Mitchell Ryan (January 11, 1934Bio – 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.

Career A life member of the Actors Studio, 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,Barnabas & Company: The Cast of the TV Classic Dark Shadows, Craig Hamrick & R. J. Jamison: Ryan is quoted as saying "I was so drunk that year, I barely remember what it was about" in a 1976 TV Guide interview 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.California Marriage Index 1960–1985; Ancestry.com 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 YearTitleRoleNotes1958Thunder RoadJed MoultrieUncredited1970Monte WalshShorty Austin1971My Old Man's PlaceMartin FloodThe Hunting PartyDoc HarrisonChandlerChuck Kincaid1972The HonkersLowellA Reflection of FearInspector McKenna1973High Plains DrifterDave DrakeThe Friends of Eddie CoyleWatersElectra Glide in BlueHarvey PooleMagnum ForceCharlie McCoy1976MidwayAubrey FitchUncreditedTwo-Minute WarningPriest1987Lethal WeaponGeneral Peter McCallister1989Winter PeopleDrury Campbell1992Aces: Iron Eagle IIIGeneral SimmsThe Opposite Sex and How to Live with ThemKenneth Davenport1993Hot Shots! Part DeuxGray Edwards1994Blue SkyRay StevensSpeechlessLloyd Wannamaker1995Judge DreddVartis HammondHalloween: The Curse of Michael MyersDr. Terrence Wynn1996EdAbe Woods1997The Devil's OwnJim KellyLiar LiarMr. AllanGrosse Pointe BlankBart Newberry2005Love for RentDoctorUncredited

