James Karen, ‘Poltergeist’ Star And Pathmark Pitchman, Dies At 94
James Karen, the prolific character actor known for his work as a horror movie veteran and supermarket pitchman, has died at age 94. The beloved actor died in Los Angles after suffering cardiac arrest caused by respiratory difficulties, his longtime friend film historian Bruce Goldstein told the New York Times.
Karen was a familiar face on the big and small screen for more than 50 years. The Pennsylvania-born actor’s most memorable roles included playing Jane Fonda’s character’s boss Mac Churchill in The China Syndrome (1979), real estate agent Mr. Teague in the original Poltergeist (1982), and roles in 1985’s The Return of the Living Dead and its sequel in 1988. Karen also had a high-profile role in Little House: The Last Farewell, a TV movie that doubled as the finale of Little House on the Prairie, in which he played development tycoon Nathan Lassiter, a villainous man set to take over Walnut Grove, the tight-knit small town that was ultimately blown up.
