Stanley Kamel (January 1, 1943 – April 8, 2008) was an American actor. From 2002 until his death in 2008, he played Dr. Charles Kroger on the American television series Monk.
Stanley Kamel | |
|---|---|
 Kamel in 2008 | |
| Born | January 1, 1943 South River, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | April 8, 2008 (aged 65) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Stanley Camel, Stan Kamel |
| Education | Boston University (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1968–2008 |
Biography
editKamel was born to a Jewish family and raised in South River, New Jersey.[1] He attended Rutgers Preparatory School and Boston University, graduating with a BFA in 1965.[2] He started his acting career off-Broadway and broke into television with a role in Days of Our Lives (1972-76) as the second actor to play the character of "Eric Peters".
Kamel began appearing on television in 1968, appearing in many episodic one-off appearances over decades (including The Mod Squad, Barney Miller, Kojak, Lou Grant, Quincy M.E., Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, Murder, She Wrote, Cagney & Lacey, Matlock, Hooperman, Father Dowling Mysteries, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, The Nanny, and The Lazarus Man).
He had a recurring role on Melrose Place in 1994 as Bruce Teller, the CEO of D&D Advertising, where Amanda (Heather Locklear) and Allison (Courtney Thorne-Smith) were employed. During the first part of the sixth season of Beverly Hills, 90210, Kamel appeared on several episodes as Anthony Marchette, an organized crime figure.
Kamel was best known for his role as Dr. Charles Kroger in the USA Network television series Monk, playing the infinitely patient and ever-supportive psychiatrist to the main character, Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub). Though his last appearance was in the sixth season of Monk, clips of his character were seen in the series finale.
Death
editOn April 8, 2008, Kamel was found dead of a heart attack in his Hollywood Hills home. He was 65.[3][4] "Mr. Monk Buys a House", the premiere episode of the seventh season of Monk, was dedicated to his memory and included a mention of his character (Dr. Kroger) dying of a heart attack. The final shot of the episode was a close-up of a photo of Kamel, as Dr. Kroger, on Monk's fireplace mantle.
Kamel never married and had no children.[5]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Bacchanale | The Lover | |
| 1978 | Corvette Summer | Las Vegas Con Man | |
| 1979 | In Search of Historic Jesus | Andrew | Documentary |
| 1982 | Making Love | Charlie | |
| 1983 | Star 80 | Nick | |
| I'm Going to Be Famous | |||
| 1990 | Dead Men Don't Die | Archie | |
| Murder by Numbers | George | ||
| 1993 | Come the Morning | Randall | |
| 1995 | Automatic | Seth Baker | |
| 1997 | Ravager | Clean | |
| Eat Your Heart Out | Michael Stark | ||
| 1999 | A Fare to Remember | Mr. Gault | |
| Running Red | Alexi | ||
| Stonebrook | Tali | ||
| 2000 | Escape Under Pressure | Sub Commander | |
| 2001 | The A-List | Buchwald | Short |
| 2003 | Judge Koan | Judge Koan | |
| 2005 | Domino | Anthony Cigliutti | |
| 2006 | Inland Empire | Koz Kakawski | |
| 2007 | Jane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss | Dr. Jared Fox | Straight-to-video |
| 2008 | The Urn | Joseph | Final film role |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Mannix | Rich Gaines | Episode: "Tooth of the Serpent" |
| 1969 | Mission: Impossible | Male Patient | Episode: "The Controllers: Part 1" |
| 1971 | The Mod Squad | Nick Harris | Episode: "Is that Justice? No, It's the law." |
| 1972 | Mannix | John "Gemini" Boling | Episode: "The Upside-Down Penny" |
