LOS ANGELES -- Adolph Caesar, nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of the murdered sergeant in 'A Soldier's Story' and currently appearing in 'The Color Purple,' died of an apparent heart attack during filming of a movie on a downtown set. He was 52.
Caesar collapsed Thursday while working on the set of 'Tough Guys,' a Walt Disney film starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. He was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to County-USC Medical Center.
Caesar's face was unfamiliar to the public before 'A Soldier's Story' but millions of Americans heard his rich voice daily on television commercials, including the familiar line, 'A mind is a terrible thing to waste' in the United Negro College Fund ads.
'Of course, you're never prepared for such an unexpected event,' Lancaster and Douglas said in a statement. 'We both admired Adolph as an actor, and in the short time we worked together, we both liked him as a man -- filled with humor as well as talent.'
Caesar had only worked one day on the film.
'He was an exquisite actor,' said Sidney Poitier. 'He will be sorely missed.'
Caesar was nominated for an Oscar last year for his portrayal of the grizzled and hard-charging Sgt. Waters, whose murder is the basis of the plot of 'A Soldier's Story.'
Born and raised in New York's Harlem, Caesar started acting after retiring from the Navy. He performed for several years with the Negro Ensemble Company, and received an Obie award and a New York Drama Desk award for best supporting actor for playing Sgt. Waters in 'A Soldier's Play,' the Broadway production that led to 'A Soldier's Story.'
Caesar's most recent appearance was in 'The Color Purple,' the story of a black woman's self-discovery in the rural South. The film is up for 11 Oscars, including best picture.
After graduating from New York University with a degree in dramatic arts, he worked as a voice-over announcer and narrated two documentary series for PBS, 'Men of Bronze' and 'I Remember Harlem.'
For several years Caesar was associated with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the American Shakespeare Company in Stratford, Conn., the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Center Theater Group at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.
He soon will be seen in an upcoming Warner Bros. film 'Club Paradise,' and an ABC television After School special 'Getting Even.'
Caesar is survived by his wife, Diane, three children, and a brother, Herbie. Memorial services will be held at the Bentas Funeral Home in Harlem.
