Ed Wheeler, an actor and producer who appeared in half a dozen shows of , NBC ‘s ,” Law &, Order”, among many other TV shows, movies, stage performances and promotions, has died at age 88.
Wheeler died , Aug. 21 , at , Englewood Hospital , in , Englewood, N. J., of breathing loss due to asthma problems, his family,  , Messeret Stroman Wheeler, confirmed Thursday to The , Times.
Stroman Wheeler , memorialized her father in an , Instagram , blog, calling him” a guiding light” whose “talent, devotion and interest were unsurpassed — whether on stage, in front of the lens or behind the moments”.
” We built a career and created artwork up”, she wrote,” and your reputation will continue to inspire. I will always lose your voice, your knowledge and your generosity”.
Edward John Wheeler , was born , Feb. 18, 1936, in , Brooklyn, N. Y.  , His father, a tailor, “instilled in him and his brother a sense of satisfaction in look”, while his mother, an innovator, inspired him to start his own shoe-shining business as a child, according to , Legacy .com.
After serving in the Army, Wheeler attended , North Carolina College , ( now , North Carolina Central University ) on a basketball scholarship, then went on to work as a hairstylist and at , United Airlines , before breaking into professional acting.
His first commercial looks included those for Luvs Diapers, Reynolds Wrap, and Sudafed in the 1970s. Wheeler” save for a cloudy day and do work in the theater, which was not as lucrative,” he said in 2017. In addition to this, he “paved the means for greater depiction of Black men onscreen.”
Wheeler trained under off-Broadway , director , Gene Frankel , and , Vin Diesel ‘s , stepfather,  , Irving Vincent, performing in , Samm-Art Williams ‘ ,” The Dance on Widow’s Row” and , Charles Randolph-Wright ‘s ,” Cuttin ‘ Up”, among other productions. He was an students of , New York ‘s , Negro Ensemble Company.
The versatile actor earned his first screen credits on TV series like as” Enjoy Your Mouth”, “3-2-1 Email” and” The Core of the Apple”, per , IMDbPro. His first film role was opposite , William Hurt,  , Albert Brooks  , and , Holly Hunter , in , James L. Brooks ‘ ,” Broadcast News” ( 1987 ).
Wheeler guest-starred in several episodes of” Law &, Order”, playing six characters over the course of a dozen years, in addition to making one-off appearances in popular series including” Cosby”,” Soul Food” and” One Life to Live”. His most new payment was a 2010 event of” Blue Bloods”.
In 2017, Wheeler received the Life Legend Award from the , National Black Theatre Festival , in , Winston-Salem, N. C., which he called a” great honor”, according to his article. When he first heard the news, Wheeler said to himself,” Who, me? What have I accomplished in this life that may elicit a perception of me as a life story”?
The Vehicles are co-founders of a manufacturing company,  , Maydecember Productions,  , and in 2023 made their debut as co-executive manufacturers with the award-winning little picture” Keepers of the Flame”, a historical drama that reimagines the 1913 appointment of three Black women.
Ed was regarded as a friend by people he met, and he was cherished by all who had the honor of knowing him, according to his website article. ” His living was a bible to patience, imagination and the power of generosity and kindness”.
Wheeler is survived by his family, in-laws, many nieces and nephews and other extended family members and friends.
___
© 2024 Los Angeles Times
Distributed by , Tribune Content Agency, LLC