John Spencer, z''l

So, I'm a little late in posting this, but over Shabbos I was deeply saddened to hear that John Spencer, aka Leo McGarry on The West Wing, died on Friday. First of all, as friends of mine have also remarked, he definitely looked older than his 58 years, and his death (of a heart attack) is very sudden. As someone who only knew him through his performances and DVD commentary, he just seemed like a wonderful man, generous and brilliant, along with being an incredibly gifted actor. But more importantly, he has an enviable legacy in having portrayed Leo McGarry for six years. The development of this character is such an emblamatic example of television as art, of watching a character develop into a human being, with a life story and flaws and nobility to rival any character in literature. The grace and subtlety with which Spencer crafted this alter ego demonstrates a life well worth celebrating and cherishing.