Jack Kehler, ‘Big Lebowski’ and ‘Men in Black II’ Actor, Dead at 75

Jack Kehler, the character actor known for his roles in The Big Lebowski and Men in Black II, has died. Kehler passed away Monday, May 9 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California from complications due to leukemia, his son, Eddie Kehler, told The Hollywood Reporter. Kehler was 75.

Born May 22, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kehler began his on-screen acting career as a gas station attendant in Michael Laughlin’s sci-fi release Strange Invaders in 1983. That role was followed by a recurring role as Sergeant Cooper in the comedic TV series Fresno. Throughout the rest of the ’80s, Kehler primarily worked in television, appearing on series including Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and St. Elsewhere.

RIP Jack Kehler
Immortalised as Marty the landlord in The Big Lebowski who performs his ‘dance quintet’ on stage at a tiny theater, based on Mussorgsky's ‘Pictures At An Exhibition’.
He does not disappoint. pic.twitter.com/fWtcGd2bkO

— Tom Reagan’s Hat (@RufusTSuperfly) May 10, 2022

In the ’90s, Kehler appeared in a number of titles, including Kathryn Bigelow’s thriller Point Break, The Last Boy Scout, Wyatt Earp, Waterworld, ABC adventure TV series McKenna and ABC mystery series Murder One, and Lawrence Kasdan’s crime drama Grand Canyon. It was during this decade that the actor landed one of his most known roles, appearing as Dude’s Landlord in The Big Lebowski. Although he was only featured briefly in the Coen Brothers’ 1998 cult classic, his character was beloved by fans.

Following his appearance in The Big Lebowski, Cohen went on to appear in TV shows including 7th Heaven, NYPD Blue, 24, and Mad Men, as well as films like Men in Black II and Fever Pitch throughout the 2000s. He also starred in the recurring role of Harlan Wyndam-Matson in Amazon Studios’ The Man From High Castle. His most recent credit is as a landlord in the Disney+ series Love, Victor. His other credits include Pineapple Express, Love Liza, Fever Pitch, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Lethal Weapon 4, Dudley Do-Right, The Last Boy Scout, and Year of the Dragon, among others. Kehler is also set to appear in the crime movie The Platinum Loop, which is currently in post-production, according to Variety.

Kehler is survived by his wife, Shawn Casey, and his son, Eddie Kehler, daughter-in-law Mari-Anne, and grandson Liam. News of his passing was met with an outpouring of tributes on social media, where fans remembered him as “a delightful character actor.” Reflecting on his role in The Big Lebowski, one person tweeted, “for his performance in Lebowski alone, Jack Kehler will be remembered forever.”