'Videodrome' and 'The Fly' star Leslie Carlson dies at 81

Actor Leslie Carlson, best known for his work with horror director David Cronenberg, died at the age of 81 on May 3.

Carlson, who is perhaps best known in his starring role as the villain Barry Convex in Cronenberg's 1983 surrealist horror film Videodrome, was born in Mitchell, South Dakota in 1933, and began his career in acting on the stage.

In the 1960s, he moved to Canada and began acting in film. He starred in several horror movies including Deranged and Black Christmas, and a number of other features, before being cast in Videodrome.

Carlson went on to appear in three other films by Cronenberg, including the supernatural political thriller The Dead Zone, which came out the same year and Videodrome, and the 1986 body-horror classic The Fly, starring Jeff Goldblum.

He also appeared in Cronenberg's short film Camera, which appeared as one segment in the 2001 anthology film Short6.

Between his extensive film and television work, including roles on The Twilight Zone, The X-Files, and many TV movies, Carlson had worked on nearly 100 different shows and movies in a career that spanned almost 40 years.

Carlson passed away in his Toronto home under hospice care after a battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Joan, and his two sons Edmund and Ben.