LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- John Spencer, who played a dedicated politico on "The West Wing" who survived a serious illness to run for vice president, died of a heart attack Friday, his publicist said.

Spencer, 58, died at a Los Angeles hospital, said publicist Ron Hofmann. He would have been 59 next week.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/16/s...t.ap/index.html

----------

I'm just stunned. Those of you who follow the show will know that John's character had survived a heart attack and surgery previously, and is now the VP candidate in an election due in a few weeks. I can't imagine what they're going to do or how far in advance they have filmed. They must be blown away on both personal and professional levels. It sounds like he didn't know he had heart disease.