Meshach Taylor (April 11, 1947 – June 28, 2014) was an
American actor. He was
Emmy-nominated for his role as Anthony Bouvier on the CBS sitcom
Designing Women (1986–93). He was also known for his portrayal of Hollywood Montrose, a flamboyant window dresser in
Mannequin. He played Sheldon Baylor on the CBS sitcom
Dave's World (1993–97), appeared as Tony on the short-lived NBC sitcom
Buffalo Bill opposite Dabney Coleman, and appeared as the recurring character Alastair Wright, the social studies teacher and later school principal, on
Nickelodeon's sitcom,
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.