George Coe | Original 'SNL' cast member, 86

George Coe, 86, a veteran character actor with a comedic touch that he brought to the early days of

Saturday Night Live

, died Saturday in a Santa Monica, Calif., convalescent facility, his daughter Amy Bickers said.

He had a number of illnesses, including lymphoma, a condition he battled for about 20 years and jokingly called "cancer lite."

A distinguished-looking man with a serious bearing when he wanted one, Mr. Coe frequently played authority figures on TV and in films. He was a judge on L.A. Law, the smarmy head of Dustin Hoffman's ad agency in Kramer vs. Kramer, and a crusty U.S. senator who staged a filibuster for autism funding on The West Wing.

But he also poured himself into comedic roles. An original member of the Not Ready for Primetime Players, he was an older foil to younger, more manic SNL cast members such as Chevy Chase and John Belushi.

- Los Angeles Times