John Spencer

Actor John Spencer, who played WH chief of staff-cum-VP candidate Leo McGarry on "The West Wing," died today of a serious heart attack. Spencer's character also had a heart problem and, like him, was a recovering alcoholic. But the most arresting bit of information was that as a teenager he played a love interest on The Patty Duke Show. I'd like to see a picture of that.

Says here that Spencer was also a native of Paterson, NJ, the home of famous poets William Carlos Williams and Allen Ginsburg -- but he is not even listed on this page of famous Paterson natives such as Lou Costello, Chuck Connors and ballplayer Larry Doby.