Actor John Beasley, who was known for the shows Everwood and The Soul Man, died on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. No cause of death was given. He was 79 years old.

Beasley was a character actor who often played father figures or authoritative men. He starred in the drama Everwood as bus driver Irv Harper, and was in the sitcom The Soul Man as Barton Ballentine, father to lead character Sherman. His notable film work included The General’s Daughter, The Sum of All Fears, Walking Tall, and The Purge: Anarchy.

Beasley was born on June 26, 1943, in Omaha, Nebraska. He worked as a railroad worker before becoming an actor in his mid-40s in the 1989 movie, Rapid Fire.

He appeared in movies like The Mighty Ducks, Rudy, Little Big League, Lost Souls, Sinister 2, and It Snows All the Time. Beasley’s TV work included CSI: Crime Scene Investigations, Judging Amy, Boston Legal, Harry’s Law, and The Mandalorian.