John Boylan (actor)
Encyclopedia
John J. Boylan 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".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, and theatrical actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. One of three children born in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to an Irish-American immigrant family, he began acting in 1932 when he helped found the Players' Guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
for a local community theater. His working life was spent in the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
industries, but he continued acting whenever the opportunity arose, often travelling to Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
the 1930s and 1940s when regular employment was scarce. It was during these periods spent in New York that he performed on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, becoming acquainted with fellow actors Burgess Meredith
Burgess Meredith
Oliver Burgess Meredith , known professionally as Burgess Meredith, was an American actor in theatre, film, and television, who also worked as a director...
and John Ireland
John Ireland (actor)
John Benjamin Ireland was an actor and film director.-Biography:Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, he was raised in New York City from the age of 18. He started out in minor stage roles on Broadway...
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
Washington State
Washington State may refer to:* Washington , often referred to as "Washington state" to differentiate it from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States* Washington State University, a land-grant college in that state- See also :...
, where he quickly established himself in the local repertory circuit, acting with the Seattle Repertory Theatre
Seattle Repertory Theatre
Seattle Repertory Theatre is a major regional theatre located in Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center. It is a member of Theatre Puget Sound and Theatre Communications Group. Founded in 1963, it is led by Artistic Director Jerry Manning and Managing Director Benjamin Moore...
, 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
Indian summer
An Indian summer is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs in the autumn. It refers to a period of considerably above normal temperatures, accompanied by dry and hazy conditions, usually after there has been a killing frost...
, as he began carving out a successful niche in film and television with his silver-haired, moustached appearance. He played opposite John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
in The Experts
The Experts (1989 film)
The Experts is a 1989 American comedy film starring John Travolta, Arye Gross and Kelly Preston. It was written by Steven Greene, Eric Alter, and Nick Thiel and directed by Dave Thomas.-Plot:...
(1989
1989 in film
-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
), opposite Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
in American Heart
American Heart
American Heart is a 1993 film by Martin Bell, starring Edward Furlong and Jeff Bridges. It was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award in a number of categories, and won in the Best Male Lead category.-Synopsis:...
(1992
1992 in film
The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
), and most notably in Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
, where he was cast as the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the titular town in David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
's award-winning television series. He had been working in a repertory production of Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
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
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
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
1993 in film
The year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:...
Sleepless in Seattle
Sleepless in Seattle
The film was originally to have been scored by John Barry, but when he was given a list of 20 songs he had to put in the film, he quit.#As Time Goes By - Jimmy Durante #A Kiss to Build a Dream on - Louis Armstrong #Stardust - Nat King Cole...
, as an elevator operator
Elevator operator
An elevator operator is a person specifically employed to operate a manually operated elevator...
at the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
, 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
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
, he died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
and pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
, 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
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
's one-man comedy On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco
On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco
On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco is a one act play with only one character , written by Russian author Anton Chekhov.-Plot:...
. His son later admitted that even while performing in this play, he had been "smoking on the sly".