RIP Daniel Von Bargen

Daniel was my favorite Trinity actor and was our neighbor briefly many years ago.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Daniel von Bargen, a longtime Trinity Rep actor who later played George Costanza's boss Mr. Kruger on TV's "Seinfeld," has died at age 64 after a long illness.

Von Bargen shot himself in the head in 2012 as he was about to have toes amputated because of diabetes, the TMZ website reported then. Von Bargen began his career at Trinity in 1972. He attended Purdue University and performed for the American Repertory Theater, the Dallas Theater Center and on Broadway in "Mastergate."

He said in a 2003 interview with The Providence Journal that he left Trinity on good terms and had decided to stay with movies and television.

"I really don't like [the stage] anymore," he said. "The rehearsals and the openings are some of my favorite times as an actor. What I don't like is, after a couple of weeks, going back to the theater to do the same thing over and over eight times a week. That quickly turns sour for me."

Trinity said in a news release Thursday: "Trinity Rep mourns the passing of Daniel von Bargen, a much-loved longtime acting company member, who passed away in February. From Lady Audley’s Secret in 1972 through Golden Boy in 1990, Dan was memorable in more than 50 plays at Trinity Rep, including Eustace Chisholm and the Works, King Lear, Awake and Sing!, Death of a Salesman, Hurlyburly, The Wild Duck and The Lady from Maxim’s. He moved easily from hilarious comedic roles to affecting dramatic parts, and was a talented musician.

“Complex, highly intelligent, enormously funny, Dan was a large part of the artistic fabric that brought international attention to our theater,” said fellow company member Cynthia Strickland, with whom he first came to Providence. “But more than that, he was a dearly loved friend to many.”

Among his movie roles was one as the jury foreman in "Philadelphia," alongside such luminaries as Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Mary Steenburgen and Antonio Banderas. He also appeared in "Basic Instinct."

His role as Mr. Kruger on "Seinfeld" carried him across several episodes. He also appeared as a demented military academy commandant on "Malcolm in the Middle." He had a role in a TV movie with Andy Griffith and Blair Brown called "Set for Life."

Von Bargen appeared in guest roles on such TV shows as "Spenser: For Hire," "NYPD Blue" and "New York Undercover."