Veteran Actor Brock Peters dies at 78

[bhryun]

I am saddened to report that veteran actor Brock Peters, best known for his deeply moving performance as a black man falsely accused of rape in "To Kill a Mockingbird", has died at his Los Angeles home after battling pancreatic cancer. He was 78.

 

Peters was diagnosed with the disease in January and had been receiving chemotherapy treatment according to Marilyn Darby, his longtime companion. His condition worsened in recent weeks and he died peacefully in bed surrounded by family Ms. Darby reports.

 

Peters was born George Fisher July 2, 1927 in New York. His long film career began in the 1950s with the landmark productions of "Carmen Jones" in 1954 and "Porgy and Bess" in 1959. Among Mr. Peters' other films were "Soylent Green", "The L-Shaped Room" and "The Pawnbroker".

 

In recent years he played Admiral Cartwright in two of the "Star Trek" feature films. He also appeared in numerous TV shows and his distinctive bass voice served him well as the voice for animated characters .