Actor Ed Lauter Dies at 74: Actors IMDB Filmography Included "The Longest Yard" and Other Blockbuster Hits [PHOTO]

Ed Lauter made his career in Hollywood by being a prolific character actor that played mostly menacing characters. He was in many Hollywood blockbusters over the years and working with some of Hollywood's most well known actors and directors. Some of his roles included "The Longest Yard," "Family Plot," and "Death Wish 3."

Lauter's publicist reported to the press about his death on Wednesday. He said, "Veteran character actor Ed Lauter, whose long, angular face and stern bearing made him an instantly recognizable figure in scores of movies and TV shows during a career that stretched across five decades, died Wednesday. He was 74. Lauter died of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer most commonly caused by asbestos exposure."

Lauter most commonly played the villain in his movies. USA Today published an article that read, "Whether he was an irascible authority figure, a brutal thug or a conniving con man, Lauter's presence made him all but impossible to miss in any film he was in. That was so even on those occasions when he was playing a character more bumbling than menacing, although menacing was clearly his forte."

In one of his most memorable roles, "The Longest Yard," he recalled having a strange audition for the part. USA Today wrote, "Director Robert Aldrich told him he didn't have to read for the part but would have to accompany Aldrich to a nearby park so the director could ensure that he could still throw a football like a quarter back would. When he hit former NFL receiver Pat Studstill, who was a stuntman in the movie, right in his jersey number with the first pass, Lauter said Aldrich told him he had the job."

Lauter worked up until a few months ago and has a few roles in movies that will be out in 2014.