Scott Hylands Douglas (born 1943) is a Canadian actor who has appeared in movies, on television, and on the stage. Because of his longevity and versatility, critics have called him "one of Canada's greatest actors."

Early years

Hylands was born in 1943 in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

. His mother Ruth was a science teacher, and his father Walter died during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Hylands was raised and educated in Vancouver, where he attended Shawnigan Lake Boys School; he then attended the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thre ...

and graduated in 1964. Hylands at first studied

zoology Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and ...

, but when the university began a

theater arts Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

major, he transferred into that program. Upon graduation, he left Canada to pursue an acting career in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, where his first role was as the lead in an off-Broadway production of the comedy '' Billy Liar.''

Career in the United States

After that 1965 debut role, he spent several years in San Francisco, acting with the American Conservatory Theater. Then, in 1968, he was asked by Hollywood director Mark Robson to audition for a movie role. His first movie appearance was in the 1969 suspense film '' Daddy's Gone A-Hunting.'' He got good reviews, but his movie debut was overshadowed by another film that came out at the same time: ''

Midnight Cowboy ''Midnight Cowboy'' is a 1969 American drama film, based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy. The film was written by Waldo Salt, directed by John Schlesinger, and stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, with notable smaller ...

.'' In August 1975 Hylands appeared onstage as Mercutio in the Los Angeles Free Shakespeare Society production of '' Romeo and Juliet'' at the Pilgrimage Theatre in the Cahuenga Pass. He won some critical praise, both for his acting skill and for his good looks. He was even compared to Paul Newman. And while he did not become famous, he worked regularly, appearing in a number of movies, as well as in some American television shows. Among the TV shows in which he acted were ''

Cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

'', ''

The Waltons ''The Waltons'' is an American historical drama television series about a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression and World War II. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr., based on his 1961 book '' Spencer's Mountain'' and the 1963 fil ...

'', ''

Baretta ''Baretta'' is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The show was a revised and milder version of a 1973–1974 ABC series, '' Toma'', starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jersey pol ...

'', and '' Ironside''.Michael D. Reid. "Actor Exults in Beckett's Booby-Traps." ''(Victoria BC) Times-Colonist''. 13 March 2015, p. C12. On American TV, he became well known for playing tough guy characters and villains: as he noted in an interview, if an actor is not the leading man, he generally plays a "heavy."

Career in Canada

In the early 1980s, Hylands returned to Canada, settling in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. He also got an opportunity to play a good guy, the role of Detective Kevin "O.B." O'Brien on the television series ''

Night Heat ''Night Heat'' is a Canadian police crime drama series that aired on both CTV in Canada and CBS in the United States. Original episodes were broadcast from 1985 to 1989. ''Night Heat'' was the first Canadian original drama series that was also ...

'', ''Night Heat'' was a police drama, produced in Toronto; it aired on both Canadian (CTV) and American (CBS) TV, from 1985 to 1989. This was his first starring role on any TV program. After ''Night Heat'' was canceled, Hylands continued to live in Canada, with his wife Veronica, a nurse, and their two children; but he worked in both American and Canadian productions. He appeared as Father Travis in the ABC-TV series '' V''. He was seen on numerous other programs, including the 1992 TV movie ''

To Catch a Killer ''To Catch a Killer'' is a two-part television film from 1992, directed by Eric Till and starring Brian Dennehy and Michael Riley. It is based on the true story of the pursuit of American serial killer John Wayne Gacy. Plot As he investigate ...

'', a 1995 episode of the hit cop drama '' NYPD Blue'', and on four episodes of the remade version of '' The Outer Limits'' from 1996-2001. He also returned to the Canadian stage, playing leading roles in such productions as '' Waiting for Godot'' (2015), and '' The Tempest'' (1994), among others. He produced and directed a 2008 version of ''Waiting for Godot'', and performed in a solo version of '' A Christmas Carol''. In addition, he directed, as well as performed in, a 2006 production of ''

Under Milk Wood ''Under Milk Wood'' is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, commissioned by the BBC and later adapted for the stage. A film version, ''Under Milk Wood'' directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released in 1972, and another adaptation of ...

'' that was staged in Victoria BC. In his early 70s, he has expressed no interest in retiring, and continues to be involved with theater.Michael D. Reid. "Actor Exults in Beckett's Booby-Traps." ''(Victoria B.C.) Times-Colonist''. 13 March 2015, p. C12.

Partial filmography

* '' Daddy's Gone A-Hunting'' (1969) - Kenneth Daly * '' Operation Snafu'' (1970) - Reginald Wollington * '' Fools'' (1970) - David Appleton * '' Earth II'' (1971, TV Movie) - Jim Capa * ''

The Sixth Sense ''The Sixth Sense'' is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist whose patient ( Haley Joel Osment) claims he can see and talk to the dead. Released ...

'' (1972, TV Series) - Jason * ''

Griff Griff may refer to: People * Griff (name), a list of people with the given name or surname * Griff (singer), stage name of English singer and songwriter Sarah Faith Griffiths (born 2001) * Nickname of Guy Griffiths (1915–1999), British Second ...

'' (1973, TV Series) - Assassin * ''

Slipstream A slipstream is a region behind a moving object in which a wake of fluid (typically air or mustard) is moving at velocities comparable to that of the moving fluid, relative to the ambient fluid through which the object is churning. The term sli ...

'' (1973) - Terry * ''The Visitor'' (1974) * '' The Magician'' (1974, TV Series) - Hal * ''

Earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...