| The Rookies | Lou | Episode: "A Bloody Shade of Blue" | |
| The Sixth Sense | Killer | Episode: "The Eyes That Wouldn't Die" | |
| Short Walk to Daylight | Ernie Delion | TV movie | |
| 1972–1976 | Days of Our Lives | Eric Peters #2 | |
| 1973 | Emergency! | Harry Rivers | Episode: "An English Visitor" |
| 1974 | Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law | Essex Taylor | Episode: "To Keep and Bear Arms" |
| Get Christie Love! | Marvin | Episode: "Emperor of Death Street" | |
| 1974, 1977 | Kojak | Clyde Bruckner / Bert Marino |
2 episodes |
| 1975 | Switch | Eddie Matlock | Episode: "The Late Show Murders" |
| McMillan & Wife | Sable | Episode: "Requiem for a Bride" | |
| 1976 | Mallory: Circumstantial Evidence | Cole | TV movie |
| 1977 | In the Glitter Palace | Director | TV movie |
| 1977, 1981 | Quincy, M.E. | Max Cullis / Attorney Dave Bremmerhouse |
2 episodes |
| 1978 | Charlie's Angels | Dinsmore | Episode: "Hours of Desperation" |
| 1979 | 240-Robert | Prisoner | Episode: "Acting Sergeant" |
| The Incredible Hulk | Gary | Episode: "Captive Night" | |
| Captain America II: Death Too Soon | Kramer | TV movie | |
| 1979, 1981 | Lou Grant | Marty Niles / Dr. Weyland |
2 episodes |
| 1979, 1982 | Barney Miller | Lance Parks / Dr. Michael Packer |
2 episodes |
| 1980 | The Gossip Columnist | Phil | TV movie |
| 1981 | Eight Is Enough | Bruce Taylor | Episode: "Bradfordgate" |
| House Calls | Lenny | Episode: "My Son, the Anarchist" | |
| The Phoenix | Murray | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Mork & Mindy | Charlie | Episode: "My Dad Can't Beat Up Anybody" | |
| 1982 | Three's Company | Clean Cut Man Packer | Episode: "Opening Night" |
| 1983–1985 | Hill Street Blues | Agent Ramsey | 3 episodes |
| 1983–1988 | Cagney & Lacey | Det. Mick Solomon | 7 episodes |
| 1984 | Riptide | Colonel Davidson | Episode: "The Orange Grove" |
| Knight Rider | Sonny Martin | Episode: "Dead of Knight" | |
| My Mother's Secret Life | Larry Fenton | TV movie | |
| Old Friends | Charlie | TV movie | |
| Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story |
D.A. Mike Knight | TV movie | |
| 1985 | A Bunny's Tale | Jerry | TV movie |
| The Rape of Richard Beck | Dr. Greenberg | TV movie | |
| Hardcastle and McCormick | Zimmerman | Episode: "Surprise on Seagull Beach" | |
| The Fall Guy | Carl Trenton | Episode: "The Life of Riley" | |
| Rituals | DA Don Wallace | ||
| 1986 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Steven Sallee | Episode: "Dead Men Leave No Trails" |
| Mr. Belvedere | Lawrence Miller | Episode: "Deportation: Part 1" | |
| 1986–1991 | L.A. Law | Mark Gilliam | 5 episodes |
| 1987 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Kosinski | Episode: "Where No One Has Gone Before" |
| 1987–1988 | Hunter | Brad Wilkes, FBI | 4 episodes |
| 1987, 1990 | Matlock | Mark Douglas / Clayton Ross |
2 episodes |
| 1988 | Hooperman | Dr. Kenwood | Episode: "Blaste from the Past" |
| Probe | Marty Corrigan | Episode: "Black Cats Don't Walk Under Ladders (Do They?)" | |
| Buck James | Dennis Osterman | Episode: "Top Secret" | |
| The Highwayman | Cisco | Episode: "Frightmare" | |
| 1989 | Guns of Paradise | Mr. Sweet | Episode: "A Private War" |
| Mancuso, FBI | Stein | Episode: "Conflict of Interest" | |
| 1989–1990 | Beauty and the Beast | George Walker | 2 episodes |
| Murder, She Wrote | Frankie, the Bartender / Sid Staples |
2 episodes | |
| 1990 | Columbo | Tim Haines | Episode: "Agenda for Murder" |
| Empty Nest | Monsieur Gerard | Episode: "A Flaw Is Born" | |
| Valerie's Family | Steven Eisenberg | Episode: "It Happened One Night... Or Did It?" | |
| We'll Take Manhattan | Director | TV movie | |
