Mitchell Ryan

Mitchell Ryan (January 11, 1934 – March 4, 2022) was an American film, television, and stage actor, who in his six decades of television is known for playing Burke Devlin in the 1960s gothic soap opera ''Dark Shadows'', and later for his co-starring role as Thomas Gibson's father Edward Montgomery on ''Dharma & Greg''. He also played the villainous General Peter McAllister in the 1987 buddy cop action film ''Lethal Weapon.''

Early life

Ryan was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. His father was a salesman and his mother was a writer. He served in the United States Navy during the Korean War.

Career

A life member of the Actors Studio, Ryan's Broadway theatre credits include ''Wait Until Dark'', ''Medea'', and '' The Price''. His off-Broadway credits include ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (1963) and ''The Price'' (1979).

Ryan was an original cast member on the cult TV soap opera ''Dark Shadows'', playing Burke Devlin until he was fired from the show in June 1967 due to his alcoholism, and replaced by Anthony George.

In 1970, Ryan was in one episode of ''The High Chaparral'' as a character named Jelks, who was on the run from the law.

He appeared in an episode of ''Cannon'', "Fool's Gold" in 1971, and in ABC's ''The Streets of San Francisco'' episode "The Unicorn". He portrayed the title character, Chase Reddick, on the crime drama ''Chase'' (1973–74).

In 1975, Ryan played in ''Barnaby Jones'', in the episode titled "Counterfall". He portrayed the leading character, Dan Walling, on ''Executive Suite'' (1976–77) and played Blake Simmons in the drama '' Julie Farr, M.D.'' (1978–79).

Ryan portrayed Cooper Hawkins on the Western series ''The Chisholms'' (1980), Sam Garrett on ''King's Crossing'' (1982) Brennan Flannery on ''High Performance'' (1983), Edward Wyler on ''Hot Pursuit'' (1984), and Porter Tremont on '' 2000 Malibu Road'' (1992).

His other acting credits include the films ''Liar Liar''; ''Magnum Force'' playing as Dirty Harry's ill-fated despondent best friend and fellow police officer, a motorcycle patrolman named Charlie McCoy; ''Lethal Weapon'' playing the key villain General Peter McAllister; ''Grosse Pointe Blank''; ''Electra Glide in Blue''; and ''Hot Shots! Part Deux'', playing senator Grey Edwards. In 1985, he portrayed Tillet Main, the patriarch of the Main family in the first ''North and South'' miniseries. In 1991, he played Ellis Blake in the sixth season ''Matlock'' episode "The Foursome".

Ryan appeared in NBC's ''The A-Team''; he played Ike Hagan, as Grant Everett in a two-part ''Silk Stalkings'' episode; and as Kyle Riker, the father of Commander William Riker, in the '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode "The Icarus Factor"; Ryan had been considered for the part of series lead Captain Jean-Luc Picard. He also portrayed the roles of the abusive boyfriend of Blanche Devereaux, Rex Huntington, in ''The Golden Girls'' episode "The Bloom is off the Rose", and a police officer in a 1993 episode of ''NYPD Blue''. The same year, Ryan was Dallas Shields in ''Renegade''. He appeared in the 1983 episode of ''Hart to Hart'' 'Highland Fling'. In 1994, he appeared again in ''Hart to Hart'' in one of the made-for-TV movies, "Home Is Where the Hart Is". In 1995, he appeared in the films ''Judge Dredd'' and '' Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers'' as Dr. Terence Wynn (played by Robert Phalen in the original ''Halloween'' film).

He played the role of Greg's father, Edward Montgomery, on the comedy ''Dharma & Greg'' (1997–2002). The following year, Ryan voiced Highfather on ''Justice League''.

He was the president of Screen Actors Guild Foundation.

