LOS ANGELES (AFP).- American actor David Huddleston, who played The Big Lebowski in the film of the same name, has died in Santa Fe, a newspaper reported Thursday. He was 85. 

Huddleston died on Tuesday of heart and kidney disease, his wife, Sarah Koeppe, told the Los Angeles Times.

A big man known for his tough guy characters, Huddleston's most famous role came late in life when he played opposite Jeff Bridges in the cult hit Coen brothers film "The Big Lebowski," which came out in 1998.

Portraying a millionaire, he had only a few but pivotal scenes as thugs confused the wealthy Lebowski with Bridges' character "the Dude."

Huddleston also had roles in TV series including "The West Wing," "Gilmore Girls" and "The Wonder Years."

On the big screen, he appeared in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles," "Santa Claus: The Movie," and "The Producers."

Koeppe told the LA Times that her husband would always say, "I was in every cult film, but it never got the money when I needed it to."

Huddleston was born in Virginia and had served in the US Air Force before studying acting in New York.



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