]

"Ya mess with the bull, you get the horns"

God Speed Sir. We're certainly getting older.

[Vision]

Most recently, he made a handful of television appearances in hit shows such as "Friends" and "Seinfeld."

What episode was that?

[nhoward14]

And here I thought I was the only person on FR with "Not Another Teen Movie" in my DVD collection.