While we all adore and root for the stars and starlets of tinseltown, there is a treasure-trove of good men and women who have been integral to the success of all our favorite films. Bona fide, hard working and talented people who may never star in a film or see their name on a poster hanging in the local cineplex but will never escape our minds and imaginations when it comes to some good iconic and funny roles they play. This column is a tribute to the “Oh, That Guy” types, the common actor and the B-listers. They are the…

Rick Ducommun

Age: 58

Number of Film & TV Roles: 50

Notable Roles: A Fine Mess; Spaceballs; Die Hard; The ‘burbs; Little Monsters; Gremlins 2: The New Batch; The Last Boy Scout; Encino Man; Loaded Weapon 1; Groundhog Day; Last Action Hero; Blank Check; Scary Movie; MVP: Most Valuable Primate

Typical Role: Bumbling buddy; kooky dad

Why He’s Great: Rick Ducommun didn’t have the largest body of work in the ’80s and ’90s, but his few appearances in some beloved gems make him instantly recognizable. While most moviegoers will recognize him as one of the goofy drunken townsfolk from Groundhog Day (one of the guys in the car when Phil drives on the train tracks) his biggest role was as Tom Hanks’s neighbor Art in The ‘burbs, an underrated comedy classic if there ever was one. Rick sadly passed away yesterday, and although he hasn’t appeared in a film since 2004, we all lost a bumbling buddy.

Rick Ducommun’s Wikipedia page

Ducommun’s Finest: