John Beasley (actor)
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Short description|American actor (1943–2023)}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
|imagesize =
| caption = Beasley with Crystal R. Fox in the 2009 production of Fences
| name = John Beasley
| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=yes|1943|06|26}}
| birth_place = Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2023|5|30|1943|6|26}}
| death_place = Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1989–2022
| spouse = {{marriage|Judy Beasley|1965}}
| children = 2
| relatives = Malik Beasley (grandson)
}}
John Beasley (June 26, 1943 – May 30, 2023) was an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the films Rudy (1993), The Apostle (1997), The Sum of All Fears (2002), Walking Tall (2004), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), Sinister 2 (2015), and his role as Irv Harper in the TV series Everwood (2002–2006). In 2002, Beasley founded the "John Beasley Theater & Workshop" in Omaha, Nebraska, to promote live theater, especially works written by or featuring African Americans.
Life and career
Beasley was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 26, 1943.{{cite web|url= http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/john-beasley-41|title= John Beasley|publisher= The History Makers|accessdate= June 4, 2014}} He did not begin his acting career until his mid-40s. Prior to that he was a railroad man with the Union Pacific Railroad.{{cite news|url = https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-actor-john-beasley-dies/44043819|title = Omaha actor John Beasley dies Tuesday at age of 79|work = KETV|date = May 30, 2023|accessdate = May 30, 2023|last = Anderson|first = Jake}} He established the John Beasley Theater and Workshop in South Omaha, and he would remain working there for nearly a dozen years.{{Cite web|url=https://abc13.com/john-beasley-actor-death-everwood-omaha/13325341/|title=Veteran character actor John Beasley, who appeared in the TV drama 'Everwood,' dies at 79|date=May 31, 2023|website=ABC13 Houston|access-date=June 3, 2023|archive-date=May 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531225310/https://abc13.com/john-beasley-actor-death-everwood-omaha/13325341/|url-status=dead}}
Beasley played General Lasseter in The Sum of All Fears and Reverend C. Charles Blackwell in The Apostle.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wabi.tv/2023/05/31/actor-john-beasley-rudy-mighty-ducks-dies-79/|title=Actor John Beasley of 'Rudy,' 'The Mighty Ducks' dies at 79|first1=6 News staff|last1=reports|first2=Debra|last2=Worley|date=May 31, 2023|website= WABI 5}} In 1992, he played Jesse and Terry Hall's father in The Mighty Ducks. He starred in the 2004 remake of Walking Tall.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-05-31/john-beasley-veteran-actor-everwood-the-soul-man-dies-at-79|title=John Beasley, veteran actor from 'Everwood' and 'The Soul Man,' dies at 79|date=May 31, 2023|website=Los Angeles Times}}
Beasley made numerous guest roles on television and has appeared in several television films. His most prominent role in a television series was as Irv Harper in the WB series Everwood.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/john-beasley-dead-everwood-soul-man-1235503894/|title=John Beasley, Actor on 'Everwood' and 'The Soul Man,' Dies at 79|first=Mike|last=Barnes|website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=May 31, 2023}} He also appeared in the TV Land sitcom The Soul Man, which aired its fifth and final season in 2016.{{cite web|last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |url=https://deadline.com/2015/07/the-soul-man-renewed-final-season-5-tv-land-1201486316/ |title='The Soul Man' Picked Up For Fifth & Final Season By TV Land |publisher=Deadline |date=July 28, 2015 |accessdate=March 31, 2016}} Beasley also claimed that even if he had not made it to Broadway, he still would have had a successful career.{{Cite web|url=https://www.americantheatre.org/2022/09/06/john-beasley-is-ready-for-the-role-of-a-lifetime/|title=John Beasley Is Ready for the Role of a Lifetime|first=Leo Adam|last=Biga|date=September 6, 2022|website=AMERICAN THEATRE}}
Personal life and death
Beasley married Judy Beasley, and would remain her husband for nearly sixty years, until his death. They had two sons and six grandchildren. His grandson Malik is a professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons.
