Ian Abercrombie

Ian Abercrombie[1] (11 September 1934 – 26 January 2012) was an English actor.[2]
He played Alfred Pennyworth on Birds of Prey, Justin Pitt (Elaine Benes's boss) during the sixth season of Seinfeld, Rupert Cavanaugh (Ian Hainsworth's butler) on Desperate Housewives, Professor Crumbs on Wizards of Waverly Place, and Palpatine on Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
== Early life ==
Abercrombie was born on 11 September 1934 in Grays, Essex, England.[3] He began his theatrical career during the Blitz in World War II. After his footwork years during which he earned Bronze, Silver and Gold medals in stage dancing, he performed in London, Scotland, Ireland, and the Netherlands. He moved to the United States at age 17.[3]
He made his American stage debut in 1955 in a production of Stalag 17 with Jason Robards and Jules Munshin. Many plays in summer stock, regional, and off-Broadway followed in a variety of theatrical offerings, from revues to Shakespeare (in a particularly low period, he worked as a magician's assistant for $10 a performance).
In 1957, he was drafted into the United States Army and stationed in West Germany as part of Special Services, where he directed the continental premiere of Separate Tables.
In the United States, he went to California for a backers' audition, which went nowhere, but he began a long film and television career. He received awards[clarification needed] for his work in Sweet Prince with Keir Dullea; Teeth 'N'smiles; A Doll's House with Linda Purl; and The Arcata Promise, opposite Anthony Hopkins. He received acclaim for the one-man show Jean Cocteau—A Mirror Image.
== Career ==
Abercrombie was known to cult film audiences as Wiseman in the comedy horror film Army of Darkness (1993). He guest-starred on many television series such as Seinfeld, The Nanny, Wizards of Waverly Place, Airwolf, Babylon 5 and NewsRadio.
On radio, he was heard in several productions of the Hollywood Theater of the Ear.[citation needed] Abercrombie voiced Ambrose in Oscar-nominated Rango(2011). He also portrayed Ganthet on Green Lantern: The Animated Series, completing his work on the latest episode of Cartoon Network show just before his death.[4]
=== Star Wars: The Clone Wars ===
Abercrombie voiced Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious in the 2008 film The Clone Wars, the television continuation, and two spin-off video games (Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes[5] and Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels). Supervising director Dave Filoni said that Ian was very excited that Darth Sidious finally was going to be seen in person and not as a hologram anymore; during Celebration VI, Filoni also mentioned that before his death, Ian did record for most of Season Five as the character, but did not finish, so actor Tim Curry was brought in to voice Palpatine. However, Abercrombie also voiced the character in the Clovis story arc of the Lost Missions (Season Six) since it was originally a part of the Season Four, and later the Season Five, line-up. Thus, it was finished before his death. This was his final released work both on the series and in his life, shown in 2014. He was honored with a message of "In memory of Ian Abercrombie" at the beginning of Season 5, Episode 16 "The Lawless".
== Death ==
Abercrombie died in Los Angeles, California on 26 January 2012, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, twenty days after the Wizards of Waverly Place finale, from kidney failure. He was 77.[3]
Star Wars Celebration VI included the panel "Vocal Stars of The Clone Wars", hosted by James Arnold Taylor and featuring cast members Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, Dee Bradley Baker and Tom Kane. The cast dedicated the panel to Abercrombie. Additionally, The Clone Wars episode "The Lawless" includes a dedication to Abercrombie in the opening titles.
== Filmography ==
Filmography	Filmography 	Filmography 	Filmography
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1974 	Young Frankenstein 	Second Villager 	Uncredited
1977–1983 	Fantasy Island 	McShane / Inspector Lestrade / Bartender 	3 episodes
1978 	Battlestar Galactica 	Forger 7 	
1979 	The Prisoner of Zenda 	Johann 	
1978 	Sextette 	Rex Ambrose 	
1983 	Journey's End 	 	
1984 	The Ice Pirates 	Hymie 	
1985 	Kicks 	Barnes 	
1986 	Firewalker 	Boggs 	
1986 	Last Resort 	Maître d' 	
1987 	It's Garry Shandling's Show 	Himself 	
1989 	Warlock 	Magistrate #1 	
1988 	Catacombs 	Brother Orsini 	
1990 	Tales from the Crypt 	Fulton 	Episode: "The Switch"
1990 	The Flash 	Ghost Henchman 	Episode: "Ghost in the Machine"
1991 	Zandalee 	Louis Medina 	
1991 	Puppet Master III 	Dr. Hess 	
1992 	Twin Peaks 	Tom Brockman 	
1992 	The Public Eye 	Mr. Brown 	
1993 	Army of Darkness 	Wiseman 	
1993 	Addams Family Values 	Driver 	
1994 	Clean Slate 	Leader 	
1994 	Babylon 5 	Correlilmurzon 	Episode: "Acts of Sacrifice"
1994–1998 	Seinfeld 	Justin Pitt 	7 episodes[3]
1997 	The Lost World: Jurassic Park 	Butler 	
1997–2002 	Days of Our Lives 	Hotel Manager/Jeweller/Mr. Simkins/Lawyer 	
1997 	MouseHunt 	Auctioneer 	
1998 	Buffy the Vampire Slayer 	Old Man/German boss 	Episode: "Homecoming"
1998 	Beyond_Belief: Fact or Fiction 	Emile 	Season 2 Episode 7
1999–2000 	Star Trek: Voyager 	Abbot / Milo 	Episodes: "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "Spirit Folk"
2000 	Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman 	Psychiatrist 	Direct-to-video
2002 	James Bond 007: Nightfire 	Alexander Mayhew (voice) 	Video game
2002–2003 	Birds of Prey 	Alfred Pennyworth 	14 Episodes
2004 	Charmed 	Aramis (member of The Tribunal) 	Season 6 Episode 19: "Crimes and Witch-Demeanors"
2004 	RalliSport Challenge 2 	Narrator 	Video Game
2005 	Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School	Evrin Sezgin 	
2005 	Area 51 	Dr. Cray[6] (voice) 	Video Game
2005 	The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy 	F (voice) 	Episode: "Scythe 2.0"
2005 	Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None 	Thomas Rogers / General Mackenzie[6](voice) 	Video Game 
Based on the novel of the same name.
2006 	The Batman 	Ewan[6] (voice) 	Episode: "The Icy Depths"
2006 	Inland Empire 	Henry the Butler 	
2006 	Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties 	Smithee 	
2007–2012 	Wizards of Waverly Place 	Professor Crumbs 	
2008 	How I Met Your Mother 	Benjamin Franklin 	Season 3 Episode 17: "The Goat"
2008 	Star Wars: The Clone Wars 	Chancellor Palpatine / Darth Sidious[6](voice)	
2008 	Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Lightsaber Duels 	Darth Sidious (voice) 	Videogame
2008 	Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Republic Heroes 	Chancellor Palpatine / Darth Sidious[6](voice)	Videogame
2008–2014 	Star Wars: The Clone Wars 	Chancellor Palpatine / Darth Sidious[6](voice)	29 Episodes 
His death is honored at the beginning of the episode "The Lawless" – S5E16.
2011 	Rango 	Ambrose[6] (voice) 	
2011 	Childrens Hospital 	Butler 	Episode: "Run, Dr. Lola Spratt, Run"
2011 	Happily Divorced 	Victor 	Episode: "Spousal Support"
2011–2013 	Green Lantern: The Animated Series 	Ganthet[6] (voice) 	5 Episodes 
His death is honored at the end of the episode "Regime Change" – S1E10.