Ernie Lively, 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' Actor, Dies at 74

Lively’s five children followed him into acting

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Longtime character actor Ernie Lively, whose acting career spanned five decades and included roles in such films as “Turner & Hooch,” “Passenger 57” and the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” films, in which he played the father of his daughter Blake Lively’s character, has died, according to a representative for Lively. He was 74.

Lively died of cardiac complications in Los Angeles last Thursday. He was surrounded by his wife and all of his children.

Lively was also a successful pitchman as he starred alongside Phil McHale as part of the duo Runner & Ernie in the popular Hardee’s commercials that ran in the late 1970s and early ’80s.

Lively was born Ernest Brown Jr. in Baltimore on Jan. 29, 1947. Lively was an English professor who served in the Marines during the Vietnam War and turned to acting. On top of acting, Lively was an acting coach and mentor who guided the careers of young actors including his five children who followed him into the business.

Along with daughter Blake Lively, his sons Jason Lively (“National Lampoon’s European Vacation”), Eric Lively (“So Weird,” “The L Word”) and daughters Robyn Lively (“Twin Peaks”, “Doogie Howser, M.D.”) and Lori Lively (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “ER”) established their own acting careers as well.

Lively’s other acting credits included“Shocker” (1989), “Air America” (1990), “Showdown in Little Tokyo” (1991), “The Man in the Moon” (1991), “The Beverly Hillbillies” (1993) and “Mulholland Falls” (1996). Lively also made guest appearances on numerous television shows including “The X-Files,” “Seinfeld,” “Murder, She Wrote” and “The West Wing.”

Lively is survived by his wife Elaine, all five children, and several grandchildren.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news of Lively’s passing.

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