Charles Grodin was an American actor, comedian, author, and television talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in TV serials including
The Virginian. He had a small part as an obstetrician in Roman Polanski's
Rosemary's Baby in 1968. In the 1970s he moved into film acting, including playing the lead in Elaine May's
The Heartbreak Kid (1972) and supporting roles in Mike Nichols'
Catch-22 (1970) and Warren Beatty's
Heaven Can Wait (1978). He became a familiar face as a supporting actor in many Hollywood comedies of the era, including
Real Life (1979),
Seems Like Old Times (1980),
Ishtar (1987), and
Dave (1993). Grodin co-starred alongside Robert De Niro in the action comedy
Midnight Run (1988), and in the family film
Beethoven (1992). He made frequent appearances on
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and
Late Night with David Letterman.