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John Boylan

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John J. Boylan (January 31, 1912 – November 16, 1994) was an American film, television, and theatrical actor. One of three children born in Canton, Ohio to an Irish-American immigrant family, he began acting in 1932 when he helped found the Players' Guild for a local community theater.His working life was spent in the Ohio and Pennsylvania steel industries, but he continued acting whenever the opportunity arose, often travelling to Greenwich Village in New York City the 1930s and 1940s when regular employment was scarce. It was during these periods spent in New York that he performed on Broadway, becoming acquainted with fellow actors Burgess Meredith and John Ireland while there. After over 40 years working in the steel industry, he retired in 1975, with his last job being the works manager at the Milton Manufacturing Company in Pennsylvania. Three years later he moved to Washington state, where he quickly established himself in the local repertory circuit, acting with the Seattle Repertory Theatre, the Bathhouse Theater, The Empty Space, and the Tacoma Actors Guild. With more time to devote to his craft Boylan's acting career enjoyed an Indian summer, as he began carving out a successful niche in film and television with his silver-haired, moustached appearance. He played opposite John Travolta in The Experts (1989),opposite Jeff Bridges in American Heart (1992), and most notably in Twin Peaks, where he was cast as the mayor of the titular town in David Lynch's award-winning television series. He had been working in a repertory production of Much Ado About Nothing when he was spotted for the role, but was unwilling to quit just for the show. Instead, the 79-year old Boylan would fly to Los Angeles every Sunday night after the final stage performance of the evening, spend all day Monday filming his part, before returning to Seattle in time for the Tuesday matinee, as if he had never been away. His final film role was in 1993's Sleepless in Seattle, as an elevator operator at the Empire State Building, a role that took his life full circle; it was at the Empire State Building sixty years before that he had met his wife Jeanne. A lifelong smoker, he died of lung cancer and pneumonia in Bellevue, Washington, leaving behind his wife, son John, daughter Kathy, and two grandchildren. Ironically, his "signature" performance, for which he had won a Best of Festival award at New City Theater's annual directors' festival in 1986, was in Anton Chekhov's one-man comedy On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco. His son later admitted that even while performing in this play, he had been "smoking on the sly". Description above from the Wikipedia article John Boylan (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.


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Born:
Jan 31, 1912 In Canton, Ohio, U.S.
Movie/TV Credits:
40
First Appeared:
In the movie Alien Thunder 1974-02-22
Latest Project:
Movie Campton Manor 2024-05-07
Known For
Poster of WitchSlayer Gretl
Poster of Being Erica
Poster of Twin Peaks
Poster of Alien Thunder
Filmography
Movie Campton Manor Douglas 2024-05-07
Movie Pet Sematary: Bloodlines Reverend Havering 2023-09-23
Movie Blues Run the Game: The Strange Tale of Jackson C. Frank Himself 2023-10-28
Movie Love Possibly Restaurant Patron 2018-09-16
Movie Dead of Winter Ben 2014-11-19
Movie The Story of Luke Mr. Harrison 2013-04-05
Movie WitchSlayer Gretl Lara's Dad 2012-02-25
Movie Servitude Sam Stein 2012-03-30
Movie Shackled Sean Lowry 2010-01-01
Series Being Erica Gary Strange 2009-01-05
Movie Land of the Lost Enik 2009-06-05
Movie Before You Say 'I Do' Mr. Johnson 2009-02-14
Movie Cow Belles Driving Examiner 2006-03-24
Movie Code Breakers (uncredited) 2005-12-10
Movie Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle Officer Brucks 2004-07-02
Movie The Limit Detective Lavery 2004-12-28
Movie The Perfect Son Minister 2000-11-08
Series The City Matthew Harris 1999-03-07
Movie Lethal Vows Joe Betullo 1999-10-13
Movie The Long Island Incident Frank McBride 1998-05-03
Movie Escape Clause Pathologist 1996-07-14
Movie Sleepless in Seattle Elevator Man 1993-06-24
Movie To Catch a Killer Atkins 1992-05-15
Movie American Heart Janitor 1992-12-19
Movie Beasties Johnny 1991-05-05
Movie Clearcut Bud's Lawyer 1991-09-10
Series Twin Peaks Dwayne Milford 1990-04-08
Movie Waiting for the Light Old Man at Diner 1990-06-14
Movie The Experts Old Timer 1989-01-13
Movie Twin Peaks Dwayne Milford 1989-09-03
Movie Les Tisserands du pouvoir Police Sergeant 1988-10-21
Movie Les Tisserands du pouvoir 2, la révolte 1988-12-16
Movie Keeping Track Double Agent Kleelyov 1987-01-30
Movie The Tin Flute (uncredited) 1983-08-28
Movie St. Helens Reporter #2 1982-01-01
Movie King Solomon's Treasure 1979-05-31
Movie Blood Relatives Policeman 1978-02-01
Movie Rabid Young Cop in Plaza 1977-04-08
Movie Angela Sean 1977-11-10
Movie Alien Thunder Cpl. Harold Bellringer 1974-02-22