Andy Hallett, a singer who gained fame portraying a green-skinned demon on the dark vampire series "Angel," has died at the age of 33, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office said this morning.
A Sunday telephone call to 911 had Hallett complaining of shortness of breath, spokesman Ed Winter said. The actor was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 8:35 p.m.
An autopsy is pending. The death was first reported by E!Online.
Hallett was born in the village of Osterville, Mass., part of the town of Barnstable, on Cape Cod. He attended Barnstable High School and then Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., according to his biography on IMDB.
Hallett told the Cleveland Plain Dealer in a 2003 interview that he loved singing while growing up on Cape Cod, but his friends threw cold water on his efforts. Then, Patti LaBelle invited him onstage to sing "Lady Marmalade" with her. When he received applause and requests for photographs, he realized, "It was really a life-changing experience."
Hallett traveled up the iconic Hollywood ladder to success, moving to Los Angeles where he worked as a runner for an agency, property manager then personal assistant.
He was singing in a Universal City blues revue where he met Joss Whedon, creator of the universe that included "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and its spinoff, "Angel."
Hallet told the Plain Dealer that Whedon became a friend and they liked to visit a "dirty, old scandalous" karaoke bar in Hollywood together.
It was Whedon who asked Hallett to audition for the role of Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan, known as the Host and Lorne. The character was the consummate greeter at a karaoke bar named Caritas, where Lorne was able to read people by how they sang.
Hallett played Lorne for 76 episodes and sang in six of them. In one episode, he sang "Lady Marmalade."
Funeral arrangements were pending.
