THE FACTS OF LIFE — Season 1 — Pictured: (l-r) Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Edna Ann Garrett and John … [+]
John Lawlor, who played Headmaster Steven Bradley in the first season of sitcom The Facts of Life, died February 13 at a veteran’s hospice facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was 83.
Born June 5, 1941 in Troy, New York, John Lawlor began his career on television with guest appearances in dramas The Rockford Files and Ellery Queen in 1975. In 1976, he appeared as Leonard Marsh in the second season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show spinoff Phyllis with Cloris Leachman.
Following additional guest spots in TV series like Alice and Barney Miller, Lawlor was cast in The Facts of Life, which was a spinoff from Diff’rent Strokes. When The Facts of Life was retooled in season two, Lawlor’s role was eliminated.
THE FACTS OF LIFE — Season 1 — Pictured: (top l-r) Julie Anne Haddock as Cindy Webster, Lisa … [+]
Dozens of future TV appearances followed, including four episodes of daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful. Lawlor’s final credited role was in the western miniseries Godless on Netflix in 2017.
Lawlor was also employed as assistant director on various features, including Excalibur (1981), Highlander (1986) and Driftwood (1997).
He is survived by five children, two brothers, a nephew and two nieces.
