As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of television and movies, I can say that Nicholas Pryor was a stalwart of the small and silver screens. His seven-decade career spanned from the golden age of daytime soap operas to modern blockbusters, leaving an indelible mark on generations of viewers.
The veteran character actor Nicholas Pryor, who played Tom Cruise’s father in the film “Risky Business” and Kathleen Robertson’s dad on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” passed away at the age of 89 after a career that lasted for seven decades.
On Monday, Pryor passed away from cancer at his residence in Wilmington, North Carolina, as confirmed by his wife, actress Christine Belford, to The Hollywood Reporter.
Between 1997 and 2002, Pryor portrayed the character of ex-spy Victor Collins on the spinoff series of General Hospital named Port Charles. This role marked the finale of his extensive career in daytime soap operas, which also included appearances on The Secret Storm, The Edge of Night, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, All My Children, and Another World.
Previously, Pryor appeared on the Fox show “Beverly Hills, 90210” as A. Milton Arnold, a role that included being the chancellor of California University and father to Claire Arnold (portrayed by Robertson). Additionally, he played the father of Kirsten Bennett (played by Devicq) on another Fox series titled “Party of Five.
Previously, he portrayed Vice Principal Jack Feldspar in the 1987-88 NBC series titled “The Bronx Zoo”, which was produced by Gary David Goldberg and headlined by Edward Asner.
In various films, Pryor portrayed Barbara Feldon’s unfortunate spouse in “Smile” (1975), directed by Michael Ritchie; the pipe-smoking university professor who traveled with Michael Sarrazin in an AC Cobra in “The Gumball Rally” (1976), under Charles Bail’s direction; the museum director who met a tragic end in a train yard, as depicted in “Damien: Omen II” (1978); and the father of Robert Downey Jr.’s character, Julian, struggling with drug addiction in “Less Than Zero” (1987).
I hail from Baltimore, born and bred on January 28, 1935. My old man, Stanley, was a diligent worker in the pharmaceutical sector.
During his time at the Gilman School in Baltimore and Yale University, Pryor sharpened his acting abilities on various stages – with the Drummond Players in Baltimore, the Camden Hills Theatre in Maine, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the Star Theatre in Minneapolis.
In the year 1956, after graduating from college, the tall and slender Pryor graced four Broadway productions between 1957 and 1959: one with Karl Malden in “The Egghead”, another with Joan Bennett in “Love Me a Little”, a third with Leon Ames in “Howie”, and the fourth with Diana Douglas in “The Highest Tree”. However, these four performances collectively only ran for a total of 56 times.
He initially showed up in soap operas for the first time back in 1958 in the series titled “The Brighter Day“, and followed by another appearance in 1959 on “Young Dr. Malone“. In 1964, he became a founding member of NBC’s “Another World“, but his character, Tom Baxter, was written off after just six months. Afterward, he landed a role in a prime-time soap opera on CBS called “The Nurses“.
Initially, Pryor made his film debut in the movie “The Way We Live Now” (1970), where he was prominently featured as a man experiencing a midlife crisis. Subsequently, he appeared in various roles in films like “Man on a Swing” (1974), “The Happy Hooker” (1975), “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh” (1979) and “Airplane!” (1980).
In the ’70s, he reappeared on Broadway, taking up substitute roles in “That Championship Season” and “Thieves”.
Beyond the incident where his Porsche 928 was damaged in the movie “Risky Business” (1983), Pryor appeared in numerous other films, including “The Falcon and the Snowman” (1985), “Morgan Stewart’s Coming Home” (1987), “Pacific Heights” (1990), “Hoffa” (1992), “Sliver” (1993), “Hail Caesar” (1994), “The Chamber” (1996), “Molly” (1999), “Collateral Damage” (2002), “The List” (2007), “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1” (2014), “Doctor Sleep” (2019), and “Halloween Kills” (2021).
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to appear on various TV screens across numerous shows. From gracing “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “Little House on the Prairie,” to being part of the casts for series like “M*A*S*H,” “Eight Is Enough,” and “Dallas,” I’ve also been featured in hit shows such as “St. Elsewhere,” “L.A. Law,” “The West Wing,” and “NYPD Blue.” My journey has also led me to participate in miniseries like “The Adams Chronicles,” “Washington: Behind Closed Doors,” and the epic “East of Eden.
I was blessed to marry my fourth wife, Belford, in July of 1993, and we collaborated on the hit show “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Beyond our partnership, I am fortunate to be a loving father to daughter Stacey and proud grandpa to Auguste and Avril.
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2024-10-09 02:55