Larry Drake, star of 'L.A. Law', dead at 66

Actor Larry Drake, known for playing Benny on TV show "L.A. Law", has died. He was 66.

Drake passed away on Thursday, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

The actor played Benny Stulwicz, a mentally challenged law clerk, from 1987 until the TV show's end in 1994. The memorable role earned Drake two Emmy Awards, in 1988 and 1989, and a nomination in 1990.

He reprised the role for the reunion film, "L.A. Law: The Movie", which aired in 2002.

Drake, who was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was also a series regular on the 1998 sci-fi TV show "Prey" and appeared in several films, including "Darkman" (1990) - as a ruthless villain - and its sequel; as a murderous doctor in "Dr. Giggles" (1992); "Bean" (1997); and "American Pie 2" (2001).

Later in his career, the actor lent his voice to animated TV parts, including the role of Pops in the Cartoon Network sitcom "Johnny Bravo" from 1999 to 2004. He also made guest appearances on "Six Feet Under", "Crossing Jordan" and "7th Heaven", with his last credited TV appearance on "Boston Legal" in 2008.