The Chastains split their time between L.A. and New York, but considered themselves New Yorkers. Mr. Chastain was working in recent months, and had recently appeared on TV's "Scrubs" and "As the World Turns." His varied career over the years also included writing for soap operas, including "Search for Tomorrow." He wrote the screenplay of the 1978 film, "The Mafu Cage," an offbeat drama about an orangutan, murder and revenge, starring Lee Grant and Carol Kane.