Stanley Anderson actor in 'Spider-Man,' 'Armageddon,' 'Drew Carey Show,' dead at 78

Stanley Anderson, well-known actor, has passed away at the age of 78.

His family released this statement:

"We are heartbroken to share the news that Stanley Anderson has passed away on June 24th 2018, just 6 weeks after being diagnosed with brain cancer."

He worked on film, television and stage, memorably as the judge in the final episode of Seinfeld and as General Slocum in the 2002 Spider-Man. Anderson also played U.S. presidents in two movies, Armageddon and The Rock, directed by Michael Bay, Armageddon and The Rock. He also had a recurring role as Drew Carey's dad on The Drew Carey Show.

Anderson spent 20 years at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Helen Hayes award for best supporting actor in The Piggy Bank.

He told the Washington Post in 1989. "I've never believed there was a role I couldn't do. Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying I could do it well. But I'm a character actor. I think in terms of character. It's all I've ever done. For me, the fun is finding the idiosyncrasies, the body shape, the internal workings of a role. I'm fascinated by the differences between the public person and the private individual."

The iconic actor did voice work as well,  documentaries on National Geographic, the History Channel, PBS, Discovery Channel and the Learning Channel.

Ultimately, his family says, his greatest calling was "the part he played in politics," lending his voice to Democratic candidates.