Actor-Writer Royce D. Applegate died New Year's Day when a fire of "mysterious origin" (as they say) swept through his home in the Hollywood Hills. Royce was probably best known for his recurring role on the old s-f TV series, SeaQuest DSV, but he appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies over the years, often playing a cop or a biker. I think the photo above is from an episode of Twin Peaks.
I met him when he co-wrote an episode of Welcome Back, Kotter, and I somehow managed to run into him often enough after that to develop a casual friendship. One time, when I extended the Hollywood courtesy of asking what he'd been up to, he ticked off the names of three recently-filmed movies in which he'd had roles.
A few months later, I was walking down Cahuenga Boulevard when Royce, who was driving by, spotted me and pulled his car over to the curb. "Remember those movies I said I'd been in?" he asked. "Well, I got cut out of all three." That was said without a trace of bitterness. It genuinely amused him, and he wanted to share it with me. (I think one of the movies was High Anxiety. Mel Brooks later gave him another part and didn't cut him out of History of the World, Part One.)
I didn't know the man well, but I always liked spotting him on the screen. I think the last time was in the TV-Movie version of Inherit the Wind — the one with Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott. It was fun to think, "There's Royce again" and sad to see him this morning on the obit page.