A rangy, amiable performer with a knack for playing humorous Southern types, Ray McKinnon was a popular character actor in films and on television in the late 1990s and beyond, most notably in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000) and "Deadwood" (HBO, 2004-06). But he was also an accomplished writer and director whose debut project, "The Accountant" (2001), netted an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in 2002. McKinnon balanced his acting roles with turns behind the camera as writer, director and/or producer on three indies, including the critically praised "That Evening Sun" (2009). His versatility made him one of the more accomplished under-the-radar talents of the modern independent scene. Ray joined Mike Pomp on the Morning Information Center.