According to Deadline, longtime actor John Lasell (Dark Shadows, The F.B.I) has passed away this month. Passing on October 4, 2024, Lasell leaves behind a legacy of decades-long television and movie appearances.
Appearing in the Armstrong Circle Theatre in 1960, Lasell’s last on-screen credit was in 1985 for the Emmy-nominated television miniseries A Death in California, starring beside Sam Elliott (A Star is Born, The Hero) and Cheryl Ladd (Charlie’s Angels, Unforgettable) via Deadline.
Lasell’s most notable appearances took place on The Twilight Zone in 1959 for the episode “Back There,” as character Jonathan Wellington, Dark Shadows as vampire hunter Dr. Peter Guthrie and Perry Mason as characters Charlie Corby, Danny Shine and Dean Franklin, per Deadline. Lasell’s most frequent acting position was in Dark Shadows, appearing as Dr. Peter Guthrie in about 25 episodes over the course of the series.
Lasell’s career also included notable television series such as Lassie, Dallas, Falcon Crest, Hawaiian Eye, Flipper, Naked City, The Mod Squad, Checkmate, Mannix, The Invaders, Mission: Impossible, The Psychiatrist, The Streets of San Francisco, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Dan August, This Is the Life and The Fugitive. Deadline reports that while most of Lasell’s work consisted of television appearances, his career aligned with movies such as Her Teacher and Helen Keller.
Throughout Lasell’s life, he was married to Nancy D. Coulter, Patricia Smith (The Debbie Reynolds Show, The Spirit of St. Louis) and Elinor Gabrielle Hegemann via IMDb. Lasell married fellow actress Smith after their acquaintance on Helen Keller, The Twilight Zone and Her Teacher.
According to Deadline, Lasell was born November 6, 1928, with the full name John Whitin Lasell Jr. Upon his death on October 4, 2024, Lasell lived to be 95 years old. Deadline reports that an obituary notice confirmed Lasell’s death, which took place in Los Angeles.