Titanic star Lew Palter, who played ancestor of OceanGate CEO's wife, dies, aged 94
The veteran actor portrayed retail tycoon Isidor Straus in the iconic Titanic film.
Veteran character actor and teacher at CalArts School of Theater, Lew Palter, has died aged 94 of lung cancer at his home in Los Angeles.
The news comes after his daughter, Catherine Palter, told The Hollywood Reporter that her father died on 21st May 2023.
Palter is perhaps best recognised for portraying Bavarian-born American businessman, politician and co-owner of Macy's department store, Isidor Straus, in 1997's Titanic.
One of the 1,500 people that tragically lost their lives on the Titanic, the scene with Palter has been a particular standout for many viewers over the years as Isidor and his wife Ida held each other on their bed as the water rushes in around them.
In real life, the Strauses were two of the richest people to have lost their lives on the ship in 1912 and he refused to take a place in a lifeboat because he felt that women and children should be the priority. His wife refused to leave the ship without her husband.
The film has come back into discourse due to the recent OceanGate titan submersible disaster which has seen all of its five passengers now declared dead.
One of the people aboard the missing submarine who died during the implosion last week was OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. His wife, Wendy Rush, is a great-great-granddaughter of the Strauses, who died in the sinking of the Titanic.
Aside from his role in Titanic, Palter starred in First Monday in October, The Flying Nun, Hill Street Blues, LA Law and Delvecchio over the years.
In 1971, he joined the team at CalArts and served as an acting teacher and director at the Santa Clarita school all the way until his retirement in 2013.
His daughter Catherine told The Hollywood Reporter: "As a teacher, he seemed to have truly changed people’s lives."
In a statement, CalArts School of Theater Dean Travis Preston said: "Lew loved the craft of acting and taught his students to do the same. He fostered deep curiosity, care, intellect and humor in every scene, play and class. He had the utmost respect of his students and encouraged all to find truth in their work and lives."
The actor is survived by his daughter and grandchildren Sam, Tessa, and Miranda.
Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
