Keith Glascoe was a big man — roughly 6-foot-4, 270 pounds — but maybe the biggest thing about him was his heart. "He was the sort who would stop and pick up a hurt animal in the street, take it to a doctor and pay for it," said his father, Benjamin Glascoe.

Given his size, football was inevitable. He started playing organized ball when he was 8 and twice made it to the New York Jets training camp. The second time, he was injured, but he played for a year in Italy, and learned to speak excellent Italian.

Back in New York, he caught the acting bug. Soon, there he was doing commercials and appearing on "One Life to Live," "Law and Order" and "100 Centre Street." He also had a part in the TV movie "Assault on Devil's Island," but the best of all was playing Benny in the movie "The Professional."

He married Veronica Squef, and he yearned for a more regular job. His kindly nature meshed perfectly with the Fire Department, and he joined Ladder Company 21. Naturally, he played on the department's football team.