Pat Hingle, the heavy-set character actor who had many memorable stints playing charismatic supporting roles in films such as Hang 'Em High and Norma Rae, died on January 3 of blood cancer at his home in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. He was 84.

He was born Martin Patterson Hingle on January 19, 1924 in Miami, Florida. His parents divorced when he was very young and, after following his schoolteach mother through a nomadic existence, he eventually settled in Texas where he majored in advertising at the University of Texas. World War II interrupted his studies and after the war, he returned to school only to major in drama. After moving to New York City in the early '50s, Hingle continued his studies with the Actors Studio and made his Broadway debut in End as a Man 1953 with Ben Gazarra and his film debut the following year as Jocko the bartender in Elia Kazan's On The Waterfront (1954). As with most New York stage actors at the time, he found much work on many of the live anthology dramas that were popular in the early days of television: Kraft Television Theatre, Studio One Goodyear, and Television Playhouse.

He had a more substantial film part in the screen adaptation of End as a Man, retitled The Strange One (1957), but it would be in the '60s that saw his film work pick up considerably: as Warren Beatty's harsh, demanding father in Splendor in the Grass (1961); as Big Foot, the work camp supervisor in the popular Steve McQueen western Nevada Smith (1966); and his dark, superb caricature of a vengeful judge in the old west sparring ideology with Clint Eastwood in Hang 'Em High (1968). The '70s continued in the same vein for Hingle, although with somewhat less stellar material. Still, he proved his consistency as a character actor in movies such as(The Super Cops (1974), The Gauntlet (1977); television shows (Kung Fu Gunsmoke Hawaii Five-O), and closed the decade in fine style with two terrific performances - Sally Field's father in Martin Ritt's moving look at rural life Norma Rae and as an unforgettable Colonel Tom Parker, who manipulates Elvis Presley (Kurt Russell) in the well received telefilm Elvis (both 1979).

Hingle found renewed popularity toward the end of his career when he played Commissioner Gordon in Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and its many subsequent sequels: Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995), and Batman & Robin (1997). He also proved to be a salty pro spicing up hit sitcoms such as Wings, playing Tim Daly's father, and giving an unforgettable performance as a serial killer in a final season episode of Homicide: Life on the Street. He is survived by his second wife of 29 years, Julia; and children from his first marriage; a son, Bill; daughters, Jody and Molly; and 11 grandchildren.

by Michael T. Toole