Ed Bernard, 1939 – 2026

Character actor Ed Bernard, 86, died on Jan. 23 (though whether it was January of 2025 or ’26 is up to some debate). The Philadelphia native played undercover cop Joe Styles on Police Woman and Principal Willis on The White Shadow, as well as Lt. Giles on Hardcastle and McCormick for five episodes. Bernard started his career onstage, and made his film debut in Shaft (1971). Through 2005, he appeared in such movies and TV series as The Hot Rock, Trader Horn, Mannix, That’s My Mama, Blue Thunder, the doomed Life with Lucy, Suddenly Susan, NYPD Blue, and Cold Case.