Lenny Von Dohlen obit

‘Twin Peaks’ Actor Lenny Von Dohlen Dies at 64

He made his film debut in Bruce Beresford's 'Tender Mercies.'

 

 He was not on the list.

Lenny Von Dohlen, star of Twin Peaks and Electric Dreams, has died. He was 64.

He died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles after a long illness, according to his longtime manager Steven J. Wolfe.

Von Dohlen made his film debut in Bruce Beresford’s Tender Mercies, a performance that landed him the leading role in MGM/UA’s Electric Dreams.

He also scored leading roles for Under the Biltmore Clock, Blind Vision, Jennifer 8, Ed Zwick’s Leaving Normal, David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me and the title role in Billy Galvin, where Von Dohlen starred opposite Karl Malden.

Born in Augusta, Georgia and raised in Goliad, Texas, Von Dohlen grew too tall to realize a childhood dream of becoming a jockey.

So after majoring in drama at the University of Texas, he turned to theater. In New York, he created roles in Asian Shade, The Team, Twister, Vanishing Act and The Maderati. Von Dohlen also starred in Caryl Churchill’s hit play Cloud 9, directed by Tommy Tune, which was followed by The Roundabout Theater’s revival of Desire Under the Elms opposite Kathy Baker.

Von Dohlen’s flair for physical comedy came through as he played a bumbling bad guy in 20th Century Fox’s Home Alone III.

That followed roles in indie films like Tollbooth, Bird of Prey, Entertaining Angels, Frontline, Cadillac, One Good Turn and Beautiful Loser.

In TV, Von Dohlen starred in Kent State, Thirtysomething, Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, The Lazarus Man, The Pretender, CSI Miami and Don’t Touch, directed by Beau Bridges.

His best known TV role is playing the agoraphobic orchid-growing Harold Smith in Twin Peaks.

Von Dohlen most recently appeared with Sally Kirkland, Jennifer Tilly and Keith Carradine in the upcoming indie comedy Sallywood, now in post-production.

Von Dohlen is survived by his partner, playwright James Still, his mother Gay Von Dohlen, siblings Mary Gay, Catherine and John David, as well as his daughter, Hazel.

Actor (68 credits)

  Sallywood (post-production)

Dave

 2022 Creator (Short)

Doctor Richard Cooper

 2020 For the Weekend

Doug

 2019 We Shall Overcome (Short)

Mr. Frost

 2018 Nasty (Short)

Harry Ryals

 2018 Red Dead Redemption II (Video Game)

The Local Pedestrian Population (voice, as Lenny Von Dohlen)

 2018 Near Myth: The Oskar Knight Story

Oskar Knight

 2018/I The Maestro

Luc (Rejected Student)

 2017 Just Within Reach

Mr. Baker

 2017 The Orville (TV Series)

Valondis

- Mad Idolatry (2017) ... Valondis

 2017 Ray Meets Helen

Armond

 2016/II Threshold

Dr. Clair

 2016 The Wandering Day (Video)

Narrator / Host

 2015 Broken Horses

Joe

 2013 Dark Power

Bill Davies

 2012 Annie and the Gypsy

Gordon

 2012 Camilla Dickinson

Bill Rowan

 2011/II Choose

Creepy Guy in Hotel

 2010 Psych (TV Series)

Sheriff Andrew Jackson

- Dual Spires (2010) ... Sheriff Andrew Jackson

 2010 Night Blind (Short)

Sheriff Jack Carter

 2010 World's End

Elder Daniel

 2009 Criminal Minds (TV Series)

Record Exec #1

- The Performer (2009) ... Record Exec #1

 2008 Beautiful Loser

Reggie (Adult)

 2007 Ghost Whisperer (TV Series)

Steve Wheeler

- Children of Ghosts (2007) ... Steve Wheeler (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

 2007/I Teeth

BillDawn's stepfather

 2004 How's My Driving (Short)

Adrian Kennet

 2002 CSI: Miami (TV Series)

Professor Adam Metzger

- A Horrible Mind (2002) ... Professor Adam Metzger

 2001 The Ponder Heart (TV Movie)

DeYancey Clanahan

 2001 Breathing Hard

Anton

 1999-2000 The Pretender (TV Series)

