John Spencer Asked Kristin Chenoweth to Sing at His Funeral 2 Weeks Before His Death

Did a star of ‘The West Wing’ predict his own death? In a newly shared story, costar Kristin Chenoweth reveals the chillingly prescient request John Spencer made just two weeks before his fatal heart attack in 2005. The account comes from the new book 'What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing...'.

The Fateful Request

In the oral history, Chenoweth recalled finding Spencer smoking in an alley two weeks before Christmas. At the time, she was a recurring character, Annabeth Schott, on the show's sixth season. She tried to get him to stop smoking. According to Chenoweth, Spencer replied, "Kristin, every day without a cigarette is hell. I just want this one."

He then made a proposal. "I'll tell you what. If I die, I have one request. I want you to sing ‘For Good’ at my funeral." The song is a famous number from the Broadway musical 'Wicked', which Chenoweth originated. She laughed it off, saying, "Well, that won't be for a while." Just two weeks later, Spencer died of a heart attack at the age of 58.

A Promise Fulfilled

A memorial service for Spencer was held at the Stephen Ross Theater on the Warner Bros. lot, and Chenoweth made good on her promise. "I didn't think I could do it," she said in the book. "Then I felt him. I felt John say... 'You're gonna do this, because I asked you to just the other day!' So... I did."

She joked that she "sounded like a frog," but added that the important thing was his love for the song and its message: "Because I knew you, I have been changed... for good." It was a poignant tribute to her late colleague and friend.

A Legacy Remembered by the Cast

Spencer, who played the capable chief of staff Leo McGarry, was a five-time Emmy nominee and one-time winner. His castmates remembered him fondly. "I never got tired of watching John do more with three words than most actors could do in three scenes," said Rob Lowe. Dulé Hill recalled, "Watching John Spencer say 'Thank you, Mr. President,' week in and week out, he could make that mean 5,000 different things."