Actors In Will Ferrell Movies You May Not Know Passed Away
Chris Hodges
Will Ferrell has starred in several big Hollywood movies since his time on "Saturday Night Live." Sadly, many of his former castmates are no longer with us.
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Looper
Will Ferrell was part of an especially stacked cast of future stars during his time on "Saturday Night Live," making the fact that he managed to become a standout performer during his tenure on the show all the more impressive. Though it would take a couple of years before he began headlining films in the early 2000s, a foothold in Hollywood came pretty quickly into his "SNL" run via breakout supporting roles, especially in the first two "Austin Powers" movies as the fez-wearing Dr. Evil henchman Mustafa.

Now a well-established Hollywood star, Ferrell has racked up a long list of co-stars over the years. Unfortunately, that also means that a growing number of them have taken their final bows. From industry veterans who were in their golden years by the time they crossed paths with Ferrell to those who were just getting started in Hollywood, these actors from Will Ferrell movies are no longer with us.

One of the things that makes or breaks a Christmas movie is the actor who plays Santa Claus. 2003's "Elf" is deserving of its place in the pantheon of Christmas classics for numerous reasons, but the great Ed Asner's take on old Saint Nick makes it extra special. It's definitely Will Ferrell's movie — "Elf" represented his first film role of that size and announced that he was here to stay as a comedic force in Hollywood. But the star is well-supported by a terrific cast of both young and old Hollywood alike, including Asner as a Santa that flawlessly walks the line between jolly and grumpy.

That balance was something that Asner did better than almost any other actor, also showcased beautifully when he voiced Carl Fredricksen in the 2009 Pixar classic "Up." Those two roles alone helped introduce Asner to a younger audience in the 2000s, though he also showed up in a number of other film and television roles that kept the actor busy even into the 2020s, bringing his impressive career into its eighth decade. Clearly still loving his job, Asner literally worked right up until his death in August 2021 at the age of 91 — he was part of a production of a play called "God Help Us!" when he died of natural causes.

Will Ferrell has always been generous as a performer, someone who is more than willing to share the spotlight and feed jokes to others. That generosity has also extended to Ferrell the screenwriter, particularly when it comes to the ensemble comedies he's co-written with Adam McKay. Even with so many talented and seasoned performers on screen at any given time, everyone in a scene is always given plenty to do and never feels like an afterthought. A perfect example of this are Ricky Bobby's wayward sons in "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," hilariously played by Houston Tumlin and Grayson Russell.

While Grayson Russell went on to star in other film and television projects, "Talladega Nights" would be Houston Tumlin's only acting credit — he died by suicide in 2021, aged 28. According to his mother, he had depression and PTSD related to his time in the military. Michelle Tumlin told TMZ that her son served in the U.S. Army for almost six years and earned several medals during that time, including a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. "My beautiful boy brought joy to everyone he encountered and made them feel special," she said. "Houston fought his battle for years, and we will continue to fight for him."

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Arguably the first project to be called a "Will Ferrell movie" is 2004's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy." He was a co-writer on "A Night at the Roxbury," but that was still largely an "SNL" film and it didn't feel like Ferrell had as much creative control as he could have (or should have). For "Anchorman," Ferrell teamed with co-writer and director Adam McKay for the first time, announcing a comedic partnership that would produce some of the funniest movies of the decade. In fairness, much of what makes "Anchorman" great is that it's an ensemble comedy made up of some of the best in the business, and that includes the late Fred Willard.

Willard's comedy and improv skills were well established thanks to his frequent appearances in Christopher Guest mockumentaries like "This is Spinal Tap," "Waiting for Guffman," and "Best in Show." In "Anchorman," Willard played Ron Burgundy's boss, station director Ed Harken, and he more than held his own alongside scene-stealing co-stars like Ferrell, Paul Rudd, and Steve Carell. Willard reprised the role for the 2013 sequel "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues." He would later team up with Carell again for the Netflix series "Space Force," which was one of his final roles. He died in 2020 at the age of 86, with cardiac arrest confirmed as the cause.

When Ray Stevenson died in May 2023 aged just 58, much of the attention was on his role in the Disney+ "Star Wars" series "Ahsoka," in which he played the villainous Baylan Skoll. The show's star, Rosario Dawson, called him a "giant of a man" with an "every ready and present smile" in a tribute Instagram post, and a dedication to the late actor, reading "For our friend, Ray," was placed before the credits of the first episode. Fans of the actor were also quick to point out that he played the titular role in 2008's underrated "Punisher: War Zone." What didn't get quite as much attention in career retrospectives is that Stevenson also did comedy — and he was pretty great at it, to boot.

