John Lawlor obit

John Lawlor Dies: ‘The Facts Of Life’, ‘Phyllis’ Actor Was 83

 

He was not on the list.

Born June 5, 1941, in Troy, New York, Lawlor graduated from the University of Colorado, and would perform with the Nomad players, a theater troupe founded in 1951 that would include such actors as Lawlor, Larry Linville and Joan Van Ark.

A U.S. Army veteran with service in Vietman, Lawlor launched his television career with with mid-’70s roles on The Rockford Files, Ellery Queen and Black Sheep Squadron, among others, before landing the role of politician Leonard Marsh for the second and final season of Phyllis (1976–1977). Like Ted Baxter of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lawlor’s character was dim but telegenic, and more often than not conflicted with Leachman’s widowed Phyllis Leachman.

One-off appearances would follow on Alice, Barney Miller and other shows until he landed the one-season role of the headmaster on The Fact of Live. Lawlor was gone by the second season as produced trimmed the cast to focus on young stars Lisa Whelchel, Kim Fields, Mindy Cohn and their adult figure Charlotte Rae.

While Lawlor would never have another series regular role, he continued making numerous guest appearances on series through the ’80s, ’90s, 2000s and 2010s. Among the shows: Newhart, T.J. Hooker, Simon & Simon, Sledge Hammer!, She’s The Sheriff, Knots Landing, L.A. Law, Cold Case, Longmire, and, most recently in 2017, his final credit with four episodes of Godless.

As an assistant director on features, Lawlor’s credits in the ’80s and ’90s include Excalibur, Highlander, A Prayer for the Dying and Driftwood.

Lawlor is survived by five children, two brothers, a nephew and two nieces.

Filmography

Film

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1976            Jackson County Jail            Deputy Burt     

1976    The Gumball Rally            Jake    

1977    Billy Jack Goes to Washington            Dan McArthur        

1981    S.O.B.            Capitol Studios Manager          

1982            National Lampoon's Movie Madness            Mr. Haggis 

1994    Wyatt Earp     Judge Spicer 

2011    Naked Run      Max Siegel  

2011    The Reunion            Lenny Cleary 

2016    Gold            Mining Expert 

Television

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1975    The Rockford Files            Dave Kruger            Episode: "Resurrection in Black & White"

1975    Ellery Queen            Director / Radio Technician            2 episodes

1976    The Bureau Agent Butterfield            Television film

1976    Baa Baa Black Sheep   Dr. Jim Reese            Episode: "Flying Misfits"

1976–1977            Phyllis            Leonard Marsh / Officer Hale            25 episodes

1977            Relentless         Walker            Television film

1977    Alice            Henderson            Episode: "The Sixty Minutes Man"

1978    Outside Chance Bill Hill            Television film

1978    Barney Miller   Morris the Dogcatcher            Episode: "Dog Days"

1979    A New Kind of Family            Tom            Episode: "Are You Sure Barnum and Bailey Started Like This?"

1979–1980            The Facts of Life            Steven Bradley            13 episodes

1980    United States   Josh            Episode: "Josh"

1981    A Matter of Life and Death            Bud Coggins            Television film

1981    Here's Boomer            John Hawthorne            Episode: "Boomer in the Pound"

1981    Why Us?      Jules Sanborn            Television film

1982    Cassie & Co.  Merritt            Episode: "Dark Side of the Moon"

1982            Newhart            Director of Vermont Today            Episode: "Vermont Today"

1984    T. J. Hooker            Charles Bowers            Episode: "Pursuit"

1984    Simon & Simon            Scott Banfield            Episode: "Almost Completely Out of Circulation"

1984    ABC Weekend Special Paul Landry            Episode: "Henry Hamilton Graduate Ghost"

1985    The Best Times            Willis Troutman            Episode: "Snake Meat"

1985, 1987            Highway to Heaven            Brad / Earl      2 episodes

1986            Stingray          Dr. Jimmy Monroe            Episode: "That Terrible Swift Sword"

1986    Sledge Hammer!            Chief Reisner            Episode: "Under the Gun"

1987    She's the Sheriff            Diamond            Episode: "Max Moves In"

1988–1989            The Bold and the Beautiful            Walter Talbert 4 episodes

1989    Mr. Belvedere            Dr. Peterson            Episode: "Fear of Flying"

1990    After the Shock            Fireman            Television film

1991    The New Lassie            Jim Berger            Episode: "Kitty Saver"

1992    FBI: The Untold Stories  Steve Gates            Episode: "Millionaire Murderer"

1992–1993            Knots Landing            Larry Lambert            4 episodes

1993    L.A. Law            Howard Bowling            Episode: "Bourbon County"

1999            Hercules: The Legendary Journeys            Horatius            Episode: "Stranger and Stranger"

2003    The Lyon's Den            Mr. Dilby            Episode: "Privileged"

2004    Cold Case    Father Declan            Episode: "Glued"

2005            McBride: Tune in for Murder Don            Television film

2008    The Roaring Twenties            Gary            Miniseries

2009    In Plain Sight     Judge John Metcalf            Episode: "Who's Bugging Mary?"

2010            Scoundrels       Herbert West    3 episodes

2011            Breaking Bad            Locksmith            Episode: "Box Cutter"

2014    Killer Women            Judge Walter Garrity            Episode: "Some Men Need Killing"

2014            Longmire         Oren Mallory            Episode: "Miss Cheyenne"

2014    Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs            Judge Shumate            Television film

2016    Graves            Dr. Mirsky            Episode: "A Tincture of Madness"

2017            Godless           Elmer Knowland            4 episodes