Mitchell Ryan was an actor known for many roles, including the villainous General Peter McAllister in “Lethal Weapon.”
- Died: March 4, 2022 (Who else died on March 4?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Los Angeles of heart failure at the age of 88.
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Acting career
Ryan began a stage career, including work on Broadway, after serving in the U.S. Navy. After several small TV appearances, he broke out with a role on “Dark Shadows,” playing ex-convict Burke Devlin. He had early movie roles including “High Plains Drifter” and “Magnum Force.” Ryan went on to star in several short-lived TV series, including “Chase,” “Executive Suite,” and “Having Babies,” as well as playing Tillet Main in the 1985 miniseries “North and South.” In 1987, he played General McAllister, who was running an operation smuggling heroin out of Asia, and in 1989, he played mob boss Anthony Tonell on “Santa Barbara.”
Some viewers knew Ryan best for his starring role on the sitcom “Dharma & Greg,” playing Greg’s father, the wealthy Edward Montgomery. Other notable TV appearances included “Wings,” “L.A. Law,” and “The West Wing.” On a 1989 episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” he played Commander Riker’s father, and he played Blanche’s abusive boyfriend in a 1991 episode of “The Golden Girls.” Ryan’s later movies included “Hot Shots! Part Deux,” “Judge Dredd,” “Liar Liar,” and “Grosse Pointe Blank.” He also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.
Tributes to Mitchell Ryan
Full obituary: The New York Times
