John Beasley, the beloved character actor, famous for playing Irv Harper on The WB drama, Everwood passed away at the age of 79. The Omaha-based actor was also known for his role as the father of Cedric the Entertainer on The Soul Man. Read on to know about the cause of death.
John Beasley Was Undergoing Tests On Liver
John Beasley passed away in a hospital in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska as revealed by his son, Tyrone Beasley. It came out that the late actor was undergoing “tests on his liver before taking an unexpected turn for the worst.” His other son, Mike posted on Facebook:
“They say you shouldn’t ever meet your heroes because they don’t turn out to be who you thought they were. That is so wrong. My hero was my father. Thank you for everything.”
Not much has been revealed about the cause of death. Beasley last appeared onstage in Chicago in a Broadway-bound musical adaptation of The Notebook, based on Nicholas Spark’s novel. Beasley was passionate about helping the new generation, embrace their talent
John Beasley’s Appearance On Broadway
John Beasley gained recognition, playing as an assistant coach in Rudy (1993) and as the retired minister Charles Blackwell in the Robert Duvall-starring and directed The Apostle (1997). He also appeared in films like The Mighty Ducks (1992), Untamed Heart (1993), Losing Isaiah (1993), Little Big League (1994), and The Sum of All Fears (2002).
During his recent Broadway act, Beasley was playing James Garner’s role and was set to go to New York in August to workshop the musical as producers settled on a theater. The news was released by his son. Beasley spoke about having a successful career:
“To be a working artist is the highest calling, and I appreciate wherever it takes me. If I never got to Broadway, I would still feel I’ve had a pretty successful career.” He continued, “Normally you’re cast in a play that has legs and its set, but to be able to create this character in a world premiere production is special.
Beasley added about the Broadway, “It’s new material; it’s good material. You think some pieces are written for you, and that’s how I feel about playing Noah. I was told a long time ago that when a part is yours, 100 good men can’t stand in your way.”
He is also remembered for establishing the John Beasley Theatre and Workshop in Omaha and running it for 13 years. “We changed the lives of a lot of people just through the theater,” he said in 2020. Before acting, he worked as a railroad man with the Union Pacific Railroad. He only began acting at the age of 45.
