William Gleason, 76; Stage Actor Also Appeared in TV, Films

William Gleason, 76, a stage actor who also appeared on television and in movies, died Thursday of unstated causes at his home in Santa Monica.

A native of Los Angeles, Gleason attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and studied acting at the Royal Academy of Arts in Glasgow, Scotland. He performed at theaters in New York and London.

He later turned his talent to television and film. On the small screen, he had a two-year run on the soap opera “Edge of Night” and a guest role in the series “McCloud.”

Gleason prided himself on his small role as a hotel manager in the 1962 romantic comedy “That Touch of Mink,” starring Cary Grant. Gleason had larger roles in other films, including Det. Burke in 1969’s “The Minx” and a court clerk in 1988’s “Shakedown.”