Larry Drake, three-time Golden Globe nominee as Best Supporting Actor in Television Drama Series has died, age 67.

He earned his Globes nominations (and two Emmys) for his portrayal of Benny Stulwicz, a hulking and lovable developmentally disabled gofer and office help in the fictional law firm of the drama series L.A.Law (1986-1994), one of the most successful of writer producer Steven Bochco's string of hits.

An instant success with critics, public and the HFPA L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural currents of its era, with a mix of drama,humor, controversy and sex, and became a constant audience favorite and awards winner throughout its eight seasons, including some 31 Golden Globes nominations and six wins ( incluiding six nominations and two wins for the show itself as best TV drama series.) Drake gained international recognition when he joined the ensemble cast of the show in the second season. At the time it was one the first positive treatments of a mentally challenged character on network television. First introduced into the show as a small, marginal role (hired after his mother,a cleaning woman for the firm, has died) it was made more prominent as he became accepted and popular, even getting romantically involved with Alice, the withdrawn daughter of a client of the firm, played by Golden Globe nominee Amanda Plummer.

A study called Benny's story line and Drake's performance "perhaps the finest depiction since Cliff Robertson's in the 1968 movie Charly (a Golden Globe nominee for best Actor, est Movie and winner for best screenplay). Drake, a massive actor at 230 pounds and 6-foot-3, played somewhat similar roles before L.A.Law. On stage  he was the slow, childlike migrant worker Lennie in Of Mice and Men. He also played a mentally challenged man, wrongly accused of molesting a young girl, in the 1981 horror film Dark Night of the Scarecrow  .

Before Benny, he said in an interview at the time, “I usually played big and mean, big and dumb or big and funny…. Portraying a mentally retarded character presents a different, and wonderful challenge… You have to walk the line. You can’t go too far or not far enough. Benny’s different…Personally, I like the guy. He’s warm, funny and sad at the same time.” Drake was so convincing in his performance, that many thought that he was indeed a mentally challenged person himself. "It’s a wonderful compliment,” he said. “Either I fool people, or they’re willing to play the game.”The reason for his appeal, he said, is perhaps " the contrast of the character…He’s enormously empathetic – this big, warm, wonderful, human guy up against these Ivy League-cool types….If I can be un-humble for a moment, I'd give myself an “A”…..

Dead at a relatively young 67, Larry Drake was mourned by the industry as a towering character actor – and, truly, an “A”.