John Heffernan (May 30, 1934 – December 3, 2018) was an American film, stage and television actor. He was perhaps best known for playing Eddie Niles in the 1973 film ''

The Sting ''The Sting'' is a 1973 American caper film set in September 1936, involving a complicated plot by two professional grifters (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) to con a mob boss ( Robert Shaw).'' Variety'' film review; December 12, 1973, pag ...

''.

Life and career

Heffernan was born in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

, New York. He began his career in the 1950s as a stage actor in New York, appearing in

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

productions and winning an Obie Award. In 1964 he replaced Albert Finney in the title role of the New York production of ''

Luther Luther may refer to: People * Martin Luther (1483–1546), German monk credited with initiating the Protestant Reformation * Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), American minister and leader in the American civil rights movement * Luther (give ...

''. His last stage credit was for the 1982 production ''Alice in Wonderland''. Heffernan began his screen career in 1960, appearing in the anthology television series ''

The Play of the Week ''The Play of the Week'' is an American anthology series of televised stage plays which aired in NTA Film Network syndication from October 12, 1959 to May 1, 1961. Ambitious undertaking The series presented 67 (35 in the first season, 32 in th ...

''. He also played Professor Everett Chambers in the

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

television series '' The Doctors'', and Chester Markham in ''

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman ''Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman'' is an American satirical soap opera that aired in daily weeknight syndication from January 1976 to July 1977. The series follows the titular Mary Hartman, an Ohio housewife attempting to cope with various bizarre ...

''. In 1973 Heffernan played the role of Eddie Niles in the film ''

''. Other film appearances included ''

Bringing Out the Dead ''Bringing Out the Dead'' is a 1999 American psychological drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader, based on the novel of the same name by Joe Connelly. It stars Nicolas Cage, Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, V ...

'', ''

92 in the Shade ''92 in the Shade'' is a 1975 American drama film written and directed by Thomas McGuane, based on his 1973 novel of the same name, it stars Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Elizabeth Ashley and Margot Kidder. Plot Tom Skelton, a young man, opens a ch ...

'', '' 1492: Conquest of Paradise'', '' Gloria'', '' Extreme Measures'', and ''

The Fisher King ''The Fisher King'' is a 1991 American fantasy comedy-drama film written by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Terry Gilliam. Starring Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges, with Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, and Michael Jeter in supporting role ...

''. Heffernan retired in 2001, his last credit being in the police procedural television series '' Law & Order''.

Death

Heffernan died in December 2018, at the age of 84.

Filmography

References

External links

* *
Rotten Tomatoes profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heffernan, John 1934 births 2018 deaths People from Manhattan Male actors from New York (state) American male film actors American male television actors Place of death missing American male stage actors 20th-century American male actors Obie Award recipients