Television YearTitleRoleNotes1959BrennerDetective MackEpisode: "Record of Arrest"1961'Way OutBill FontaineEpisode: "Soft Focus"1961–1963Naked CityVarious5 episodes1961–1965The DefendersHarry Cook/Jack Bostick2 episodes1966–1967Dark ShadowsBurke Devlin107 episodes1967Coronet BlueOscar DavisEpisode: "Faces"1967–1969N.Y.P.D.Joseph Robert Maloney/Mr. Whitaker2 episodes1970The High ChaparralJelksEpisode: "Jelks"1971O'Hara, U.S. TreasuryBrad FletcherEpisode: "Operation: Pay Off"1971–1975CannonAlexander Roper/John Flatow/Ed Farrell3 episodes1973The Fuzz BrothersBenTelevision filmThe Streets of San FranciscoAbel HoffmanEpisode: "The Unicorn"1973–1974ChaseCaptain Chase Reddick23 episodes1974The ManhunterTom BaileyEpisode: "The Man Who Thought He Was Dillinger"KodiakPrisonerEpisode: "Thunder Mountain"1975Barnaby JonesDennis KellyEpisode: "Counterfall"The Rockford FilesColonel HopkinsEpisode: "2 Into 5.56 Won't Go"The EntertainerMr. PaskoTelevision filmBarettaBax BaxterEpisode: "Nobody in a Nothing Place"1976The Blue KnightPeter StrykerEpisode: "Cop Killer"The Hemingway PlayErnest HemingwayTelevision film1976–1977Executive SuiteDan Walling18 episodes1977Most WantedKeith GarnerEpisode: "The Spellbinder"Escape from Bogen CountyAmbler BowmanTelevision filmPeter Lundy and the Medicine Hat StallionJethro LundyTelevision filmChristmas Miracle in Caufield, U.S.A.Matthew SullivanTelevision film1978Having Babies IIIDr. Blake SimmonsTelevision filmSergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air ForceLieutenant Colonel ApplegateTelevision filmFamilyMike DunstonEpisode: "Expectations"1978–1979Julie Farr, M.D.Dr. Blake Simmons8 episodes1979Flesh & BloodJack FallonTelevision film1980The ChisholmsCooper Hawkins9 episodesAngel CitySilas CreedyTelevision film1981The ChoiceJerry ClementsTelevision filmThe Monkey MissionKeyesTelevision filmThe Five of MeDr. Ralph B. AllisonTelevision filmDeath of a CenterfoldHugh HefnerTelevision filmOf Mice and MenSlimTelevision film1982King's CrossingSean GarrettEpisode: "Long Ago Tomorrow"1983Uncommon ValorChief Tom RiordanTelevision filmHigh PerformanceBrennan Flannery2 episodesMedeaJasonTelevision filmThe Gambler: The Adventure ContinuesCharlie McCourtTelevision filmHart to HartRamsey MacLeishEpisode: "Highland Fling"1984Hardcastle and McCormickSheriff Stretch Carter2 episodes1985HotelSteve CutlerEpisode: "Lifelines"DallasCaptain Merwin Fogarty3 episodesHot PursuitMr. Wyler2 episodesFatal VisionPaul StrombaughEpisode: "1.2"Robert Kennedy and His TimesRobert McNamaraEpisode: "1.1"RiptideColonel John LitvakEpisode: "Boz Busters"The A-TeamIke HagenEpisode: "Waste 'Em!"North and SouthTillet Main6 episodesHostage FlightCaptain MaloneTelevision filmHell TownHoward BaneEpisode: "My Girlfriend, Annie"NorthstarColonel Even MarshallTelevision film1985–1995Murder, She WroteVarious4 episodes1986All My ChildrenAlex HunterEpisode: "1.4186"Penalty PhaseDonald FaulknerTelevision film1987St. ElsewhereGeorge DeatonEpisode: "Rites of Passage"1988The English ProgrammeSlim5 episodesFavorite SonVice President Dan EastmanEpisode: "Part One"1989The Ryan White StoryTomTelevision filmStar Trek: The Next GenerationKyle RikerEpisode: "The Icarus Factor"Double Exposure: The Story of Margaret Bourke-WhiteGeneral George S. PattonTelevision filmMission: ImpossibleEdgar SheppardEpisode: "Submarine"Santa BarbaraAnthony Tonell36 episodesHardballCaptain Jake GriffinEpisode: "The Fighting 52nd"1989–1990Jake and the FatmanLieutenant Dan Gorecki/Ethan Mitchell2 episodes1990Who's the Boss?JackEpisode: "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?"JudgmentDave DavisTelevision filmL.A. LawDuncan YoungEpisode: "Smoke Gets In Your Thighs"1991The Golden GirlsRex HuntingtonEpisode: "The Bloom is Off the Rose"HunterTom ReedEpisode: "Shadows of the Past"Deadly GameAdmiral Mark NatelyTelevision filmIn a Child's NamePeter Chappell2 episodesMatlockEllis BlakeEpisode: "The Foursome"1992Civil WarsJudge KosarinEpisode: "Denise and De Nuptials"Mann & MachineBennet TylerEpisode: "Water, Water, Everywhere"The Young RidersMarshall Luke MurphyEpisode: "Lessons Learned"Dirty WorkFrank EspositoTelevision film2000 Malibu RoadPorter Tremont4 episodesMajority RuleJohn WadeTelevision film1993Reasonable DoubtsHugh MandrakeEpisode: "Wish You Were Here"StarHarrison BarclayTelevision filmNYPD BlueJack HanlanEpisode: "Emission Accomplished"General HospitalFrank Smith2 episodes1993–1994RenegadeDallas Bronson/Ted Shields4 episodes1994Hart to Hart: Home is Where the Hart IsChief CarsonTelevision filmWalker, Texas RangerJudge RileyEpisode: "The Committee"One West WaikikiCosmetic SurgeonEpisode: "'Til Death Do Us Part"1995GrampsOliverTelevision filmThe Single GuyMr. Brimley2 episodesSilk StalkingsGrant Everett2 episodes1996A Face to Die ForJoe ThomasTelevision filmRaven HawkWhiteTelevision filmChampsMr. ShuesterEpisode: "We'll Never Have Paris"WingsJonathan Clayton3 episodes1997Dark SkiesWilliam PaleyEpisode: "To Prey in Darkness"Spy GameMorganthalEpisode: "What, Micah Worry?"The PracticeJudge George NelsonEpisode: "The Civil Right"1997–2002Dharma & GregEdward Montgomery119 episodes1998Life of the Party: The Pamela Harriman StoryW. Averell HarrimanTelevision film1999Aftershock: Earthquake in New YorkFrank Agostini2 episodes2003Justice LeagueHighfather (voice)Episode: "Twilight" A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.2004The West WingSenator Roland PierceEpisode: "The Supremes"The Drew Carey ShowWoodyEpisode: "Drew Hunts Silver Fox"2021Smartphone TheatreHarryEpisode: "What Friends Do (#Expendables)"

References

External links