David Sheiner, who starred in the Western television series The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory, has died at the age of 98. The familiar face also portrayed one of the poker players alongside Walter Mattheu and Jack Lemmon in the 1968 big screen adaptation of The Odd Couple. He is best remembered for creating the on-screen chemistry that turned the film into a comedy classic.
David died June 5 following a medical emergency after he was taken to hospital. His cause of death was renal failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his son, Andrew Sheiner, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The American actor has enjoyed an illustrious film and television career that has spanned across four decades. The Bronx native's resume is extensive having starred as the apostle James the Elder in George Stevens' The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), also as Guido Lorenzo, cop and partner of Charles Bronson's Det. Lou in the 1973 thriller The Stone Killer.
Born on January 13, 1928, in the Bronx, New York, Saul David Sheiner served in the US Army Air Forces. He later began acting classes for eight years on a scholarship from Actors Studio co-founder Lee Strasberg, and his classmates included Marilyn Monroe and James Dean.
He toured with the national company of Clifford Odets' The Country Girl and went to Broadway in 1951 in the prison set drama Darkness at Noon.
David also starred in the 1963 episode of the Twilight Zone, The Thirty-Fathom Grave.
He appeared in several other television series from Mission Impossible, The Fugitive, The Six Million Dollar Man, Quincy, Columbo, Hawaii Five-O and Murder She Wrote.
His film resume included the 1968 film A Man Called Gannon, Winning (1969), They Call Mister Tibbs! (1970), Battle Creek Brawl (1980) and Blue Thunder (1983).
David is survived by his wife Mary-David Sheiner and their two children.
