John Spencer seemed to be aware that life imitated art or vice versa. I was sitting with him during an NBC Hollywood cocktail party in January 2004 when the subject turned to alcoholism.
Sipping a club soda, Spencer recalled the first time he looked at background material about Leo McGarry, his character on "The West Wing."
"It was weird," Spencer said.
"Leo McGarry is an alcoholic and so am I.
"When we began shooting the series, it felt, at times, like I really wasn't acting, particularly during scenes that dealt with Leo's battle with alcohol."
Spencer recalled a vivid flashback episode when McGarry's alcoholism almost ruined his political career.
Spencer said that his acting career "saved my life."
People are also reading…
"Acting, rather than alcohol, became my drug of choice.
"And I always feel that Leo's driving career in politics was his life saver."
Spencer's death Dec. 16, four months short of his 59th birthday, produced another parallel.
Last season on "The West Wing," McGarry, President Jeb Bartlet's chief of staff, suffered a heart attack and had to leave his high-profile position.
A heart attack killed Spencer.
Spencer's portrayal of McGarry was one of many outstanding, ongoing performances on the NBC political drama in its seventh and probably final season.
Spencer gave McGarry a definitive "old pol" personality that so many identify with Democratic politics.
Combative and fiercely loyal to his president, McGarry never backed away from a verbal brawl.
And underneath this tough demeanor was a sentimental, often lonely man.
Spencer's portrayal earned him a 2002 Emmy as best supporting dramatic series actor. He was nominated four other times.
The strong onscreen bond between McGarry and Bartlet seemingly extended to real life.
When notified of Spencer's passing, Martin Sheen (who portrays Bartlet) said: "He was my brother."
Spencer injected a feisty personality into every role he played.
Before "The West Wing," he was a key performer in "L.A. Law," the honored NBC series, playing tough lawyer Tommy Mullaney for four seasons.
And here's an item for trivia buffs:
Spencer was the main guest star in the first episode of "Law & Order," aired Sept. 13, 1990, portraying a distraught father who believed his daughter died in a New York hospital because of medical malfeasance.
Spencer was not the first key actor to die while a popular TV series was being filmed.
John Ritter, star of "8 Simple Rules," died during the 2003 season, and Jerry Orbach, the former star of "Law & Order," passed away a year ago after filming two episodes of "Law & Order: Trial by Jury."
Nick Colasanto, the funny, dense bartender on "Cheers," passed away in 1985.
And loyal "Hill Street Blues" fans will recall the 1984 death of Michael Conrad, who portrayed Sgt. Phil ("Let's be careful out there") Esterhaus.
While such passings produced obvious production problems, the death of Spencer creates a more significant one in the story line.
McGarry is the vice-presidential running mate of Democrat Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits), with the election being the key part of the winter and spring episodes on "The West Wing."
Five future episodes already have been filmed, with the series scheduled to return on Jan. 8 with an hour titled "Running Mates," in which Spencer's character has a key role.
The production staff, on a holiday hiatus, faces a story revamping, perhaps even major editing of the completed episodes, depending on the presence of Spencer.
Many story lines probably will be rewritten with the Santos political camp searching for a new running mate.
The death of Spencer obviously will produce more than an aside mention in future episodes.
Look for an hour detailing the passing of Leo McGarry.
In a sadly ironic twist, Spencer's death will lead to an infusion of new, dramatic story lines and possibly higher ratings for the series, which has not found audience success in its early-Sunday-night time period.
I'm left with the feeling that Spencer would appreciate the fact he made such a contribution.