A perfect example is his appearance in the Will Ferrell/Mark Wahlberg buddy cop comedy "The Other Guys," in which Stevenson plays questionable security agent Roger Wesley. Arguably the best line in the movie that doesn't come from Ferrell is this gem delivered by Stevenson: "There are three things I love in this world: Kylie Minogue, small dimples just above a woman's buttocks, and the fear in a man's eye who knows I'm about to hurt him." Stevenson, who was born in Northern Ireland, was also known for his work in TV shows such as "Rome," "Vikings," and "Dexter."

Being cast as antagonist fashion mogul Jacobim Mugatu in the 2001 comedy "Zoolander" not only allowed Will Ferrell to work with his comedy peers Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, but it also meant he could have some screen time with a genuine comedy legend. Jerry Stiller, father of star Ben Stiller, played Derek Zoolander's agent Maury Ballstein in the movie, and he and Ferrell shared a few memorable moments together that were some of the film's biggest laughs. Younger audiences will know Jerry Stiller best for his roles in the sitcoms "The King of Queens" and "Seinfeld," but he was already a comedy icon by that point.

In the 1960s, he was part of a popular comedy duo with his wife Anne Meara, known as Stiller and Meara. They met at a casting call in New York and became famous for their appearances on talk and variety shows. Meara died in 2015, and her husband followed five years later in 2020. He was 92. "I'm sad to say that my father, Jerry Stiller, passed away from natural causes," Ben Stiller announced in a tweet. "He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed."

James Caan's Walter Hobbs initially comes across as the de facto Scrooge character in "Elf," but when Walter finally finds his Christmas spirit near the end of the film, another, even bigger miser rises to the occasion — his boss, Fulton Greenway, who owns the children's book publishing company that Walter eventually quits. Mr. Greenway was played by Michael Lerner, who had carved out something of a niche for playing intimidating men in positions of power via movies like "Barton Fink," "Eight Men Out," "No Escape," and "X-Men: Days of Future Past."

That said, Lerner could also do friendly — though still often with a tinge of grumpiness. He exhibited that side when he took on the role of Mel Horowitz in the first season of the 1995 sitcom adaptation of "Clueless," with Dan Hedaya not reprising the role from the movie. Lerner's final film role saw him portray pioneering Hollywood producer Louis B. Mayer in a 2022 Russian flick called "First Oscar." He died in April 2023 at the age of 81, as confirmed by his nephew, actor Sam Lerner. "It's hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me," he said in an Instagram post. "His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting."

Despite having appeared in several beloved films, one of which earned him a well-deserved Oscar nomination, many film fans are still shocked to learn that Michael Clarke Duncan is no longer with us. The Chicago native took the long road to Hollywood, working as a bouncer and a ditch digger for a gas company before becoming an actor. His powerful and heartbreaking performance in "The Green Mile" is what led to him getting a nod in the best supporting actor category at the 72nd Academy Awards, though he had over 100 on-screen roles during his varied and tragically short time in Hollywood – he died in 2012 following a heart attack, aged just 54.

In addition to playing dramatic roles and tough guy characters, Duncan was also an extremely gifted comedic actor, and that was arguably best demonstrated in the NASCAR comedy "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" — the riotous hospital scene stands out as one of his best. Lucius (Duncan) telling Will Ferrell's Ricky, "Don't you put that evil on me, Ricky Bobby!" continues to be referenced and meme-ed to this day, and it's all thanks to Duncan's flawlessly funny delivery of the line. It's too bad he didn't get more opportunities to do comedy in his career, other highlights from which include "Armageddon," "The Whole Nine Yards," "Planet of the Apes," and "Sin City."

It isn't just "Saturday Night Live" characters and properties that Will Ferrell has brought to the big screen: He has also starred in film adaptations of television shows he hasn't been part of, including the 2005 big screen version of "Bewitched." Taking a meta approach, the film sees Ferrell play an actor named Jack Wyatt who has been cast in a remake of the fantasy sitcom of the same name. Hijinks ensue when the woman who is chosen to play Samantha is revealed to have actual magical powers. The line between the movie and the original series is further blurred with the introduction of characters from the show (which ran between 1964 and 1972), now playing "real" people within the movie's universe.

One example of this is the character of Aunt Clara. She's the aunt of Samantha in the original series, but in the film, she's the aunt of Samantha's actor, Isabel (Nicole Kidman). In the movie, Aunt Clara is played by veteran actor Carole Shelley, who wasn't on the TV show but was an active performer during that time. Known for her work both on the screen and the stage, she made her Broadway debut as one of the Pigeon sisters in Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple" (a role she reprised both on TV and in film), and she won a Tony for her performance in "The Elephant Man" in 1979. She died in August 2018 at the age of 79.

