Mitchell Ryan Dies: Veteran Actor On ‘Dark Shadows’, ‘Dharma & Greg’, Many Other Film/TV Roles Was 88

Bruce Haring
·1 min read
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Mitchell Ryan, a veteran film and television actor who captivated daytime television fans in his role as Burke Devlin on the groundbreaking daytime soap Dark Shadows, has died. He was 88 years old and no cause of death was given.

His former costar Kathryn Leigh Scott shared the news on Facebook.

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“My sweet, beloved friend Mitch died early this morning,” Scott wrote. “He was a great gift in my life. I cherish my warm memories of his beautiful soul. I’m heartbroken.”

Ryan and Scott played love interests Burke Devlin and Maggie Evans on Dark Shadows. That was before the vampire Barnabas Collins (played by Jonathan Frid) made a victim of Maggie. Ryan left the series in 1967 and was replaced by Anthony George in the role.

Born on January 11, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ryan made his acting debut in the play Thunder Road at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. From there, he moved to Broadway, appearing in the plays Wait Until Dark, Medea and The Price.

Ryan accumulated more than 135 credits over the course of his career appearing in such television series as The Golden Girls, St. Elsewhere, Who’s the Boss?, Matlock, and Murder, She Wrote, among many others. He also played mobster Frank Smith on General Hospital.

His film roles included appearances in Judge Dredd, Halloween, Liar Liar, Magnum Force, and Lethal Weapon.

No information was immediately available on survivors or memorial plans.

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