Richard Jenkins

It was the film "The Visitor" that brought acclaim to Richard Jenkins, left, a middle-aged character actor whose face, but not name, was known to moviegoers. He and Hazz Sleimann are shown in a scene from the movie that earned him an Oscar nomination.

An Illinois native, Jenkins worked in the theater before he took his first TV role in 1974, followed shortly after by a role in a feature film. His film credits include roles in "Cheaper By the Dozen," "Shall We Dance," "North Country," "The Kingdom" and "Burn After Reading."

Actors, from left, Viola Davis, Michael Shannon, Rosemarie DeWitt, Richard Jenkins, and Melissa Leo pose for a portrait during the Santa Barbara Film Festival in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009.

Richard Jenkins, a cast member in the film "Step Brothers," poses at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 15, 2008.

Richard Jenkins, second from left, poses with the Cast of the HBO series "Six Feet Under" He played Nathaniel Fisher in 19 episodes from 2001 to 2005. With him are, from left, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Krause, and Michael C. Hall.

Richard Jenkins and wife, Sharon R. Frederick, arrive at the Museum of Modern Art for the screening of "The Visitor" on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, in New York. They have been married since 1969 and have two grown children.

Richard Jenkins accepts the Spotlight Award at the 2008 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures awards gala presented by Bulgari at Cipriani 42nd Street on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009 in New York.