John Spencer(1946-2005)

Art sadly imitated life for John in the end. His The West Wing (1999) TV character, Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, had a history of alcoholism and suffered a heart attack of which he recovered. John, who was himself a recovered alcoholic (since 1989), died of a heart attack four days before his 59th birthday in December of 2005. After his death, his character in The West Wing also died of a heart attack.

They [his parents] wanted me to be educated -- a doctor or a lawyer. They weren't happy that I chose the arts. They wanted me to have a good life. It's ironic that I made the leap in a different way.