Mitchell Ryan

Mitchell Ryan (January 11, 1934 – March 4, 2022) was an American actor and comedian. With six decades of television credits, he is best known for playing Burke Devlin in the 1960s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, and later for his co-starring role as Greg Montgomery (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 Mitchell Ryan was born on January 11, 1934, 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. 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 of the cult TV soap opera Dark Shadows, playing Burke Devlin until he was dismissed 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) which paired him with lead actress Susan Sullivan, whom he reunited with to star together again in Dharma & Greg.

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).

Ryan's other acting credits include the films Liar Liar; Magnum Force, playing as "Dirty Harry" Callahan (Clint Eastwood)'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 (Jonathan Frakes), in the Star Trek: The Next Generation second season episode "The Icarus Factor"; Ryan had been considered for the part of series lead Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). He also portrayed the roles of the abusive boyfriend of Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), Rex Huntington, in The Golden Girls season 6 episode "The Bloom is off the Rose", and Jack Hanlan, a police officer in "Emission Accomplished", a 1993 season 1 episode of NYPD Blue. The same year, Ryan played 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).

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

Ryan was the president of Screen Actors Guild Foundation.

Personal life and death Ryan married Lynda Morse in 1972, and they had a son. Ryan and Morse divorced in 1982, and Ryan married Barbara Albertine in 1998. They had 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

Film

Television