Veteran American actor Peter Van Norden, best known for his roles in Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment and The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, has died at the age of 75.
According to Deadline, Van Norden died peacefully on Thursday morning at a hospice facility in Southern California. His wife, Wendy, was by his side. TMZ reported that the actor had been battling multiple health conditions.
Born in New York City on 16 December 1950, Van Norden graduated magna cum laude from Colgate University in upstate New York before moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s. He made his screen debut in Lloyd Kaufman’s 1979 comedy Squeeze Play!.
He later reunited with Kaufman for the 1981 comedy Waitress! and went on to build a steady film career with appearances in Headin’ for Broadway! (1980), Hard to Hold (1984), Roadhouse 66 (1984), The Accused (1988) and Gigli (2003).
Van Norden joined the Police Academy franchise in 1985, playing Officer Vinnie Schtulman in Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment. He later portrayed John H Sununu, chief of staff to former US President George H W Bush, in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991).
His television career included roles in a wide range of popular series, including Cheers, T J Hooker, St. Elsewhere, Family Ties, Hill Street Blues, Newhart, Matlock, L A Law, The Stand, Tales from the Crypt, Murder, She Wrote, Nash Bridges, Family Matters, ER, Days of Our Lives and 9-1-1.
Peter Van Norden is survived by his wife, Wendy, and their son, Robert.
