Tribute: Vincent Schiavelli, Michael Vale

You may not have known the names of these two unforgettable character actors, but you knew their faces.

Vincent Schiavelli (left), the droopy-eyed actor best known for playing the subway-riding spirit who taught Patrick Swayze how to haunt in Ghost, died Monday at 57. The New York Post pays homage to the breadth of his career (in addition to roles in such landmark movies as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, did you know Schiavelli played the first openly gay character on a sitcom, five years before Billy Crystal’s Jodie on Soap?).

Michael Vale, who died Saturday at 83, didn’t appear in as many movies or TV shows as Schiavelli, but he appeared in some 1,300 commercials, including countless turns as sleepy Fred the Baker (”Time to make the donuts…”) in 15 years of Dunkin’ Donuts ads. Today, I’ll be riding the E train and eating a chocolate glazed in both men’s honor.

addCredit(“Vincent Schiavelli: Mark Sullivan/WireImage.com”)