Lew Palter Cause of Death

American actor and longtime CalArts teacher, Lew Palter has been reported dead. He died of lung cancer on May 21, 2023, at the age of 94.

“Lew loved the craft of acting and taught his students to do same. He fostered deep curiosity, care, intellect, and humor in every scene, play, and class. He had the utmost respect of his students and encouraged all to find truth in their work and lives,” CalArts School of Theatre Dean Travis Preston shared in a statement.

“As a teacher, he seemed to have truly changed people’s lives,” his daughter Catherine Palter shared.

Palter was best known for playing Isidor Straus, the man who drowned along with his wife in bed in the 1997 James Cameron true story-inspired film Titanic. 

His other film credits also include Run for Your Life, First Monday in October, The A-Team, Day by Day, Charlie’s Angels, Baretta, The Virginian Columbo, The High Chaparral, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, The Six Million Dollar Man, and more.