![\"David](\"http:\/\/www.filmbuffonline.com\/FBOLNewsreel\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/David-Huddleston--678x315.jpg\")
David Huddleston might not have been a prolific character actor in film, but his roles were memorable, ranging from inept lawmen to wheelchair-bound millionaires to Saint Nick himself. \u00a0The actor died Tuesday of kidney and lung disease in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 85.<\/p>\n
Huddleston entered into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts after a stint in the Air Force. His acting career began in earnest in the early 1960s, with roles on television on shows such as Adam-12 <\/strong>and Bewitched<\/strong> and films such as Slaves <\/strong>and A\u00a0 Lovely Way To<\/strong> Die<\/strong>.<\/p>\n He starred with John Wayne twice, in 1970’s Rio Lobo <\/strong>and 1974’s McQ<\/strong>. That same year, Huddleston would play Olson Johnson (a name that is a take off on the\u00a0vaudeville team of \u00a0Olson and Johnson) in Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In 1979, Huddleston landed the lead role in the short lived sitcom, Hizzoner<\/strong>. He would then go on to play Santa Claus in the 1985 film, Santa Claus: The Movie<\/strong>. Even though he was playing the title character, co-stars Dudley Moore and John Lithgow got higher billing for the film.<\/p>\n Modern audiences most likely recognize Huddleston as Jeffrey Lebowski, the millionaire\u00a0who kidnappers confused Jeff Bridges similarly named slacker with in The Big Lebowski<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Huddleston’s last film work was 2014’s Locker 13. <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"