David Margulies Dies; Ghostbusters Mayor, Veteran Actor Was 78

February 2024 · 2 minute read

David Margulies, a veteran character actor perhaps most recognizable for his role as the mayor in Ghostbusters, has passed away.

He was 78 years old.

The veteran stage and screen actor agent, Mary Harden, confirmed his passing earlier today. His cause of death was not disclosed.

To millions of Ghostbusters fans, his face will be remembered as that of Lenny Clotch, a take-off on real-life New York Mayor Ed Koch.

Lenny clashed with, then ultimately embraced the zany paranormal investigators played by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.

Margulies, who reprised the role in the 1989 sequel to the 1984 comedy classic, starred in many films and theater productions, as well.

Other recognizable parts included Tony Soprano’s lawyer Neil Mink on The Sopranos and the doctor in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

On Broadway, the New York native appeared in Comedians, Brighton Beach Memoirs and Angels In America, just to name a handful.

The unheralded star is already being mourned on social media.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, wrote on Facebook, "I got to see him as Roy Cohn in Angels in high school. Unreal."

"A force onstage, a mensch offstage. I will miss him."

Margulies’ work will live on in the hearts and minds of his fans and colleagues, as well as in two more projects set for release this year.

He will appear, posthumously, in an independent drama called License Plates and as Elie Weisel in the upcoming TV movie Madoff.

R.I.P.

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