Prolific television actor John Lawlor, who has appeared in several television series over the years including Phyllis and The Bold and the Beautiful, has died. He was 83.
The actor and Vietnam veteran died Feb. 13 at the Albuquerque veterans hospice facility, per an obituary shared online. A cause of death was not shared but the actor reportedly died with his daughter, Riel, by his side.
“He mentored many on their path to a more complete and fulfilling life,” the obituary states. “John will be remembered for his great love and affection for his family, his work and enjoyment of theater, television, movies, literature, and of course, his beloved horses.”
Lawlor’s decades-long acting career began after he graduated from the University of Colorado.
His first role was in the 1975 series The Rockford Files.
Soon after, he landed a regular role in the Mary Tyler Moore Show spinoff series Phyllis, playing Cloris Leachman’s colleague, Leonard Marsh.
Other notable roles include The Facts of Life, in which he played headmaster Steven Bradley for 13 episodes before he was replaced by Roger Perry’s Charles Parker. He also held roles in The Oregon Trail, Condo, Newhart, Highway to Heaven, Breaking Bad and more.
He also appeared in Lawrence Kasdan’s 1994 feature Wyatt Earp, alongside Kevin Costner.
His last credited role was in the 2017 Netflix series Godless.
Lawlor was also an assistant director on several features including Highlander, Excalibur, and Driftwood, among others. He was also the director and cinematographer for the 2011 biking documentary 3 Minute Gaps.
Lawlor is survived by three siblings as well as his five children, three grandchildren, his nephew and two nieces.
