‘Homeland’ Cast Member James Rebhorn Dies from Skin Cancer
James Reborn, actor on the Showtime hit series Homeland, died at the age of 65 on Friday, March 21. Reborn played Carrie Mathison’s perpetually worried father, Frank, a fascinating character who also coped with active Bipolar Disorder. Carrie is famously played by Claire Danes, who has won two Golden Globes and two Emmy awards for the starring role.
Reborn, a character actor, also had a recurring role as Reese Hughes on USA’s White Collar and is known by Seinfeld fans as the judge who sent Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer to jail in the 1998 series finale.
Starting off his career over half a century ago in the 1950s, Rebhorn had roles on a multitude of television shows, including 30 Rock, Law & Order, Third Watch, The Book of Daniel, Boston Legal, The Good Wife. He also recently guested last year on the HBO series, Enlightened, starring Laura Dern.
Rebhorn had standout roles in two huge 1992 films – My Cousin Vinny and Scent of a Woman. In My Cousin Vinny, the actor played George Wilber, the FBI expert witness in the area of tire tread identification and automobiles. His testimony gets refuted by the subsequent testimony of Mona Lisa Vito, played by the fabulous Marisa Tomei in one of film’s most beloved courtroom scenes. In Scent of Woman, Rebhorn played Mr. Trask, the dean/headmaster of the fictional Baird University. Rebhorn also acted in the movies Independence Day and Meet the Parents.
Rebhorn passed away in his New Jersey home after a long battle with skin cancer. Rebhorn’s wife Rebecca told TMZ.com that the actor was diagnosed with melanoma in 1992 and that he’d been receiving treatments ever since. TMZ reports that his condition drastically worsened recently, resulting in hospice care at his home prior to his passing.
Photo by Peter Kramer/Getty Images
