Actor Charles S. Stevenson Jr., who portrayed bartender Smitty on “Will & Grace” and was also noted for his roles in “Ghost World” and “Ed Wood,” died on Jan. 19. He was 95.
Stevenson died of natural causes in Camarillo, California, Variety reported.
Known for his supporting roles in films and on television series, Stevenson was perhaps best known for his role as Smitty in the sitcom “Will & Grace.” He appeared in 12 episodes from 2002 to 2020. He was 89 when he made his final appearance on the show.
Stevenson’s first major role came when he was 76, as he played Sheriff Ryan in the 2008 Disney film “Snow Buddies.”
Charles C. Stevenson Jr., who played Smitty the bartender on "Will and Grace," has died at 95.https://t.co/n8mCKaC7cC
— Variety (@Variety) February 6, 2026
His son, Scott, told Variety that Stevenson excelled in roles as a preacher or priest.
“In his own words, his job was ‘marrying or burying people,’” Scott Stevenson said in a statement. “As he told it, the panic-stricken director would invariably come to him to beg him to find a way to fill in unscripted space between ‘We are gathered here together’ (where he’d probably get his close-up) and the ‘amen’ at the end of the scene (where he usually wouldn’t). ... He got pretty good at that.”
Stevenson also had roles in “Murder, She Wrote,” “Men in Black,” “Glee” and “Bunheads.” He made his television debut in a 1982 episode of “Voyagers!” Deadline reported. He also made appearances in shows such as “LA Law,” “Cheers,” “Dynasty,” “Knots Landing,” “Designing Women,” “Scrubs,” “Matlock,” “Gilmore Girls,” “House” and “Melrose Place.”
Stevenson was raised in Piedmont, California, and served in the Navy during the Korean War, according to Deadline. He studied English at the University of California-Berkeley.
©2026 Cox Media Group
