Died: March 30, 2003 (at age 50)
Birthplace: Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, U.S.
Michael Jeter (August 26, 1952 - March 30, 2003) was an American actor of film, stage, and television. His television roles include Herman Stiles on Evening Shade from 1990 until 1994 and Mr. Noodle's brother, Mr. Noodle on Elmo's World (Sesame Street) from 2000 until 2003. Jeter's film roles include Zelig, The Fisher King, Waterworld, Air Bud, The Green Mile, Jurassic Park III, and The Polar Express.
Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee on August 26, 1952. His mother, Virginia (née Raines; May 6, 1927), was a housewife. His father, William Claud Jeter (March 10, 1922 - March 1, 2010), was a dentist. Jeter had one brother, William, and four sisters, Virginia, Amanda, Emily, and Larie. Jeter was a student at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) when his interests changed from medicine to acting. He performed in several plays and musicals at the Circuit Theatre and its sister theatre, the Playhouse on the Square, in midtown Memphis. He left Memphis to further pursue his stage career in Baltimore, Maryland.
Jeter's woebegone look, extreme flexibility, and high energy led Tommy Tune to cast him in the off-Broadway play Cloud 9 in 1981. Much of his work specialized in playing eccentric, pretentious, or wimpy characters, as in The Fisher King, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Drop Zone. Occasionally, Jeter was able to stay away from these types of roles for more diverse characters like those he portrayed in Jurassic Park III, Air Bud and Open Range.
He was also a favorite with younger audiences in his role as Mr. Noodle's brother, Mr. Noodle on Sesame Street from 1999 to 2003. He appeared in an episode of Touched by an Angel in 1999 as Gus, an insurance salesman who arrives in Las Vegas in the episode "The Man Upstairs". His last two appearances were in the films The Polar Express and Open Range. Both films were in post-production at the time of his death and, when released, contained a dedication to his memory.
Also, Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and the Clarence Derwent Prize.
Jeter was openly gay and met his partner, Sean Blue, in 1995; they were together from 1995 until Jeter's death in 2003.
On March 30, 2003, Jeter was found dead in his Hollywood home at age 50. Although he had HIV, he had been in good health for many years. His partner, Sean Blue, stated publicly that Jeter died of an epileptic seizure.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1979 | My Old Man | George Gardner | Television movie |
1979 | Hair | Sheldon | |
1981 | Ragtime | Special reporter | |
1981 | Alice at the Palace | Caterpillar / Dormouse | Television movie |
1982 | Soup for One | Mr. Kelp | |
1983 | Zelig | Freshman #2 | |
1986 | The Money Pit | Arnie | |
1989 | Dead Bang | Dr. Krantz | |
1989 | Tango & Cash | Skinner | |
1990 | Miller's Crossing | Adolph | |
1990 | Just Like in the Movies | Vernon | |
1991 | The Fisher King | Homeless Cabaret Singer | |
1993 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | Father Ignatius | |
1993 | Bank Robber | Night Clerk | |
1993 | Gypsy | Goldstone | Television movie |
1994 | Drop Zone | Earl Leedy | |
1995 | Waterworld | Old Gregor | |
1996 | Mrs. Santa Claus | Arvo | Television movie |
1996 | The Boys Next Door | Arnold | Television movie |
1997 | Air Bud | Norm Snively | |
1997 | Mouse Hunt | Quincy Thorpe | |
1998 | The Naked Man | Sticks | |
1998 | The Ransom of Red Chief | Bill Driscoll | Television movie |
1998 | Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas | L. Ron Bumquist | |
1998 | Thursday | Dr. Jarvis | |
1998 | Patch Adams | Rudy | |
1998 | Zack and Reba | Oras | Television movie |
1999 | True Crime | Dale | |
1999 | Jakob the Liar | Avron | |
1999 | The Green Mile | Eduard 'Del' Delacroix | Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
2000 | The Gift | Gerald Weems | |
2000 | South of Heaven, West of Hell | Uncle Jude | |
2001 | Jurassic Park III | Udesky | |
2002 | Welcome to Collinwood | Toto | |
2003 | Open Range | Percy | Released posthumously |
2004 | The Polar Express | Smokey and Steamer | Released posthumously |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | From Here to Eternity | Pvt. Ridgley | Unknown episodes |
1980 | Lou Grant | Max Galt | Episode: "Dogs" |
1986 | Night Court | Unknown | Episode: "The Night Off" |
1987 | Designing Women | Calvin Klein | Episode: "Old Spouses Never Die - Part 1" |
1988 | Crime Story | Senator Michael Gaspari | Episode: "The Hearings" |
1988 | Hothouse | Dr. Art Makter | 7 episodes |
1990-1994 | Evening Shade | Herman Stiles | 98 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Comedy Series Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series |
1993-1995 | Picket Fences | Peter Lebeck | 3 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series |
1993 | Tales of the City | Carson Callas | 3 episodes |
1994 | Aladdin | Runtar | voice role Episode: "StinkerBelle" |
1995 | Chicago Hope | Bob Ryan | Episode: "A Coupla Stiffs" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series |
1996 | Dream On | Dr. Enoch | Episode: "Finale with a Vengeance" |
1996 | Suddenly Susan | Lawrence Rosewood | Episode: "Dr. No" |
1997 | Duckman | Dr. William Blay | voice role Episode: "Ajax & Ajaxer" |
1997 | Second Noah | The Chicken Man | Episode: "Diving In" |
1997 | Murphy Brown | Vic | Episode: "You Don't Know Jackal" |
1997 | Johnny Bravo | Lawrence the Camel | voice role Episode: "Blarney Buddies/Over the Hump/Johnny Meets Farrah Fawcett" |
1998-1999 | The Wild Thornberrys | Biederman | voice role 4 episodes |
1998 | Veronica's Closet | Edwin Murloff | Episode: "Veronica's Blackout" |
1999 | Touched by an Angel | Gus Zimmerman | Episode: "The Man Upstairs" |
2000-2003 | Sesame Street | Mr. Noodle's brother, Mr. Noodle | Elmo's World segments |
2002 | Taken | William Jeffries | Episode: "Taken" |
2002 | Hey Arnold! | Nate Horowitz | voice role Episode: "Gerald's Game/The Fishing Trip" |