Wes Anderson Regular Kumar Pallana Dies at 94

Character actor Kumar Pallana, a regular in Wes Anderson’s movies, passed away yesterday at the age of 94. Pallana appeared in scene stealing roles in four of Anderson’s movies: as Kumar the safecracker in Bottle Rocket, excited janitor Mr. LittleJeans in Rushmore, Gene Hackman’s sidekick/valet Pagoda in The Royal Tenenbaums, and in a less memorable part as an old man on a train in The Darjeeling Limited. Pallana transitioned into acting at the age of 76 when he met Wes Anderson and co-writer Owen Wilson at a coffee shop owned by his son, and they insisted on casting him in a small part in their first movie, Bottle Rocket. To hear Pallana’s fascinating life story, check out this 2003 interview he did with The Believer.

Wes Anderson Regular Kumar Pallana Dies at 94