John Lawrence

John Lawrence
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Portrays:	Umpire (uncredited)
Date of Birth:	April 26, 1931
Date of Death:	March 21, 1992
Age at Death:	60
Nationality:	USA
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IMDb profile

John Lawrence (April 26, 1931 – March 21, 1992) was an American character actor who portrayed an uncredited Umpire in the Galactica 1980 episode "Spaceball," whose appearance was confirmed via computer-aided facial recognition. A longtime San Fernando Valley resident, Lawrence built a career spanning stage, film, and television over more than three decades.

Early Life and Education

Lawrence was born John Lawrence Levy in New York City. He legally changed his name to John Lawrence in the late 1950s, taking his middle name as his surname.

Lawrence graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia in 1953 with a bachelor's degree in business. He served as a lieutenant in the United States Army, receiving an honorable discharge in 1955 after being stationed at Fort Eustis, Virginia, where he served with the Army Transportation Corps.

Career

Early Career and Stage Work

After his military discharge, Lawrence studied at Paul Mann's Actor's Workshop in New York City. During his time in the New York theater scene, he appeared in the off-Broadway productions of "The Threepenny Opera" and "Children of Darkness". He also performed on the prestigious television anthology series Playhouse 90 and Omnibus before relocating to California in 1958.

Film Work

As a character actor who often played villains, Lawrence appeared in several notable films throughout his career. Film critic Chuck Stephens, writing for the Criterion Collection, described Lawrence as "the sort of obscure and wonderful character actor who essentially defines the term: as uncannily semirecognizable to movie- and boob-tube-bound baby boomers as he is virtually impossible to remember by name."

His film credits included The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Seconds (1966), and The Arrangement (1969). Additional film appearances included Jerry Lewis's The Family Jewels (1965), Henry Hathaway's Nevada Smith (1966), and John Carpenter's science fiction thriller They Live (1988), in which he portrayed the Bearded Man.

Lawrence also appeared in additional films including Man of Violence (1970) and had film roles throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Television Work

Lawrence built a substantial television career spanning three decades, primarily in guest and supporting roles. His work during the late 1970s and early 1980s coincided with numerous Glen A. Larson productions being filmed at Universal Studios, where Galactica 1980 was produced in 1980.

Lawrence appeared on many popular television shows throughout the 1960s, including Ben Casey, Gunsmoke, Mister Ed, The Addams Family, and The Munsters. His television credits during the era surrounding Galactica 1980 included appearances in Little House on the Prairie (1980-1981), where he portrayed Jake Schultz and Jacob Platz, and The Magical World of Disney (1980), in which he played The Fisherman.

His career continued through the 1980s with roles in popular series including Darkroom (1981), The A-Team (1986), Hill Street Blues (1986), Knots Landing (1985-1986), and L.A. Law (1988). He also appeared in The F.B.I. (1972) and various television commercials throughout his career.

Later Career and Teaching

In the 1980s, Lawrence returned to his theatrical roots by acting in stage plays. He also served as a guest lecturer at California State University, Northridge.

Personal Life

Lawrence married Kay Gulick on June 3, 1958, in Ithaca, Michigan. The couple was married for 34 years and resided in North Hills in the San Fernando Valley. They had four children: sons Jeremy Lawrence of North Hollywood and Joshua Lawrence of San Diego; and daughters Jennifer Lawrence of Berkeley and Jessica Moore of Northridge. At the time of his death, Lawrence had five grandchildren.

Community Involvement

Throughout his life, Lawrence was actively involved in community service and educational outreach. He served as past chairman of the San Fernando Valley Fair Housing Council's speakers bureau and as a past board of managers member of the San Fernando Valley Interfaith Center. He also served on the advisory council at James Monroe High School in North Hills.

In his later years, Lawrence participated in the Screen Actors Guild Foundation's elementary school reading program, visiting schools to promote literacy among young students. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Encino.

Lawrence also worked under the alternative professional name John F. Lacues for some productions. His birth name was John Lawrence Levy, which he legally changed to John Lawrence in the late 1950s.

Death

Lawrence died on March 21, 1992, at a Northridge hospital from heart failure at the age of 60. A memorial service was held on March 25, 1992, at First Presbyterian Church of Encino. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations be made to the Screen Actors Guild Foundation Dales Scholarship Fund or to the Mary Magdelene Project in care of First Presbyterian Church of Encino.

References