Patrick Cranshaw

Born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, character actor Patrick Cranshaw came of age during the Depression, and hit upon acting while entertaining the troops before World War II. However, it would take years of playing small, often uncredited roles in B-picture bunkum like "The Amazing Transparent Man" and "Hip, Hot and 21" before he landed a part as a bank teller in his first major motion picture, Arthur Penn's classic "Bonnie and Clyde." The Okie with the unmistakably down-home manner followed up with recurring roles on the hit '70s sitcom "Alice" and as a resident patient on the not-hit sitcom "After MASH." Distinguished by his grandfatherly mien and dry delivery, Cranshaw became a steadily working supporting player, usually delivering laughs as a befuddled old-timer. In director Christopher Guest's acclaimed mockumentary "Best in Show," the actor managed to comically steal scenes with little more than a dazed expression, playing the vegetative millionaire owner of a prize-winning poodle. Cranshaw attained cult status with his role in the hit Will Ferrell-Luke Wilson comedy "Old School," in which his oldest-fratboy-ever Blue is memorialized by frat brother Frank the Tank (played by Ferrell) with the movie's oft-quoted line, "You're my boy, Blue!" Cranshaw reached an even younger generation with his appearances in several kiddie features, including two of Disney's direct-to-video "Air Bud" sequels, as bumbling Sheriff Bob. A fan favorite as the crusty lawman, Cranshaw reprised the role for the direct-to-video spinoff, "Air Buddies," shot just before he died at age 86.