John Beasley (actor)

John Beasley (June 26, 1943 – May 30, 2023) was an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the films Rudy (1993), The Apostle (1997), The Sum of All Fears (2002), Walking Tall (2004), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), Sinister 2 (2015), and his role as Irv Harper in the TV series Everwood (2002–2006). In 2002, Beasley founded the "John Beasley Theater & Workshop" in Omaha, Nebraska, to promote live theater, especially works written by or featuring African Americans.

Life and career
Beasley was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 26, 1943. He did not begin his acting career until his mid-40s. Prior to that he was a railroad man with the Union Pacific Railroad. He established the John Beasley Theater and Workshop in South Omaha, and he would remain working there for nearly a dozen years.

Beasley played General Lasseter in The Sum of All Fears and Reverend C. Charles Blackwell in The Apostle. In 1992, he played Jesse and Terry Hall's father in The Mighty Ducks. He starred in the 2004 remake of Walking Tall.

Beasley made numerous guest roles on television and has appeared in several television films. His most prominent role in a television series was as Irv Harper in the WB series Everwood. He also appeared in the TV Land sitcom The Soul Man, which aired its fifth and final season in 2016. Beasley also claimed that even if he had not made it to Broadway, he still would have had a successful career.

Personal life and death
Beasley married Judy Beasley, and would remain her husband for nearly sixty years, until his death. They had two sons and six grandchildren. His grandson Malik is a professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons.

Beasley died at a hospital in Omaha on May 30, 2023, at the age of 79.