Stephen Furst, who brought charm and laughter to so many roles, has died. He was 63.
Born Stephen Nelson Feurestein in 1954, he dreamed of being an actor, and while working as a pizza delivery driver to support his search for roles, would include his headshot in the pizza boxes. Which, shockingly worked, as it helped him score his first major, memorable part as Kent "Flounder" Dorfman in 1978's National Lampoon's Animal House. That led to him reprising the role in 1979 spin-off TV series Delta House and a lot of work in other comedies and dramas.
Furst worked consistently, appearing in a variety of movies and TV shows including Midnight Madness, St. Elsewhere, and Take Down and found a whole new generation of fans with his role as Vir Cotto on Babylon 5.
A director and producer, he battled diabetes for years and eventually died from complications of the disease on Friday. "Steve has a long list of earthly accomplishments. He was known to the world as a brilliant and prolific actor and filmmaker, but to his family and many dear friends he was also a beloved husband, father and kind friend whose memory will always be a blessing," his sons Nathan and Griffin posted to the actor's Facebook page this weekend. "To truly honor him, do not cry for the loss of Stephen Furst. But rather, enjoy memories of all the times he made you snicker, laugh, or even snort to your own embarrassment. He intensely believed that laugher is the best therapy, and he would want us to practice that now.
"If you knew him personally, remember his gift for lighting up a room. And no matter who you are, when you think of Steve, instead of being sad, celebrate his life by watching one of his movies or use one of his bits to make someone else laugh – really, really hard."