Reg E Cathey, who featured in the US version of “House of Cards” and in “The Wire”, has died aged 59.
David Simon, the creator of The Wire, announced Cathey’s death on Friday night. “Not only a fine, masterful actor – but simply one of the most delightful human beings with whom I ever shared some long days on set,” Simon tweeted.
“On wit alone, he could double any man over and leave him thinking. Reg, your memory is a great blessing.”
Cathey was reported to have had lung cancer, but the cause of death has not yet been announced.
He won an Emmy award in 2015 for his House of Cards role as Freddy Hayes, the owner of a restaurant favoured by Kevin Spacey’s character, Frank Underwood.
In The Wire, he played Norman Wilson, a newspaperman who became a political operative.
Cathey was born in Alabama and spent time in Germany as a child. He attended the University of Michigan and the Yale School of Drama.
He collaborated with Simon on the Emmy award-winning miniseries The Corner, and had roles in TV series including Law & Order, 30 Rock and in movies including Fantastic Four and Hands of Stone.