LAS VEGAS (AP) -- David Strickland, who played the music critic on the NBC sitcom "Suddenly Susan" and had a role in the new movie "Forces of Nature," was found dead in a motel room, an apparent suicide.

A worker at the Oasis Motel found Strickland's body hanging from a bed sheet strung from a ceiling beam Monday, motel owner Peter Napoli said. A chair was next to the body.Police were investigating the death as a suicide, police spokesman Steve Meriwether said. Strickland was identified by his publicist, Marisa McGrath.

Strickland, 29, played the comically insecure writer Todd on NBC's "Suddenly Susan," which stars Brooke Shields as a magazine writer. He had been on the show for the past three seasons.

Strickland also appears in "Forces of Nature," starring Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck, playing the ex-boyfriend of Affleck's fiancee. The movie opened last week and was No. 1 at the box office over the weekend.

"We are deeply saddened by the news of David Strickland's death, and our condolences and support go out to his family and friends," NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said.

Strickland was born in Glen Cove, N.Y., and moved to Pacific Palisades near Los Angeles while he was in high school.

He worked on a number of student films and appeared in episodes of the television shows "Roseanne" and "Dave's World." He also had recurring roles on "Sister, Sister" and "Mad About You."

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