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In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors.
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Actor David Schall, who mixed religion with his work, dies at 53
Wednesday April 16, 2003
LOS ANGELES (AP) David Schall, who started the Actors Co-op
theater troupe in Hollywood and ran programs aimed at helping
Christians succeed in the entertainment world, has died. He was 53.
Schall had a heart attack in his car outside the First
Presbyterian Church of Hollywood on Friday, church officials said.
He was taken by ambulance to Queen of Angels Hospital, where he was
pronounced dead.
Schall was scheduled to appear on stage that day, playing Anton
Chekhov's professor Serebryakov on the opening night of Actors
Co-op's production of ``Uncle Vanya.''
Born in Ford City, Pa., Schall graduated from Indiana University
of Pennsylvania and decided to follow his dream of acting in 1976.
He started in New York where he took seminary courses before moving
to Los Angeles in 1986.
Torn between his religion and his career, Schall decided to
pursue both by founding the Actors Co-op and establishing the
Inter-Mission, both in 1987. The mission's goal is to help
Christians across the country network in the entertainment industry
and channel their faith into their creative work.
Although Actors Co-op members must be practicing Christians,
Schall said he learned early on, after critics dismissed the first
two productions as overly dogmatic, that the company had to tone
the message and program down for a general audience.
Among his TV credits were roles in ``L.A. Law,'' ``Murder, She
Wrote'' and a turn as a minister presiding at a funeral in an
``ER'' episode scheduled to run May 1.
He is survived by his parents, Fred and Grace Schall of Ford
City; a sister; and two brothers.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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