Beasley died at a hospital in Omaha on May 30, 2023, at the age of 79.{{cite web |last1=Barnes |first1=Mike |title=John Beasley, Actor on 'Everwood' and 'The Soul Man,' Dies at 79 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/john-beasley-dead-everwood-soul-man-1235503894/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=May 30, 2023}}
Filmography
{{Refimprove section|date=June 2023}}
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1991
|Ernie | |
| 1992
|{{sortname|The|Mighty Ducks}} |Mr. Hall | |
| 1993
|Rudy |Coach Warren | |
| 1993
|Cook | |
| 1994
|Roberts | |
| 1997
|{{sortname|The|Apostle}} |Brother C. Charles Blackwell | |
| 1999
|{{sortname|The|General's Daughter|The General's Daughter (film)}} |Col. Slesinger | |
| 1999
|Nehemiah Jackson | |
| 2000
|{{sortname|The|Operator}} |Rev. James | |
| 2000
|Lost Souls{{Cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1101034_lost_souls | title=Lost Souls | website=Rotten Tomatoes }} |Mike Smythe | |
| 2000
|{{sortname|The|Gift|The Gift (2000 film)}} |Albert Hawkins | |
| 2002
|{{sortname|The|Sum of All Fears|The Sum of All Fears (film)}} |Gen. Lasseter | |
| 2004
|Chris Vaughn Sr. | |
| 2014
|{{sortname|The|Purge: Anarchy}} |Papa Rico Sanchez | |
| 2015
|Mike | |
| 2015
|Father Rodriguez | |
| 2019
| Judge Tibbins | |
| 2020
| Cowboys |Ben the Friendly Ranger | |
| 2020
| Spell |Earl | |
| 2022
|Irv Manders | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1990
|Mr. Willie |Episodes: "Open for Business", "Spring Fever", "Whatever Happened to Patience Jones", "Bernice Sands Comes Home" |
| 1993
|Mr. Coleman |TV miniseries |
| 1997
|Ogden |Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1998
|Capt. Leon Haines |Episodes: "A Minor Miracle", "The Quality of Mercy" |
| 1999
|James Edward Hollis |Episodes: "Darwin's Eye", "Via Dolorosa", "Goodbye to All That" |
| 1999
|Sec. Robert Edward |TV film |
| 2000
|Jonah Summer |TV film |
| 2000
|Mr. Banks |TV film |
| 2000, 2003
|Judge Henry Bromell |Episodes: "Dog Days", "Shock and Awe", "Kilt Trip" |
| 2000–2001
|CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |Charles Moore |Episodes: "Crate 'n' Burial", "Evaluation Day" |
| 2002–2006
|Irv Harper |Main role |
| 2006
|{{sortname|The|Lost Room}} |Gus |Episode: "The Comb and the Box" |
| 2007
|NCIS |Daryl Hardy |Episode: "Suspicion" |
| 2007
|Det. Walter McKay |Episode: "The Chicken and the Leg" |
| 2009
|Peter Boscow |TV film |
| 2010
|Henry Dawson |Episode: "Backfire" |
| 2011
|Judge Ronald Winston |Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2011
|Joe King |Episode: "Beaten/Cover Letter" |
| 2011
|Don Encalade |Episodes: "Carnival Time", "Can I Change My Mind?", What Is New Orleans?", "Do Watcha Wanna" |
| 2012–2016
|{{sortname|The|Soul Man}} |Barton Ballentine |Main role (season 1), recurring (seasons 2–5) |
| 2017
|{{sortname|The|Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks|The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (film)}} |Cliff |TV film |
| 2017
|Mr. Dabney |Recurring role |
| 2018
|{{sortname|The|Resident|The Resident (TV series)}} |Mortimer Rosenthal |Episode: "Comrades in Arms" |
| 2019
|The Reverend |Episodes: "Rake", "Napoleon" |
| 2019
|Bartender |Episode: "Chapter One" |
| 2021
|Elijah Davies |Episode: "Part Ten" |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0064040|John Beasley}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beasley, John}}
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:20th-century African-American male actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Male actors from Omaha, Nebraska
Category:Actors from Omaha, Nebraska