Lew Palter Dies: ‘Titanic’ & ‘First Monday In October’ Actor Was 94

Lew Palter, who played Isidor Straus in James Cameron’s Titanic and a Supreme Court justice in First Monday in October, has died. He was 94.

Palter died of lung cancer May 21 at his Los Angeles home. CalArts, where Palter was a longtime faculty member, shared news of his death on Twitter.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that longtime #calartstheater faculty Lew Palter has passed away. Lew retired from @CalArts in 2013, having served our community since 1971 as an acting teacher, director, and mentor.”

Among his students at CalArts was Cecily Strong, said it was Palter who encouraged her to try out for improv/sketch comedy group The Groundlings, leading to her breakout role on SNL.

“Lew loved the craft of acting, and taught his students to do the same,” said CalArts School of Theater Dean Travis Preston in a statement. “He fostered deep curiosity, care, intellect, and humor in every scene, play, and class. He had the utmost respect of his students, and encouraged all to find truth in their work and lives,” said Preston. “His legacy is carried forth in the many careers, lives, and stories he touched, and our collective CalArts thoughts are with his family, friends, and theater community who loved him so.”

Born in Brooklyn, Palter began his career on stage, appearing in such New York productions as The Madwoman of Chaillot and An Enemy of the People. He also directed Off-Broadway plays including Let Man Live, Overruled and The Trial of Lucullus. He went on to work in television in 1967, appearing in the TV series Run for Your Life. He also guest-starred in numerous television series including The A-Team, Day by Day, Charlie’s Angels, Baretta, The Virginian, Columbo, The High Chaparral, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, The Six Million Dollar Man, Kojak, The Brady Bunch, The Flying Nun and L.A. Law. He also was known for his recurring role as Detective Clark in the 1976-77 CBS drama series Delvecchio, opposite Judd Hirsch and future Hill Street Blues stars Charles Haid and Michael Conrad.

However, he is best remembered for his work in film, particularly for the role of Isidor Straus in Titanic. In a memorable montage, Palter is seen with Elsa Raven, who portrayed his wife, Ida, embracing on a bed in their stateroom as the ship’s string quartet plays “Nearer My God to Thee” and water begins to flood the ship. The real-life Isidor and Ida Straus were traveling back from Germany on the Titanic. When the ship hit the iceberg, the Strauses were directed to a lifeboat, but Isidor refused to board while there were young men being prevented from boarding and Ida refused to get into the lifeboat without Isidor, according to the National Archives. The couple were last seen holding hands on deck when a wave swept them out to sea.

Wendy Rush, widow of Stockton Rush, the Oceangate CEO who died last week in the Titan submersible tragedy, is a great-great-granddaughter of the Strauses.

Palter also appeared in the 1971 film The Steagle.