Griffin Dunne

A wiry, often comically explosive performer in independent features in the 1980s and 1990s, Griffin Dunne was a character actor and occasional leading man who also dabbled in producing and directing with often impressive results. He made his debut in the late seventies and produced his first film almost immediately thereafter; outstanding turns in "An American Werewolf in London" (1981) and "After Hours" (1985) balanced his tenure as producer on such critically lauded films as "Baby, It's You" (1983). Dunne's acting career faltered in the late 1980s, though he continued to oversee such hits as "Running on Empty" (1988) and "White Palace" (1990). He launched his directorial career in 1996 with an Oscar-nominated short, "The Duke of Groove," but subsequent efforts were largely hit-or-miss. Still, his knack for exasperated comic turns maintained his favored status as an entertaining guest performer in films and television throughout the new millennium.