James Karen

James Karen (born Jacob Karnofsky; November 28, 1923 – October 23, 2018) was an American character actor of Broadway, film, and television. He is known for his roles in Poltergeist, The China Syndrome, Wall Street, The Return of the Living Dead, Invaders from Mars, and The Pursuit of Happyness. Karen gained recognition as the signature pitchman for Pathmark, appearing in commercials for the supermarket chain from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. He was also known for his recurring role as Eliot Randolph in the television series Eight Is Enough and for his appearance in an episode of Cheers. Karen was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Russian-Jewish immigrants Mae and Joseph H. Karnofsky.