Art Evans, 'A Soldier's Story' and 'Die Hard 2' actor, dies at 82

Actor Art Evans, best known for his roles in the films "A Soldier's Story" and "Die Hard 2," has died. He was 82.

Evans died on Saturday, his agents LyNea Bell and Charleen McGuire confirmed in an emailed statement to USA TODAY on Sunday. The actor's cause of death was complications from diabetes, a condition Evans battled for several years.

"Art was not only an incredible actor but a devoted husband, friend, and source of light to everyone who knew him," Evans' wife, Babe Evans, said in a statement via his representatives. "His laughter, passion, and love of life will be deeply missed. While our hearts are heavy, we celebrate the legacy of joy and inspiration he leaves behind."

Memorial services for Evans will be held soon, Bell and McGuire said, with event details to be announced in the coming days.

Born Arthur James Evans in Berkeley, California, Evans made his acting debut with a starring role in the James Baldwin play "The Amen Corner," performed at Frank Silvera's Theater of Being in Los Angeles. The show later went to Broadway in 1965.

After a few uncredited film roles in the early 1970s, Evans scored a lead role in the 1975 TV movie "The Orphan and the Dude," playing Curtis "The Dude" Brown, according to the actor's IMDb page.

For the remainder of the 1970s and early 1980s, Evans appeared in numerous television series and films, such as "Leadbelly" (1976), "Youngblood" (1978), "M*A*S*H" (1979), "The Fall Guy" (1983) and "Hill Street Blues" (1981-1984).

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Evans' cinematic breakout came in 1984 with a role in the critically acclaimed war drama "A Soldier's Story," in which he played the brown-nosing Private Wilkie alongside Howard E. Rollins Jr. and Adolph Caesar. The film earned a trio of Academy Award nominations in 1985, including Best Picture.

The following year, Evans joined the cast of the sitcom "Nine to Five," a TV adaptation of the hit film starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton. Evans appeared in the series, which featured performances by Parton's sister Rachel Parton George, Rita Moreno, and Sally Struthers, from 1986 to 1988.

Evans made another splash on the silver screen with his role in "Die Hard 2," a sequel to the Bruce Willis-led action thriller. Evans played Barnes, an air traffic control tower employee who assists Willis' John McClane.

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The actor remained active throughout the 1990s and 2000s, nabbing roles in hit series including "Doogie Howser, M.D." (1990), "Family Matters" (1994), "Walker, Texas Ranger" (1996), "The X-Files" (2000) and "Monk" (2006).

"Art was a remarkable talent who touched many lives with his work. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him," Bell and McGuire's statement read. "Art's legacy will never be forgotten."

Evans' final role was a two-episode voiceover stint on the Disney+ animated series "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" in 2022 and 2023, according to IMDb.

Evans is survived by his wife Babe and their son, Ogadae.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Art Evans dead: 'A Soldier's Story,' 'Die Hard 2' actor dies at 82