Peter Boyle dead at 71

Hollywood has lost one of its best - and best-loved - character actors as Peter Boyle has died.

He might be best known for playing the shambling, moaning – but also dancing – monster in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, but Boyle had a long and successful career that spanned both film and TV.

Known for specialising in cantankerous types and grumpy bastards, he got his big break playing a typically foul-mouthed character in 1970’s Joe. And he was also seen in the likes of Taxi Driver and Monster’s Ball, in which he played the cruel, racist father to Billy Bob Thornton.

But his real breakout performance needed no language at all – taking on the role of Frankenstein’s Monster, a film which not only brought him real recognition, but also led to him meeting his journalist wife, with no lesser best man than John Lennon involved in their wedding.

Later in life, Boyle had great success on TV, cropping up in The X-Files (for which he nabbed an Emmy award) and spending nine years on Everybody Loves Raymond, which garnered him even more praise.

He’s survived by wife Loraine Alterman and two daughters. Boyle was 71.