Celebrity deaths in 2012 - In Memoriam

97 of 186: Ian Abercrombie, best known as playing Elaine's boss Mr. Pitt on 'Seinfeld,' has died at 77. The British actor passed away on Thursday, January 26 from complications from kidney failure, after being diagnosed with lymphoma, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The veteran actor spent decades acting and appearing in theater productions before he rose to fame on 'Seinfeld.'

In 1998, Abercrombie told CNN, regarding his character: 'I was a pain in the neck. I was a hypochondriac. I was many things, and I just made her life so miserable. She wouldn't take the salt off my pretzels, you know. She brought me white socks ... she did a lot of things for me, but she could never do it right.'

In addition to 'Seinfeld,' the actor appeared on series like 'Wizards of Waverly Place,' 'Birds of Prey,' 'How I Met Your Mother,' 'Star Trek: Voyager' and 'Days of Our Lives.' He also appeared on the big screen in films like '3 Men and a Little Lady,' 'Addams Family Values,' 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park,' 'Mousehunt,' 'Wild Wild West,' ' Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties,' 'Inland Empire' and 'Rango.'

Abercrombie is survived by his brothers Douglas, Donald and Alex.

(Pictured: Ian Abercrombie arrives at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts/Los Angeles and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences third annual Emmy Nominees Tea Party Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005, in Los Angeles. / Ian Abercrombie and Julia Louis-Dreyfus appear in a still from 'Seinfeld.') (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian / ABC)