Ed Wheeler, a veteran film and television actor known for his roles in “Law & Order,” “Blue Bloods,” “Broadcast News” and more, has died. He was 88.
Wheeler died Aug. 21 at Englewood Hospital in New Jersey of respiratory failure due to pneumonia complications, his wife, Messeret Stroman Wheeler, told Deadline. She also shared a tribute to her late husband in a social media post, calling him “a guiding light, a supportive partner and my heart.”
“To all who knew Ed, thank you for your love and support during this time,” Stroman Wheeler wrote in an Instagram post Monday. “Let’s remember him for the joy he brought into our lives and the profound impact he had on the world.”
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Born on Feb. 18, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York, Wheeler began his acting career in 1973. He appeared in a number of national commercials for Luvs Diapers, Reynolds Wrap, Sudafed, Pepcid AC, Computer Associates BritStor Storage and more, according to his obituary.
Wheeler worked his way to acting roles in both film and television, appearing in a number of notable works including “Broadcast News,” his first film role where he worked opposite Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter and William Hurt. He also appeared in “Presumed Innocent,” “Cosby,” “Daylight,” the 1998 “Godzilla,” “Mickey Blue Eyes,” “Head of State,” “The Good Heart,” “Law & Order,” “Blue Bloods” and more.
Wheeler was a cancer survivor, having defeated non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma following successful treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2013.
In 2017, Wheeler was honored with the Living Legend Award from the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Ed and Messeret, who is also an actor, formed a production company to support artistic organizations. In 2023, the couple made their debut as co-executive producers on “Keepers of the Flame,” a short film about the 1913 inaugural Women’s Suffrage parade.
In addition to Messeret, Ed is survived by his in-laws Jacqueline and McTate, brother-in-law Marlon, cousin Randy and nieces and nephews.
