J. Haran, an actor and member of Sacred Fools Theatre Company in Los Angeles, died Sept. 28 in L.A. after a bout with cancer.

The Mt. Kisco, NY, native (born John Joseph Haran Jr.) graduated from the University of Connecticut and studied at Circle in the Square in New York City. He appeared Off-Broadway in Prometheus Bound and Servant of Two Masters before moving to Los Angeles, where he appeared in television and independent films. Sacred Angels was considered Mr. Haran's artistic home, although he appeared with a number of companies, according to Sacred Angels spokesman Philip Sokoloff.

For Scared Fools, he acted in Timon of Athens, The Harmfulness of Tobacco, Dead Lawyers and earned his own fan following playing detective hero Pico La Cienega in the troupe's ongoing late-night comedy, Crime Scene.

Mr. Haran was instrumental in recent renovation of the Sacred Fools venue.

He is survived by fiancee Susan Estes (also of Sacred Fools), mother Josephine De Cosa, stepfather Charles De Cosa, stepbrothers Charles Jr. and Stephen and sister Beth Haran Phelps. This is the second loss to Sacred Fools in 1999. On July 1, Danielle Surrette, an actress, writer, director and producer who helped found the troupe, died as a result of a car accident. She was 30.

-- By Kenneth Jones