Ian Abercrombie's role in "Jurassic Park: The Lost World" isn't exactly substantial — he's John Hammond's butler — but if you've seen more of his filmography, he may still feel familiar. In the 2002-2003 WB series "Birds of Prey," Abercrombie later played one of the most famous butlers of all time, Alfred Pennyworth. Any role that puts you in the illustrious company of actors like Michael Caine, Jeremy Irons, and Michael Gough is bound to help cement someone's reputation. As a bonus, Abercrombie also appeared as a butler on "Desperate Housewives" and David Lynch's "Inland Empire." There was just something about the man that made directors want to put a silver tray in his hands.
There's a lot more to Abercrombie's legacy than that, however. Even if he doesn't look familiar to you, he probably sounds familiar, and that's because of his extensive voice-work on projects like "Rango" and "The Clone Wars" (where he played Palpatine himself). He was also unforgettable in his recurring role as Elaine's boss on "Seinfeld."
Abercrombie died in 2012, at age 77. One of his directors on "The Clone Wars" issued a moving statement (qtd. Legacy), saying, "Though he played a villain on our show, you would be hard-pressed to meet a kinder person ... He loved to laugh and his sense of humor always lightened our record sessions. I will miss his stories, I will miss his performances, and I will miss his contribution to our show."