| Bar Girls | Judge | TV movie | |
| 1990–1991 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Leo Chaplin / Ron Baylor | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | The Golden Girls | Herb Shrewsberry | 2 episodes |
| Reasonable Doubts | John Callahan | Episode: "Dicky's Got the Blues" | |
| MacGyver | Victor Kasanti | Episode: "Off the Wall" | |
| 1992 | 2000 Malibu Road | Mr. Adler | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1993 | Homefront | Mr. Smith | Episode: "By Word or Act" |
| 1993–1994 | Diagnosis: Murder | Dr. Larry Wright / Wayne Topping |
2 episodes |
| 1994 | Melrose Place | Bruce Teller | 13 episodes |
| Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders |
Dr. Jerome Oziel | TV movie | |
| 1995 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Tony Marchette | 8 episodes |
| 1995–1996 | Murder One | Dr. Graham Lester | 8 episodes |
| 1996 | Dark Skies | Dr. Ron Burnside | Episode: "Dark Days Night" |
| 1997 | Renegade | Anthony Capezi | Episode: "Knock Out" |
| ER | Dr. 'Fin' Leosch | Episode: "Random Acts" | |
| The Nanny | Condo Representative | Episode: "The Boca Story" | |
| Pensacola: Wings of Gold | Grissom | Episode: "Grey Ghost" | |
| 1998 | Martial Law | Dr. Ron Burnside | Episode: "Malcolm Devrons" |
| Like Father, Like Santa | Leland Jennings | TV movie | |
| 1999 | L.A. Doctors | Dr. Crosswell | Episode: "Been There, Done That" |
| Cracker | Pat Vicker | Episode: "Faustian Fitz" | |
| 7th Heaven | Shana's Dad | Episode: "Yak Sada" | |
| 2000 | NYPD Blue | Noel Beller | Episode: "The Irvin Files" |
| Dark Angel | Edgar Sonrisa | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| An American Daughter | Dr. Blumberg | TV movie | |
| 2001 | The Geena Davis Show | Carl | Episode: "Photo Finish" |
| 2002 | Six Feet Under | Death | Episode: "In the Game" |
| 2002–2008 | Monk | Dr. Charles Kroger | 43 episodes |
| 2003 | Mister Sterling | Arthur Peyton | 5 episodes |
| The Guardian | James Fuller | Episode: "Swimming" | |
| General Hospital | Cody McCall | 5 episodes | |
| 2004 | The D.A. | Judge | Episode: "The People vs. Patricia Henry" |
| The West Wing | Stanley | Episode: "In the Room" | |
| 2005 | Reba | Mac | Episode: "Issues" |
| 2006 | Last Day | Sorin | Short |
| 2007 | Eyes | Social Services Employee | Episode: "Whistleblower" |
References
edit- ^ "Shrink on 'Murder One' is No Sleaze, Actor Says". News & Record. Greensboro, North Carolina. Knight Ridder. March 9, 1996. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
Kamel is one of those looks-familiar-but-what's-his-name actors who work all the time but seem to miss stardom. The South River, N.J., native has had recurring roles in many TV series, but his best work has been in Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and Murder One, all created by Stephen Bochco.
- ^ "Monk TV Show and Television Series – Cast Bios:Stanley Kamel". Archived from the original on February 9, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
- ^ "'Monk' star Stanley Kamel dies at 65". Access Hollywood. April 9, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2008 – via Today.
- ^ "Stanley Kamel, 65, Actor on 'Monk,' Is Dead". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 11, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2008.
- ^ "Stanley Kamel Obituary". Jason47's Days of Our Lives Website. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- ^ "Stanley Kamel Movies". MovieFone. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "Stanley Kamel". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "Stanley Kamel - Filmography". Cinema.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
