Darrell Sandeen, an actor whose career spanned Broadway, TV and movies, including more than 80 musical theater productions, died Jan. 26 in Los Angeles after suffering a fall which resulted in a brain hemorrhage. He was 78.

Born in Chicago, he moved to New York and landed parts in the Broadway productions of "Here's Love," "A Joyful Noise," "The Fig Leaves Are Falling," and "Young Abe Lincoln," in which he played the title role.

He toured in national companies of "My Fair Lady" and "The Great White Hope," "Oklahoma" (Judd) and in "Our Town," and was featured in an Off Broadway revival of "Can-Can."

Among the many musicals he performed in were "Carousel," "Oliver!," "The Rainmaker" and "The Sound of Music" as well as plays including "Young Martin Luther King," "Hamlet," "Taming of the Shrew" and "King Lear," in the title role.

On the West Coast, he performed in "1776," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (for which he won a DramaLogue award), "Man of La Mancha" (in which he played Don Quixote and the governor) and "Brecht, Sacred and Profane" at the Mark Taper Forum at the Los Angeles Music Center. He played Big Jule in "Guys and Dolls" in a performance for President Johnson at the White House.

His TV credits include "Big Love," "Bonanza," "Father Murphy," "Route 66," and "Feather and Father" and the films "L.A. Confidential," "Blazing Saddles," "Call Me Bruce," Disney's "Island at the Top of the World" and, most recently, "Satin."

Source: Variety obit.