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'In-Laws,' 'All of Me' actor Richard Libertini dies at 82

Posted January 12, 2016 6:00 am

By DERRIK J. LANG

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The comedic character actor Richard Libertini has died. He was 82.

Libertini's ex-wife Melinda Dillon says he died Jan. 7 after a 2-yearlong battle with cancer.

The bald-and-bearded actor portrayed such memorable characters as the wacky Latin American general from 1979's "The In-Laws," the eccentric Tibetan mystic from 1984's "All of Me" and the boss of Chevy Chase's newspaper reporter Irwin Fletcher in the "Fletch" films.

Libertini also appeared in the movies "Big Trouble," ''Days of Heaven," ''Popeye" and "Awakenings," as well as the TV series "Baretta," ''The Bob Newhart Show," ''Moonlighting" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Libertini started his career with the Second City improvisational group in Chicago.

He is survived by his son, Richard; sister, Alice; and brother, Albert.

FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2011 file photo, Julie Kavner, from left, Mark Linn-Baker and Richard Libertini, lappear at the curtain call after the opening night performance of "Relatively Speaking," three one act plays by Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen, in New York. The comedic character actor Libertini has died at age 82. Libertini's ex-wife Melinda Dillon says he died Jan. 7, 2016, after a 2-year-long battle with cancer. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File) The Associated Press

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