Peter Van Norden, a prolific character actor who appeared in "Police Academy 2" and Stephen King's "The Stand" miniseries, died Thursday in California. He was 75. His son Robert announced the death on Instagram.
Van Norden built a steady career spanning theater, film, and television. The New York native graduated from Colgate University and began his professional life onstage, performing in productions including "Measure for Measure" and "A Country Scandal." He transitioned into film and television work, becoming a reliable supporting player in genre projects and mainstream entertainment.
His film credits included the 1985 comedy sequel "Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment," which starred Steve Guttenberg and further capitalized on the original film's popularity. On television, Van Norden appeared in the 1994 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's "The Stand," the sprawling post-apocalyptic horror drama that remains a benchmark King adaptation for prestige television audiences.
Beyond these marquee projects, Van Norden worked steadily throughout his five-decade career, accumulating credits across episodic television and supporting film roles. Character actors like Van Norden formed the backbone of Hollywood's production infrastructure, filling essential roles that grounded narratives and populated the worlds that led actors carried. His longevity in the industry reflected both talent and professionalism, qualities that kept him working across multiple decades and formats.
Van Norden's passing represents the loss of another working actor from Hollywood's second tier, professionals who rarely commanded headlines but whose faces and performances audiences recognized across countless productions. His contributions to mainstream entertainment, from broad comedy to prestige horror adaptation, span the diversity of American television and film production during his era.