AceShowbiz - Rif Hutton, a seasoned character actor known for his recurring roles on the television series Doogie Howser, M.D. and JAG, has died at the age of 73. His wife, Bridget Hoffman, confirmed that Hutton passed away on Saturday at their Pasadena home after a 13-month battle with glioblastoma.

Rif Hutton built a diverse career spanning voice acting, looping, and ADR work. His voice contributions featured in notable films such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), as well as popular animated franchises including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Rio, Ice Age, Hotel Transylvania, and Angry Birds.

In the 1990s, Hutton was also recognized for appearing in commercials as the owner of a KFC restaurant, a role that added to his visibility during that decade.

On television, Hutton is best remembered for his portrayal of Dr. Ron Welch on Doogie Howser, M.D. He appeared in 17 episodes across all four seasons of the ABC medical sitcom created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley. In this role, he played a friend and colleague of Neil Patrick Harris' title character at Eastman Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Additionally, Hutton took on the role of Lt. Cmdr. Alan Mattoni in 10 episodes of CBS's JAG, a drama created by Donald P. Bellisario, appearing from 1997 to 2001. Both roles solidified his presence in popular TV dramas of the 1990s and early 2000s.

Born Walter Hutton in San Antonio on November 28, 1955, he was raised primarily in New Jersey due to his father’s U.S. Air Force career. During eighth grade, he won a statewide speech contest reciting Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, an experience that inspired him to pursue acting professionally.

After graduating from Seton Hall University and serving in the U.S. Navy, Hutton began appearing in television shows such as The Jeffersons, Remington Steele, 227, and Night Court between 1985 and 1987. He also had a role in the 1988 film Stand and Deliver, which starred Edward James Olmos.

Hutton made appearances on several daytime soap operas including Tribes, General Hospital, and The Bold and the Beautiful. His extensive TV credits also include episodes of L.A. Law, Married... With Children, Hunter, Wings, Murphy Brown, The Larry Sanders Show, Star Trek: Generations, Babylon 5, Family Matters, Seinfeld, ER, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cold Case, and Monk. His film appearances include Moving (1988) starring Richard Pryor, L.A. Heat (1989), and The Thirteenth Floor (1999).

Surviving Hutton are his wife Bridget Hoffman, a fellow voice actor whom he married in 2001, and their son, Wolfgang. The couple frequently collaborated professionally throughout their careers.

Fellow voice actor Steve Apostolina paid tribute to Hutton on Facebook, writing, "People knew when they hired him for a voice job that he was going to be the most prepared - he always was. He was also always first to show up on a gig - I had the great pleasure of beating him a few times and scooping a treasured chair, but those were few and far between."