American
comedy Actor who found his niche in mockumentaries such as Best in Show and Modern Family
The
American comedy actor Fred Willard, who has died aged 86, never took top billing on screen, but he found his niche as a scene-stealer in the mockumentaries of Christopher Guest, among others, usually playing characters invested with authority who prove to be inept, clueless or simply unintentionally funny.
In his first, This is Spinal Tap (1984), a satire of reverential rock documentaries, directed by Rob Reiner and starring Guest, Willard is an upbeat lieutenant organising a gig for a fictional
British heavy-metal band in a US airforce base hangar – after they have to cancel dates at bigger venues because of low ticket sales.