Miguel Ferrer, Star of ‘NCIS’ and ‘Crossing Jordan’, Dies at 61

Miguel Ferrer died Thursday of cancer, according to news reports. The actor best known for his TV roles on NCIS: Los Angeles and Crossing Jordan was 61 years old. Ferrer’s look and gravelly voice led to him often playing tough, or villainous characters, both in live-action projects and in voiceover work. Among his big-screen work, sci-fi fans will remember him as Bob Morton, the man who designed the title character in the 1987 classic RoboCop.

Also on television, Ferrer is fondly remembered for his portrayal of FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield in the early ’90s David Lynch series Twin Peaks. Ferrer was part of the reunited cast for Lynch’s updating of Twin Peaks for Showtime, coming this May. Production on Peaks had wrapped last year, but it is unclear at this point whether Ferrer had completed his post-production work on the series.

In a statement, NCIS: Los Angeles showrunner R. Scott Gemmill said, “Today, NCIS: Los Angeles lost a beloved family member. Miguel was a man of tremendous talent who had a powerful dramatic presence on screen, a wicked sense of humor, and a huge heart.Our thoughts go out to his wife Lori, his sons, and his entire family. He will be greatly missed.”

Ferrer was the son of actor José Ferrer and singer Rosemary Clooney, first cousin of actor George Clooney and brother-in-law to singer Debby Boone.

– Jeff Pfeiffer contributed to this report