'Major League' actor James Gammon dies at 70

[July 20, 2010]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- James Gammon, the gravel-voiced actor who played the manager of the Cleveland Indians in the 1980s comedy "Major League" and had a host of other movie and TV roles, has died. He was 70.

His agent, Merritt Blake, said Monday that Gammon had cancer and died Friday at his daughter's home in Costa Mesa.

The craggy-faced actor also played the father on the Don Johnson TV show "Nash Bridges."

In addition to dozens of TV and movie appearances, Gammon was a noted stage actor who co-founded the MET Theatre in Los Angeles. Gammon starred in several Sam Shepherd plays, receiving a Tony nomination for his work on a 1996 Broadway production of "Buried Child."

Gammon is survived by his wife, a brother and sister, two daughters and two grandchildren.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.