Mr. Cox

- The Inner Sense: Part 2 (2000) ... Mr. Cox

- The Inner Sense: Part 1 (2000) ... Mr. Cox

- 'Til Death Do Us Part (2000) ... Mr. Cox

- Wild Child (1999) ... Mr. Cox

- Angel's Flight (1999) ... Mr. Cox

 2000 The Magnificent Seven (TV Series)

Cyrus Poplar

- Penance (2000) ... Cyrus Poplar

 1999 Chicago Hope (TV Series)

Tom Van Deusen

- A Goy and His Dog (1999) ... Tom Van Deusen

 1999 Frontline

Ludwig Haig

 1997 Home Alone 3

Burton Jernigan

 1997 Cadillac

Jimmy

 1996 The Lazarus Man (TV Series)

John Wilkes Booth

- The Tartarus Wheel (1996) ... John Wilkes Booth

 1996 Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story

Forster Batterham

 1996 Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series)

Adam 'The Hangman' Quinn

- Hall of Fame (1996) ... Adam 'The Hangman' Quinn

 1996 Picket Fences (TV Series)

Gerald 'Gerry' Bey

- Bye-Bye, Bey-Bey (1996) ... Gerald 'Gerry' Bey

 1996 One Good Turn

Matt Forrest

 1995 Bird of Prey

Johnny McKenna

 1994 Amberwaves

Justin Campenella

 1994 Tollbooth

Jack

 1992 Jennifer 8

Blattis (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

 1992 Eyes of the Beholder

Janice Bickle

 1992 Blind Vision

William Dalton (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

 1992 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

Harold Smith (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

 1992 Leaving Normal

Harry

 1992 Red Dwarf (TV Series)

Cop

- Back to Reality (1992) ... Cop

 1991 Love Kills (TV Movie)

Jonathan Brinkman

 1991 Cold Heaven

Cliffview Motel's desk clerk (uncredited)

 1991 The Flash (TV Series)

Jason Brassell

- Twin Streaks (1991) ... Jason Brassell

 1990 Twin Peaks (TV Series)

Harold Smith

- Episode #2.6 (1990) ... Harold Smith (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

- Episode #2.5 (1990) ... Harold Smith (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

- Episode #2.4 (1990) ... Harold Smith (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

- Episode #2.3 (1990) ... Harold Smith (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

 1990 Grand (TV Series)

Jeremy

- Blow Off (1990) ... Jeremy

- Czech, Please (1990) ... Jeremy

- Trigonometry Made Easy (1990) ... Jeremy

 1989 The Young Riders (TV Series)

Lt. Josey Cassidy

- End of Innocence (1989) ... Lt. Josey Cassidy

 1988 Thirtysomething (TV Series)

Roy MacCaulay

- We'll Meet Again (1988) ... Roy MacCaulay

 1988 Dracula's Widow

Raymond

 1986 The Equalizer (TV Series)

Dan Turner

- Shades of Darkness (1986) ... Dan Turner

 1986 Billy Galvin

Billy Galvin (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

 1985 Tales from the Darkside (TV Series)

Mr. Smith

- Distant Signals (1985) ... Mr. Smith

 1985 ABC Afterschool Specials (TV Series)

Mike Rivers

- Don't Touch (1985) ... Mike Rivers

 1984 American Playhouse (TV Series)

Knowleton Whitney

- Under the Biltmore Clock (1984) ... Knowleton Whitney

 1984 Miami Vice (TV Series)

Bob Rickert

- Give a Little, Take a Little (1984) ... Bob Rickert

 1984 How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days (TV Movie)

Erik Crimpley

 1984 Electric Dreams

Miles Harding

 1983 Sessions (TV Movie)

Paulie

 1983 Tender Mercies

Robert (as Lenny Von Dohlen)

 1981 Kent State (TV Movie)

Guardsman Cal