R.I.P.: Art LaFleur (The Sandlot, The Blob, Trancers) has passed away

With 169 screen acting credits to his name, Art LaFleur was one of the great “that guy” character actors of the last few decades – you may not have known his name, but you probably saw him in multiple movies and TV shows. Sadly, LaFleur passed away on November 17th at the age of 78.

News of LaFleur’s passing was confirmed by his wife of 40+ years, Shelley. She wrote on Facebook,

After a 10 year battle with A-typical Parkinson’s, Art LaFleur, the love of my life passed away. He brought laughter to so many people as Babe Ruth in the Sandlot, The Tooth Fairy in The Santa Clause 2 and 3, and Chick Gandil in Field of Dreams to name just a few. He was a generous and selfless man which carried over to his acting but more importantly it was who he was for his family and friends.

Born in Gary, Indiana on September 9, 1943, LaFleur worked jobs in sales and in the saloon and restaurant businesses before deciding to move to Los Angeles to try to break into the entertainment business at the age of 31. He was originally aiming to become a screenwriter, but fellow character actor Jonathan Banks convinced him to give acting a try.

He earned his first acting credit on the 1978 TV movie Rescue from Gilligan’s Island, and over the next 39 years he would land roles in the movies Any Which Way You Can, The Invisible Woman, Jekyll and Hyde… Together Again, War Games, Trancers and Trancers II, City Heat, The Man with One Red Shoe, Zone Troopers, Cobra, The Wrong Guys, The Blob, Field of Dreams, Air America, Death Warrant, Oscar, Forever Young, The Sandlot, Running Time, Best of the Best 4, The Replacements, The Santa Clause 2 and 3, Hostage, and Speed Racer. TV credits include episodes of Charlie’s Angels, MAS*H, The Incredible Hulk, Webster, Benson, Hill Street Blues, Gimme a Break!, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Thirtysomething, Life Goes On, Northern Exposure, Wiseguy, Home Improvement, Tales from the Crypt, Doogie Howser M.D., Matlock, The John Larroquette Show, The Magnificent Seven, JAG, Angel, Malcolm in the Middle, House, Night Stalker, Cold Case, The Mentalist, and Key and Peele.

It was always nice to see LaFleur show up in something you were watching, and it’s sad to know we’ve seen the last of his new performances. He left behind a lot of work for us to continue enjoying, though, and I’ll always remember him best for being McNulty in the Trancers movies, Babe Ruth in The Sandlot, and the pharmacist who says “ribbed” in The Blob.

In addition to his wife Shelley, LaFleur is survived by his children Joe and Molly, daughter-in-law Glenda, and granddaughter Frankie. Our sincere condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans.