'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Veteran actor Mitchell Ryan reportedly passed away due to congestive heart failure on March 4, 2022. News of his demise was confirmed by his stepdaughter Denise Freed to The Hollywood Reporter.
Ryan’s Dark Shadows co-star Kathryn Leigh Scott also took to Facebook to announce the actor’s demise. The actress called the former “a great gift” in her life and said she was “heartbroken” over his passing.
According to his stepdaughter, Ryan took his last breath at his Los Angeles residence. He was 88 at the time of his passing. The actor is best remembered for his work in Dark Shadows, Lethal Weapon and Dharma & Greg.
A look back into the life of Mitchell Ryan
Mitchell Ryan was an American film, TV and theater actor. He was born on January 11, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky.
Before establishing a career in acting, Ryan served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Following his stint in the navy, he took an interest in acting and started visiting the Barter Theater in Virginia.
Ryan made his film debut in the 1958 crime drama Thunder Road and also appeared in Broadway shows like Wait Until Dark, Medea, and The Price. The actor rose to prominence after being cast as Burke Devlin in the 1960s soap opera Dark Shadows.
In 1970, Ryan worked in films and TV shows like Monte Walsh, Chase, Executive Suite, Having Babies and The High Chaparral. He went on to have a remarkable year in 1973 with roles in films like High Plains Drifter, Magnum Force, The Friends of Eddie Coyle and Blue.
Mitchell Ryan gained further recognition after portraying General Peter McAllister in the 1987 action film Lethal Weapon. His film roles also include Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story, Two-Minute Warning, Midway, Hot Shots! Part Deux, Grosse Pointe Blank, Speechless, Liar Liar, and The Devil’s Own, among others.
Some of his most memorable roles also include Dr Terence Wynn in the 1995 slasher film Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers and Edward Montgomery on the 1997 ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg.
Ryan even bagged roles in shows like The Golden Girls, Star Trek: The Next Generation, King’s Crossing, The A-team, Santa Barbara, Renegade and NYPD Blue, among others. He also lent his voice to the role of Highfather in Justice League.
The 88-year-old also served as the president of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. He published his memoir titled Fall of a Sparrow in 2021.
Twitter mourns the loss of Mitchell Ryan
Mitchell Ryan was undoubtedly one of the most celebrated veteran actors in Hollywood. He spent nearly six decades in the industry and won hearts with his roles in Dharma & Greg, Lethal Weapon, and Dark Shadows, among others.
Following the news of his demise, several people took to Twitter to mourn the loss of the actor:
Ryan left an indelible impact on cinema, and he will certainly be missed by his family, friends, fans and colleagues. However, his legacy will live on.
The actor leaves behind his wife Barbara, stepdaughter Denise, daughter-in-law Elizabeth, sister-in-law Mary and grandchildren Ashley, Jacqueline, Olivia, Kaila and Noah.
