Ed Lauter

An instantly recognizable character actor, Ed Lauter was born Oct. 30, 1938, in Long Beach, N.Y. Before breaking into television in 1971 and films a year later, he earned a living as a stand-up comic.

Working steadily throughout his career, Lauter tackled an eclectic range of parts -- from father figures to con artists to cops -- but he was most effective at playing heavies. Perhaps best known among those roles was his turn as a sadistic prison guard opposite Burt Reynolds in The Longest Yard (1974). Lauter's impressive résumé also includes memorable performances in Family Plot (1976), Death Wish 3 (1985), Seabiscuit (2003) and the Oscar-winning film The Artist (2011).

On the small screen, Lauter racked up a long list of credits as a guest star on such shows as "Mannix," "Miami Vice," "The X-Files," "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Office." Lauter died Oct. 16, 2013, at the age of 74.

King Kong

1976 PG

Eager to exploit petroleum reserves on a Pacific isle, an oil tycoon assembles a crew and sets sail, rescuing a starlet en route. On the island, they discover an enormous gorilla and bring it back to New York City, where it escapes and raises mayhem.