Personal life

Ryan married Lynda Morse in 1972.California Marriage Index 1960–1985; Ancestry.com They later divorced. The couple had one child. In 1998 Ryan married Barbara Albertine, after 11 years of being together. They have two children and five grandchildren. Ryan died of heart failure at his home in Los Angeles, California on March 4, 2022, at the age of 88.

Filmography

* 1958 '' Thunder Road'' as Jed Moultrie (uncredited)
* 1966–1967 ''Dark Shadows'' (TV Series) as Burke Devlin
* 1970 '' Monte Walsh'' as "Shorty" Austin
* 1971 '' My Old Man's Place'' as Sergeant Martin Flood
* 1971 '' The Hunting Party'' as "Doc" Harrison
* 1971 '' Chandler'' as Chuck Kincaid
* 1972 ''The Honkers'' as Lowell
* 1972 ''A Reflection of Fear'' as Inspector McKenna
* 1973 ''High Plains Drifter'' as Dave Drake
* 1973 ''The Friends of Eddie Coyle'' as Waters
* 1973 ''Electra Glide in Blue'' as Detective Harvey Poole
* 1973 ''Magnum Force'' as Officer Charlie McCoy
* 1976 '' Midway'' as Rear Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch (uncredited)
* 1976 ''Two-Minute Warning'' as The Priest
* 1977 '' Christmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.'' as Matthew Sullivan
* 1981 '' Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story'' as Hugh Hefner
* 1983 ''Hart to Hart'' ("Highland Fling") as Ramsey T. MacLaish
* 1985 ''The A-Team'' as Ike Hagen
* 1985 ''North and South'' (TV miniseries) as Tillet Main
* 1986 ''Penalty Phase'' as Judge Donald Faulkner
* 1987 ''Lethal Weapon'' as General Peter McCallister
* 1989 ''Mission Impossible (1988 TV Series S1:E18 - Submarine) as Admiral Edgar Sheppard
* 1989 '' Star Trek: The Next Generation (S2:E14 - The Icarus Factor)'' as Kyle Riker, father of Commander Will Riker
* 1989 ''Winter People'' as Drury Campbell
* 1989 '' Santa Barbara'' as Anthony Tonnell
* 1990 ''L.A. Law'' (S5:E5 – Smoke Gets In Your Thighs) as Duncan Young
* 1991 ''The Golden Girls'' (S6:E13 – The Bloom Is Off the Rose) as Rex
* 1991 ''Murder, She Wrote'' (The List of Uri Lermintov) as Rep. Arthur Prouty
* 1991 '' In a Child's Name'' as Peter Chappell
* 1992 '' Aces: Iron Eagle III'' as General Simms
* 1993 ''The Opposite Sex and How to Live with Them'' as Kenneth Davenport
* 1993 ''Hot Shots! Part Deux'' as Gray Edwards
* 1994 '' Blue Sky'' as Ray Stevens
* 1994 '' Speechless'' as Lloyd Wannamaker
* 1995 ''Judge Dredd'' as Vartis Hammond
* 1995 '' Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers'' as Dr. Terrence Wynn
* 1996 '' Ed'' as Abe Woods
* 1997 ''The Devil's Own'' as Chief Jim Kelly
* 1997 ''Liar Liar'' as Mr. Allan
* 1997 ''Grosse Pointe Blank'' as Mr. Bart Newberry
* 1999 ''Making Contact'' as Hunter
* 2005 ''Love for Rent'' as Doctor (uncredited)
* 2009 ''Stakeout'' as Man In Car (TV Short)
* 2021 ''Smartphone Theatre'' as Harry (TV Series) 1 episode
* TBA ''Valley of Shadows'' as Kenton MacBride (pre-production)

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Mitchell

1928 births
2022 deaths
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
Burials at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery, Santa Monica
Male actors from Cincinnati
Male actors from Louisville, Kentucky
Male Western (genre) film actors
Military personnel from Cincinnati
Military personnel from Louisville, Kentucky
United States Navy personnel of the Korean War
Western (genre) television actors