full circle

John Spencer died Friday. He's best known for his role as Chief of Staff on West Wing, but I remember him from LA Law. He first appeared the season I worked on the show as assistant editor. When you work on a film or TV show in post-production, you have an invisible, one-way relationship with the actors. You get to know the pores on their faces, their mannerisms, their quirks of breath and intonation. You are the man (or woman) behind the curtain.

And so I remember John Spencer as this shock to the system, this rough-edged working class joe on a soundstage filled with polished TV vets. I remember my irritation that he was supposedly the ex-husband to another new face, Cecil Hoffmann, playing Zoe Clemmons, because the two seemed to be from different worlds. I remember slowly coming to respect and then love watching his expressive face, his droll delivery, what seemed like a near-constant amusement with life.

I feel like I knew him even though I was only in the same room with him once or twice, even though we never officially met (at least, not that I remember). I hate that he died so suddenly and so young. A vibrant man.