This craggy-faced, rotund supporting player, often in brutal or overbearing roles was memorable as the bullying, racist fire chief in "Ragtime" (1981), and as costume shop boss to Valerie Harper on the TV series "Rhoda" (CBS, 1977-1978). Kenneth McMillan was nearly 30 when he won his first important theatre role. Born in Brooklyn, he had earned his high school diploma from the High School for the Performing Arts, but was unable to find work as an actor after graduation. He studied with Uta Hagen at the HB Studios while working -- and being promoted -- at Gimbel's department store in New York.