Wings Hauser, the prolific character actor known for his roles in “Vice Squad,” “The Young and the Restless” and dozens of other films and shows, died March 15 in Los Angeles of natural causes, his wife Cali Lili Hauser confirmed to Variety. He was 78.
“Movie icon Wings Hauser took flight in the arms of his film and music partner, Cali Lili Hauser, at their studio this weekend,” his wife’s statement posted to his Facebook account said. “Wings Hauser’s one of a kind, legendary career spanned 58 years in movies, TV and music working alongside many of the greatest artists in the industry and earning their respect.”
He was born Gerald Dwight Hauser in Hollywood to parents Geraldine and Dwight Hauser. He had numerous roles in both film and television and made his on-screen debut in an uncredited role in 1967’s war drama “First to Fight.” Hauser went on to work on hit shows including “Magnum, P.I.,” “The Fall Guy,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Perry Mason,” “Roseanne,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” “Kingpin,” “Bones” and “Criminal Minds.”
Hauser had a recurring role in the long-running soap opera “The Young and the Restless” over 15 episodes as Greg Foster, taking on the role after James Houghton and Brian Kern originally played him. Hauser first appeared on the show in 1977 and also came back for three episodes in 2010.
In film, Hauser is most known for his turns as Ramrod in 1982’s “Vice Squad” alongside Gary Swanson and the tobacco lawyer in 1999’s “The Insider” alongside Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. Over the years, Hauser also appeared in “Rubber” and “Tough Guys Don’t Dance,” for which he earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for his supporting role. His most recent acting credit was in a 2010 episode of “Criminal Minds.”
“We were children together, we played life every day, played music and wrote songs together every day in…
Read full article: ‘Vice Squad’ Character Actor Was 78
The post “‘Vice Squad’ Character Actor Was 78” by Matthew Minton was published on 03/20/2025 by variety.com