Daniel von Bargen was a prolific character actor whose work ranged from the stage to films such as The Silence of the Lambs and O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Many television viewers remember him as Mr. Kruger on Seinfeld, but his career and life were much broader than that role or the health crisis reported in 2012. He died in 2015 at 64; the reports cited here do not establish a cause of death.
Who was Daniel von Bargen?
Von Bargen was born in Cincinnati on June 5, 1950. He attended Purdue University and worked in theater as well as film and television. The Television Academy’s profile records his death on March 1, 2015, in Montgomery, Ohio, at age 64. The Television Academy profile
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His career crossed genres and formats. Alongside his best-known sitcom parts, his screen credits included The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Amistad, The Postman, Lord of Illusions, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?. He also appeared in television series including The West Wing, NYPD Blue, and The X-Files. The Associated Press obituary described stage work in Southern California and off-Broadway, and noted his starring role in The Secret Order at Laguna Playhouse in 2003. Associated Press obituary republished by the Los Angeles Times
Why audiences remember him from Seinfeld
Von Bargen played Mr. Kruger, George Costanza’s boss at Kruger Industrial Smoothing, in four episodes of Seinfeld’s final season. His character’s dry, unflappable manner made him a memorable presence opposite George’s anxious schemes. He later played Commandant Edwin Spangler, Malcolm’s strict military-school instructor, on Malcolm in the Middle. The Television Academy profile
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His Seinfeld co-star Jason Alexander remembered him warmly, saying he “did a lovely job on the show and seemed like just a sweetheart of a man,” according to the AP obituary republished by the Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times
What was reported about the 2012 crisis?
In February 2012, von Bargen shot himself and called emergency services. ABC News reported at the time that he was hospitalized, citing the emergency call and a Montgomery police sergeant. Contemporary reporting described diabetes-related complications and a planned toe amputation as part of the circumstances surrounding the incident. ABC News, February 22, 2012
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Later accounts also referred to a prior leg amputation and further toe surgery in connection with diabetes complications. Those reports provide context for the crisis, not a complete account of his life or a basis for reducing his experience to a diagnosis. They also do not establish that diabetes caused his eventual death.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did Daniel von Bargen die?
Von Bargen died on March 1, 2015, at 64. The AP obituary reported that a funeral-home owner confirmed his death but could not provide a cause. The Washington Post likewise said the cause had not been reported, while describing him as having been ill. The sources reviewed therefore establish the date and age, but not the cause of death. The Washington Post Associated Press obituary republished by the Los Angeles Times
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Actor and colleague Bob Colonna described von Bargen as “much loved, for himself and his work, both of which were unassailable,” in a statement reported by the AP obituary republished by CBS News. CBS News
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