'' (1974) - Asst. Caretaker - Hollywood Reservoir Dam * ''

Bittersweet Love ''Bittersweet Love'' is a 1976 American DeLuxe Color romantic drama film directed by David Miller, written by Adrian Morrall and D.A. Kellogg, starring Lana Turner, Robert Lansing, Celeste Holm, Robert Alda, Scott Hylands, and Meredith Baxter-B ...

'' (1976) - Michael Lewis * ''

'' (1976, TV series) - Joe Gantry * ''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...

'' (1977, TV Series) - Paul Bjornsen * '' Police Story'' (1977, TV Series) - Lt. Carl Inforzato * '' The Boys in Company "C"'' (1978) - Capt. Collins * ''

The Winds of Kitty Hawk ''The Winds of Kitty Hawk'' is a 1978 American made-for-television biographical film directed by E. W. Swackhamer about the Wright brothers and their invention of the first successful powered heavier-than-air flying machine, the ''Wright Flyer ...

'' (1978) -

Glenn Curtiss Glenn Hammond Curtiss (May 21, 1878 – July 23, 1930) was an American aviation and motorcycling pioneer, and a founder of the U.S. aircraft industry. He began his career as a bicycle racer and builder before moving on to motorcycles. As early a ...

* ''

Coming Out Alive ''Coming Out Alive'' is a 1980 Canadian television thriller film starring Helen Shaver, Scott Hylands, and Michael Ironside while being directed by Don McBrearty. Plot After mother Isobel's disabled son Nicky is kidnapped by her estranged husband, ...

'' (1980) - Jocko * ''

Death Hunt ''Death Hunt'' is a 1981 Western action film directed by Peter Hunt. The film stars Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Carl Weathers, Maury Chaykin, Ed Lauter and Andrew Stevens. ''Death Hunt'' was a fictionalized account of the Roy ...

'' (1981) - The Pilot * ''

Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset life ...

'' (1982, TV Series) - Alan Chambers * ''

Shocktrauma ''Shocktrauma'' is a 1982 television film produced in Canada and syndicated nationally in the United States by sponsor General Foods. The screenplay by Stephen Kandel is based on the book by Jon Franklin and Alan Doelp, which details the true s ...

'' (1982, TV Movie) - Dr. "Tex" Goodnight * ''

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

'' (1984, TV Mini-Series) - General Greene * ''

Isaac Littlefeathers ''Isaac Littlefeathers'' is a Canadian drama film, directed by Les Rose and released in 1984."Reviews: Les Rose's Isaac Littlefeathers". ''Cinema Canada'', February 1985. The film stars William Korbut as the titular Isaac Littlefeathers, a young M ...

'' (1984) - Jesse Armstrong * ''The Oasis'' (1984) - Jake * ''

'' (1985–1989, TV series) - Detective Kevin O'Brien * ''

'' (1992, TV film) - Delta Squad Sergeant Mike Paxton * ''

Ordeal in the Arctic ''Ordeal in the Arctic'' is a television film written by Paul F. Edwards and directed by Mark Sobel. The film stars Richard Chamberlain, Catherine Mary Stewart, Melanie Mayron, Scott Hylands and Page Fletcher. The accident that ''Ordeal in the ...

'' (1993, TV Movie) - Fred Ritchie * ''

Destiny Ridge ''Destiny Ridge'' is a Canadian television drama series, which aired on Global in the 1990s. Produced by Atlantis Communications and Great North Productions in conjunction with a German firm, the series premiered on November 29, 1993."Can't beat ...

'' (1993, TV Series) * ''

Decoy A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''ende kooi'', " duck cage") is usually a person, device, or event which resembles what an individual or a group might be looking for, but it is only meant to lu ...

'' (1996) - Jenner * ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unit ...

'' (1996) -

John Jacob Astor IV John Jacob Astor IV (July 13, 1864 – April 15, 1912) was an American business magnate, real estate developer, investor, writer, lieutenant colonel in the Spanish–American War, and a prominent member of the Astor family. He died in the sink ...

* '' Ignition'' (2001) - Carlsen * ''Pursued'' (2004) - Robert Langford * ''

The Hamster Cage ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (2005) - Stan * ''Anna's Storm'' (2007, TV Movie) - Clint Corbin * ''Freezer Burn: The Invasion of Laxdale'' (2008) - Arnie Filmore * '' V'' (2009, TV series) - Father Tarvis * ''

Beyond the Black Rainbow ''Beyond the Black Rainbow'' is a 2010 Canadian science fiction horror film written and directed by Panos Cosmatos in his feature film debut. It stars Michael Rogers and Eva Allan. ''Beyond the Black Rainbow'' was distributed by Mongrel Media ...

'' (2010) - Dr. Mercurio Arboria * '' Knockout'' (2011) - Grandfather Charlie Putman * ''Becoming Redwood'' (2012) - Earl * ''

Rememory ''Rememory'' is a 2017 British-American-Canadian science fiction mystery film directed by Mark Palansky and written by Mark Palansky and Michael Vukadinovich. The film stars Peter Dinklage, Julia Ormond, Anton Yelchin, Henry Ian Cusick, Gracyn S ...

'' (2017) - Charles * '' Fargo'' (2017, TV Series) - Ennis Stussy

References

External links

* *
Scott Hylands
Aveleyman) {{DEFAULTSORT:Hylands, Scott 1943 births Living people Canadian male film actors Canadian male television actors Canadian people of Scottish descent Male actors from Vancouver University of British Columbia alumni Shawnigan Lake School alumni