That annual holiday viewing of "Elf" gets a little more bittersweet with each passing year as we lose more of the cast: 2021, 2022, and 2023 all saw the death of a main cast member. In 2021 it was Ed Asner; in 2023 it was Michael Lerner; and, in between, in July 2022, James Caan died at the age of 82. "The [death] certificate lists Caan's immediate cause of death as myocardial infarction and the condition leading up to it as coronary artery disease," Entertainment Weekly reported. "His contributing conditions are listed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure."

Caan played the biological father of Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell), who he's unaware of when the film begins. He has to adjust to suddenly having a manchild in his life who seems intent on disrupting it in every conceivable way, even though he's blissfully unaware that he is doing so. While Caan is arguably most famous for playing legendary tough guy Sunny Corleone in "The Godfather," he was also never one to shy away from lighter and/or funnier fare. This was especially true in the 1990s and beyond, which saw Caan take on more comedies as well as settling into more parent and grandparent roles. While "Elf" is probably nowhere near the greatest film Caan took part in, it is one of the movies that will help his legacy stay alive for years to come.

This one probably won't come as much of a shock given the apparent age of the character Joseph "Blue" Pulaski in 2003's "Old School." Blue, one of the members of the ragtag fraternity set up by Will Ferrell's character and his two buddies in this comedy hit, was played by character actor Patrick Cranshaw, who was in over 100 movies and television shows going back to 1950. The Todd Phillips-directed movie (which stars Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn alongside Ferrell) sees three middle-aged men start a fraternity so one of them can keep their house, which is located on campus grounds.

It's not a particularly cool fraternity, which is why guys who aren't typical frat material join up. The founders apparently don't put an age restriction on eligible candidates, either, given the very elderly Blue's admittance to the group. Ferrell's Frank "The Tank" Ricard takes a particular shine to Blue, and the old timer's death hits him harder than anyone else — Blue's heart gives out during an especially raunchy party. As for Cranshaw, he would live for another two years, passing away at 86 in 2005. He worked on six more movies in that time, and he appeared in episodes of "Monk" and "7th Heaven."

Will Ferrell was on a pretty strong film streak going into the second half of the 2000s, with no major duds during that period. That changed in 2009 with the release of "Land of the Lost," another film adaptation of an old television property that was not only critically panned but also fell flat on its face at the box office. According to the Los Angeles Times, it's among the most expensive bombs in movie history.

This flop stars Ferrell and Danny McBride, two actors known for giving 100% even when the material doesn't deserve it. Speaking of McBride, he also brought along his pal Ben Best to play Ernie in the prehistoric adventure film. The pair previously worked together on the martial arts comedy "The Foot Fist Way" and the HBO series "Eastbound & Down," both of which were produced by Ferrell. The latter would be Best's last work before his sudden death in September 2021, just one day shy of his 47th birthday.

For a time, it seemed like "Saturday Night Live" cast members could count on starring in "SNL" movies to help them transition from the small to the big screen. But, by the mid-1990s, bombs like "It's Pat" and "Stuart Saves His Family" had taken the high standard set by "The Blues Brothers" and "Wayne's World" and sent it plummeting into the dirt. Things didn't get much better with "A Night at the Roxbury" and "Superstar" later in the decade, which marked Will Ferrell's first two "SNL" movie outings. Some consider 2000's "The Ladies Man" a step up from those two, though not by much.

However, as is the case for even the worst "SNL" movies, much of the cast give it their all in "The Ladies Man," including Ferrell as the hapless, wealthy husband Lance DeLune, who is constantly challenging men to wrestle with him. That also extends to non-"SNL" alum, with veteran actor and comedian John Witherspoon at his scene-stealing, one-liner-delivering best as Scrap Iron. With over 80 screen credits to his name, it's impossible to narrow Witherspoon's career down to just a few things, but the "Friday" film series plus his roles in "The Wayans Bros." and "The Boondocks" are definite contenders. Witherspoon died of a heart attack in 2019 at the age of 77.

You may already know that Paul Reubens is no longer with us — the Pee-wee Herman actor "died from acute hypoxic respiratory failure" in 2023 aged 70, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed – but were you aware that his final movie appearance was in a Will Ferrell production? He shows up in a surprise cameo in the 2023 Hulu comedy "Quiz Lady," marking his first film appearance since "Pee-wee's Big Holiday." Produced by Ferrell, who also appears in the film, "Quiz Lady" stars Awkwafina and Sandra Oh as the daughters of a gambling addict who are trying to get on a game show to pay off their mother's debts.

Reubens' cameo was revealed in September 2023 when the movie made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival ahead of coming to Hulu. The actor plays himself in the scene, which pokes fun at the fact that people often mistook him for fellow actor Alan Cumming. "When I was younger people always said I looked like Paul," Cumming said in a tribute Instagram post. "When I met him he told me people always told him he looked like me. He was so kind and funny, sending hilarious themed videos every birthday and his Christmas cards were legendary and will be much missed."