Bill Erwin Leaves Behind a Rich Legacy of Film and Television Appearances

Bill Erwin was a member of a very elite group: those character actors blessed with memorable faces and voices but names that remain relatively unknown to the general public. Without these men and women, even the best shows on the air would seem a little flat.

Born William Lindsey Erwin in 1914, Erwin passed away Dec. 29 at the age of 96, leaving behind a wealth of memorable TV and movie appearances that spanned decades.

To me, Erwin will forever be the harried man in the airport in the original "Home Alone" movie. When Catherine O'Hara's character tries to bribe his onscreen wife with earrings to get an airplane seat, Erwin's crusty character simply says "She has plenty of earrings...dangly ones!"

Erwin also became part of the pop culture phenomenon "Seinfeld," playing the outspoken Sid Fields on "The Old Man" episode of the show. While volunteering with Elaine and the rest of the gang at a retirement home, Jerry finds himself saddled with the cranky, paranoid Sid.

Nominated for a 1993 Emmy for this performance, Erwin's most memorable line in the show was "I wasn't born yesterday ... I might drop dead today, but I sure as hell wasn't born yesterday."

Uttered in a humorous context, Erwin's statement actually is a serious reminder that no matter how old we are, no one should assume they can take advantage of us simply because of age.

Erwin's performance on "Seinfeld" also reinforces the positive impact that television can have on our lives and how we can find inspiration even in the lives of fictional characters.

In the 1970s, for instance, PBS stations across the country began broadcasting reruns of "The Prisoner," Patrick McGoohan's classic series about an island resort that doubled as a forced retirement home for secret agents.

Resigning over what he called a matter of conscience, McGoohan's character, referred to throughout the series as "Number 6," was whisked away to "The Village," a charming seaside resort that came equipped with a café, local taxi service and surveillance cameras in every bungalow.

Fighting his jailers from his gilded cage, Number 6 defiantly declared "I am not a number...I am a free man." Throughout the series, McGoohan's character struggled to maintain his identity, ultimately beating the system and earning his freedom..apparently.

These days, when numbers have more importance than names, the words of Number 6 continue to hit home. I look at my own life, which can be easily distilled into a jumble of numbers, especially the ones on my credit accounts and Social Security card, and the words of Number 6 still ring in my ears.

With the passing of Bill Erwin, I am also reminded of his touching appearance on "Star Trek: The Next Generation. " As Dr. Dalen Quaice on the "Remember Me" episode, Erwin reminds viewers about the fear that comes with the loss of dear friends.

In Erwin, we may have lost a dear, familiar friend, but we will never forget him. Rest in peace, Sid Fields-the CIA is not out to get you now.