'The X-Files' Peter Donat actor dead

Actor Peter Donat, who played agent Fox Mulders father in "The X-Files" and featured in two Francis Ford Coppola films, is dead. He was 90.

Donat died on Monday at his home in Point Reyes, California. His wife, Maria told the New York Times the cause was complications of diabetes.

The actor was also a frequent stage actor. He played Cyrano de Bergerac, Prospero, Shylock, King Lear and Hadrian VII over the years.

He also guest starred on TV series like "The F.B.I.", "Hawaii Five-O", "Mannix", McMillan & Wife", "Hill Street Blues" and "Murder, She Wrote".

Coppola cast Donat as a lawyer in "The Godfather Part II" after he was considered for the role of Tom Hagen in "The Godather", a part that eventually went to Robert Duvall.

The Canadian-born actor also played Otto Kerner in Coppola's "Tucker: The Man and His Dream" in 1980.

In addition to his wife, Donat is survived by his sons, Caleb, Christopher and Lucas; two stepdaughters, Barbara Park Shapiro and Marina Park Sutton; a stepson, Malcolm Park; 11 grandchildren; and his brother, Richard, who is also an actor.

--IANS

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