The Devastating Death Of Art LaFleur
TV and film actor Art LaFleur, best known for his roles in "The Sandlot" and "Field of Dreams," has passed away. Deadline reports the actor passed away at the age of 78 after 10 years of struggle with Parkinson's disease. Shelly LaFleur, Art's wife, wrote a Facebook post on November 18 in remembrance: "He was a generous and selfless man which carried over to his acting but more importantly it was who he was for his family and friends [...] Art was larger than life and meant the world to us."
Art LaFleur leaves behind an impressive legacy, and an acting history with over 160 credits to his name (per IMDb). He got his start in the late 1970s playing Ivan in the TV movie "Rescue from Gilligan's Island," then had guest roles in the hit shows "Charlie's Angels" and "M.A.S.H." in 1979 and 1980, respectively. LaFleur would go on to have small roles in dozens of TV and movies throughout the 1980s and 1990s, but it would be his two roles in two entirely separate baseball movies that he would be most remembered for.
Art LaFleur was a cinematic baseball legend
Out of his acting career that spans roughly 40 years, Art LaFleur is best known for his role in "The Sandlot." In the film, he plays the spirit of baseball legend Babe Ruth, who shows up to give a pep talk to Benny. If you're a nineties kid, then you're sure to remember his famous quote about how legends never die.
LaFleur's other prominent baseball role would be alongside Kevin Costner in the 1989 film "Field of Dreams." He starred as another real-life baseball figure, Chick Gandil, a major player in the infamous Black Sox scandal of 1919.
After "The Sandlot" and "Field of Dreams," LaFleur would go on to star in several other TV and film projects in the early aughts, such as "The Replacements," "The Practice," and "A Cinderella Story." He also brought many laughs to the screen with his recurring role as the Tooth Fairy in "The Santa Clause 2" and "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause." Even after being diagnosed with Parkinson's, he continued acting, most recently appearing in the 2017 TV movie "Dive."
As a family man, and an actor who brought so many characters to life, he proved to be a legend himself. He is sure to be missed throughout the world, and especially by all those who knew him.