“Really Old Guy” was the moniker that actor Jack Axelrod had on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” Seasons three and four saw the actor playing a semi-comatose patient who ate lunch with intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) in the same room. He later died, and now so has Axelrod.
The news broke on November 28th that Axelrod passed away in Los Angeles from natural causes, as reported by his representative, Jennifer Garland. The man’s age was 93.
L.A. was the site of the actor’s birth in 1930. He deployed to Germany from 1953 to 1955 while serving as a corporal in the US Army when he was younger. Axelrod became a licensed architect in Washington after leaving the military and attending UC Berkeley to study design.
Axelrod started pursuing acting while working as an architect. He made an appearance in a 1969 off-Broadway staging of “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare. He broke into the Broadway cast of “Gandhi” in 1979 after landing a role in the off-Broadway version. But that was just the one night it was performed on the main stage.
The actor’s career in Hollywood was successful and long-lasting. “Bananas,” a 1971 comedy by Woody Allen, featured Axelrod. Among his numerous cinematic credits are appearances in “Vice,” “Road to Redemption,” “Little Fockers,” and “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” among many more.
His breakout role came from 1987–1989 on the ABC daytime drama “General Hospital” as mobster Victor Jerome. At least forty episodes featured him. Naturally, he was the legendary Charlie Yost on “Grey’s.” His character was beloved by viewers, despite his brief appearances.
In addition to his work in design and acting, Axelrod has taught drama at several universities, including Penn State, BU, UW, Cal Arts, Brandeis, Temple, and the Aaron Speiser Acting Studio.
