August 7

Happy Birthday to veteran actor David Rasche, the That Guy that found, for a moment and a half, the perfect leading role.

He first made his reputation on the Chicago stage; he's particulary received acclaim for his Mamet performances. He also developed his comedic chops in Chicago, assuming John Belushi's spot when Belushi was called up to Saturday Night Live. Perhaps it was the same combination of machismo and buffoonery that made Sledge Hammer such a perfect role.

Sledge Hammer!, a parody of Dirty Harry and NBC's "Hunter" series, lasted two seasons.

"Sledge Hammer" was only one high point of a long TV and movie career. (His longest running series, by five episodes, was the NBC sitcom "Nurses.") He tends to play bunglers or smarmy weasels of the corporate (LA Law, Ugly Betty) or political (West Wing, In the Loop, Burn After Reading.)

But he's so under the radar that he was the most recognizable face in the movie United 93, a movie they wanted to film without any actors that would take the audience out of the story.

Still there are plenty of fans who would recognize him in any role, even if they only see him in one. And they're all going to be in one building!