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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteEd Wheeler, the veteran character actor whose credits included Law & Order, Broadcast News and Blue Bloods, died August 21, 2024, at age 88. His wife, Messeret Stroman Wheeler, confirmed that he died at Englewood Hospital in New Jersey from respiratory failure due to pneumonia complications.
How did Ed Wheeler die?
Wheeler died of respiratory failure due to complications from pneumonia, according to his wife, who confirmed the death to the Los Angeles Times. He died at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey, on August 21, 2024.
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What was Ed Wheeler known for?
Wheeler was a working character actor whose career spanned commercials, theatre, television and film. Television audiences may recognize him from several episodes of Law & Order, where he played different characters over the years. His first film role was in James L. Brooks’ Broadcast News (1987), and his most recent reported screen credit was a 2010 episode of Blue Bloods. These are selected credits, not a complete filmography.
From commercials and theatre to screen roles
Born Edward John Wheeler in Brooklyn on February 18, 1936, he served in the Army before attending North Carolina College, now North Carolina Central University, on a basketball scholarship. He later worked as a hairstylist and for United Airlines before pursuing acting.
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His early acting work included national commercials in the 1970s. He trained with off-Broadway director Gene Frankel and Irving Vincent and performed in stage productions, including work associated with the Negro Ensemble Company. The Los Angeles Times obituary describes him among Black performers who helped broaden representation in commercials and television, and reports that he used commercial work to support theatre, which paid less.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.His later work and legacy
In 2017, Wheeler received the Living Legend Award from the National Black Theatre Festival. The Los Angeles Times reported that he called it a “tremendous honor,” and recalled his initial response: “Who, me? What have I done in this life that would make someone think of me as a living legend?”
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Wheeler and his wife co-founded Maydecember Productions. They made their co-executive producer debut on the 2023 short film Keepers of the Flame. In her Instagram tribute, quoted by the Los Angeles Times, Messeret Stroman Wheeler remembered her husband as “a guiding light,” adding that his “talent, dedication and passion were unmatched — whether on stage, in front of the camera or behind the scenes.”
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