Film and television actor John Vernon, who played the sinister Dean Wormer in the 1978 classic "Animal House," has died in California. He was 72.

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Canadian-born Vernon, who recently suffered a heart attack, died Tuesday in his sleep at his Van Nuys home, family members told the Los Angeles Times.

In "Animal House," Vernon did his best to expel the Delta House fraternity -- the beer-swilling gang of college misfits led by an uncouth John Belushi as John "Bluto" Blutarsky.

Vernon, known for his deep, resonant voice and villainous face, amassed more than 200 film and TV credits including a bounty hunter stalking Clint Eastwood in "The Outlaw Josey Wales," the mayor of San Francisco in "Dirty Harry" and a vulnerable bad guy in "Point Blank," starring Lee Marvin.

"Animal House" director John Landis said he originally wanted "Dragnet" star Jack Webb to play Wormer but after meeting with the long-haired, bearded Landis, the conservative Webb "was absolutely horrified at the suggestion," the Times reported.