‘Will & Grace’ ‘Men in Black,’ and 'The Office' Actor Charles C. Stevenson Jr. Dies at 95
Even though 2026 is still young, the year has already seen several notable celebrity deaths. Now, a beloved character actor, who had memorable roles in popular movies and TV shows, has passed away at 95.
Charles C. Stevenson Jr. Dies at 95 Years Old
On February 6, 2026, Variety reported that the popular character actor Charles C. Stevenson, Jr. had died at 95. Best known for portraying Smitty in several episodes of Will & Grace, he passed away on January 19 in Camarillo, California. He is survived by five children, Charles III and Valerie, from his marriage to Barbara Keller, and Catherine, Scott, and William from his second marriage to Joy Stevenson. He also had eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Variety's article included a quote from a statement that was released by Stevenson's son Scott about his father's view on his acting career that often involved "marrying or burying people." “As he told it, the panic-stricken director would invariably come to him to beg him to find a way to fill in unscripted space between ‘We are gathered here together’ (where he’d probably get his close-up) and the ‘amen’ at the end of the scene (where he usually wouldn’t). Stevenson admitted that he got pretty good at that.”
The outlet also outlined his many impressive achievements outside acting. Stevenson served in the Navy during the Korean War and earned an English degree from UC Berkeley. After college, he worked in fundraising, chapter development, and public awareness drives for charities like Project Hope and the Epilepsy Foundation. That brought him into contact with celebrities like James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, and Henry Winkler, and he began acting at 50.
Beyond ‘Will & Grace’: A Career Built on Character Roles
Charles C. Stevenson Jr. was so delightful as Smitty during episodes of Will & Grace that he left a lasting mark on the sitcom's fans, making it his trademark role. Still, his IMDb page makes it clear that he appeared in an incredibly long list of TV shows and movies and that shouldn't be forgotten. The following includes some of his other most notable roles.
- Gilmore Girls and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life — Recurring as a small-town resident/Doose's friend.
- The Office — Guest as Mine Shaft Guy in "The Seminar" episode.
- Men in Black — Small role as an MIB agent in the morgue scene.
- Ghost World — Supporting part in the cult indie film.
- Pleasantville — Town resident.
- Glee, Shameless, My Name Is Earl, The Middle, According to Jim, Scrubs, Boy Meets World, and many others — Frequent guest spots as clergy or quirky locals.
- Law & Order, Scandal, NYPD Blue, Murder, She Wrote, The Practice, Boston Legal, JAG, Diagnosis: Murder, Walker, Texas Ranger, Touched by an Angel, and many others — Frequent guest spots as judges, priests, sheriffs, or small-town authority figures.
- The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, Snow Buddies, Ed Wood, The Naked Gun, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Mask, Arachnophobia, Air Force One, Patch Adams, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Polar Express, and many others — Frequent supporting roles as quirky townsfolk, judges, doctors, or small-town figures in major studio comedies and dramas.