John Spencer (Leo McGarry)

Tonight's West Wing was prefaced with an unhappy announcement. Actor John Spencer, who excelled in roles from an airman in a missile silo in Wargames to chief of staff turned VP candidate Leo McGarry on West Wing, died last month. In parallel to his character, the real John Spencer was a recovering alcoholic. Leo McGarry also had a heart attack last season, and the real John Spencer died of a heart attack four days short of his 59^th birthday. Although he wasn't a "leading man" type, he was a reliable character actor who made a solid contribution to every film he performed in. He will be sorely missed.