John Forsythe, the suave actor with the silvery hair and mellifluous voice who was familiar to millions for his roles on the popular television series “Bachelor Father," “Charlie's Angels" and “Dynasty," died Thursday. He was 92.
Forsythe, who had heart bypass surgery in 1979 and was hospitalized for colon cancer in 2006, died at his home in the Santa Barbara County town of Santa Ynez from complications of pneumonia, publicist Harlan Boll said.
Skilled at both comedy and drama, the actor began his long career on Broadway, where he stepped in for Henry Fonda in “Mister Roberts" and later originated the lead role in the hit comedy “Teahouse of the August Moon." He also appeared in many films, including Alfred Hitchcock's “The Trouble With Harry" and “Topaz."
But he was best known for three roles: Bentley Gregg, a bachelor uncle whose social life is curtailed when he must care for a young niece; the unseen Charlie, who gives three sexy young detectives their assignments in “Charlie's Angels"; and, most notably, Blake Carrington, the oil tycoon around whom life revolves in one of TV's most successful prime-time soap operas, “Dynasty," which aired from 1981 to 1989.
The actor once described Carrington as “ruthless, powerful, cruel, selfish, kind, loving, tender, passionate." A dashing character, he inspired catfights between his vengeful ex-wife (Joan Collins) and melancholy second wife (Linda Evans) while fending off nonstop crises.
“He was one of the last true gentlemen of the acting profession," Collins said in a statement. “I enjoyed our . . . feuding, fussing and fighting as the Carringtons."
Forsythe got the role partly because he had played against his good- TV-dad image as a sadistic judge in the 1979 Norman Jewison film “. . . And Justice for All," which starred Al Pacino.
“To be seen in so unredeemable a part was a revelation to some people," Forsythe told The Times in 1980 of his portrayal of the judge.
Forsythe, who had heart bypass surgery in 1979 and was hospitalized for colon cancer in 2006, died at his home in the Santa Barbara County town of Santa Ynez from complications of pneumonia, publicist Harlan Boll said.
Skilled at both comedy and drama, the actor began his long career on Broadway, where he stepped in for Henry Fonda in “Mister Roberts" and later originated the lead role in the hit comedy “Teahouse of the August Moon." He also appeared in many films, including Alfred Hitchcock's “The Trouble With Harry" and “Topaz."
But he was best known for three roles: Bentley Gregg, a bachelor uncle whose social life is curtailed when he must care for a young niece; the unseen Charlie, who gives three sexy young detectives their assignments in “Charlie's Angels"; and, most notably, Blake Carrington, the oil tycoon around whom life revolves in one of TV's most successful prime-time soap operas, “Dynasty," which aired from 1981 to 1989.
The actor once described Carrington as “ruthless, powerful, cruel, selfish, kind, loving, tender, passionate." A dashing character, he inspired catfights between his vengeful ex-wife (Joan Collins) and melancholy second wife (Linda Evans) while fending off nonstop crises.
“He was one of the last true gentlemen of the acting profession," Collins said in a statement. “I enjoyed our . . . feuding, fussing and fighting as the Carringtons."
Forsythe got the role partly because he had played against his good- TV-dad image as a sadistic judge in the 1979 Norman Jewison film “. . . And Justice for All," which starred Al Pacino.
“To be seen in so unredeemable a part was a revelation to some people," Forsythe told The Times in 1980 of his portrayal of the judge.
