'Seinfeld' & 'Spider-Man' Actor Stanley Anderson Dead at 78

The guy who sentenced the 'Seinfeld' squad to a year behind bars in the series finale -- and who helped turned Willem Dafoe into the Green Goblin -- has died.

Actor Stanley Anderson passed away Sunday just six weeks after being diagnosed with brain cancer, according to a family statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

Anderson is perhaps best known at Judge Arthur Vandelay, who presided over Jerry Seinfeld and co.'s criminal trial in season 9's final episode, where the gang was thrown in jail for violating the "Good Samaritan Law" in a fake town in Massachusetts.

He also played General Slocum in Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" -- who told Norman Osborn he was gonna cut his funding if he didn't try his ability enhancing serum on a human subject ... thus forcing Norm to try it on himself and become Spidey's arch nemesis.

Anderson has starred in a number of other movies and shows over the years, including parts in "RoboCop 3," "Armageddon," "Runaway Jury," "NYPD Blue," "The Drew Carey Show," "Law & Order," and many, many others. His acting career dates back to the '50s.

He tended to play men of authority -- doctors, judges, psychiatrists ... the President. Makes sense too ... he had quite the on-camera presence.