Veteran character actor John Beasley has died. He was 79. Beasley’s son Mike shared the news in a Facebook post honoring his late father.
The Nebraska-born Beasley didn’t start acting until his mid-40s, before that he was a railroad man with the Union Pacific Railroad. Roles quickly began pouring in, starting with 1991’s Kathleen Turner-led “V.I. Warshawski”.
That was followed by multiple films in the 1990s “The Mighty Ducks,” “Rudy,” “Untamed Heart,” “Little Big League,” “The Apostle,” “The General’s Daughter,” “Crazy in Alabama”. He also guest starred on shows like “Early Edition,” “Millennium,” “Brewster Place” and “Laurel Avenue”.
In the 2000s and 2010s, his film jobs included Sam Raimi’s “The Gift,” “The Sum of All Fears,” “Lost Souls,” “Walking Tall,” “The Purge: Anarchy,” “Sinister 2,” and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” among others including last year’s “Firestarter” remake.
On TV, he became known for his regular role as grandfather Irv Harper on “Everwood” and a major role in the sitcom “The Soul Man”. He also guest starred on shows including “Judging Amy,” “CSI,” “NCIS,” “Boston Legal,” “CSI: Miami,” “Harry’s Law,” “Treme,” “Shots Fired,” “The Resident,” “Your Honor” and “The Mandalorian”.
Beasley also founded the “John Beasley Theater & Workshop” in Omaha, Nebraska to promote live theater. Beasley is survived by two children. His grandson, Malik Beasley, is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Source: Deadline
