John Keith Vernon (February 24, 1932 – February 1, 2005) was a Canadian actor. He made a career in Hollywood after achieving initial television stardom in Canada. He was best known for playing Dean Wormer in Animal House, the Mayor in Dirty Harry and Fletcher in The Outlaw Josey Wales.
Personal life[]
Born as Adolphus Raymondus Vernon Agopsowicz in Zehner, Saskatchewan,[1] Vernon was one of two sons of Adolf Agopsowicz, a grocer, and his wife Eleonore Krückel (also spelled as Kriekle or Kriekel). Both his parents' families immigrated to the Edenwold district in the late 19th century from the Austrian crownland and duchy of Bukovina. The Agopsowicz family were part of the community of Armenians in Poland. Vernon was of Armenian, German, and Polish descent.[2]
From 1935 to 1953 he attended St. Joseph's School and Campion College in Regina, Saskatchewan, where his acting career began under the direction of the Rev. Arthur Nelson, S.J. and Mary Ellen Burgess at the Regina Little Theatre.[3] Vernon was educated at the Banff School of Fine Arts and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before becoming a live stage actor for CBC Television's dramatic programs. In 1974, he completed a season at The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England, playing Malvolio.
Vernon is the father of actress Kate Vernon, musician Nan Vernon, and actor Chris Vernon.[1]
Career[]
Early roles[]
Vernon made his screen debut in 1956 as the voice of Big Brother in Michael Anderson's film version of George Orwell's 1984 starring Edmond O'Brien. He returned to Canada afterwards and gained film experience appearing on the TV series The Adventures of Tugboat Annie and The Last of the Mohicans.
He debuted on Broadway in 1964 as DeSoto opposite Christopher Plummer and David Carradine in The Royal Hunt of the Sun. During the Golden Age of CBC Drama in the 1960s, he co-starred in Edna O'Brien's A Cheap Bunch of Nice Flowers, opposite Colleen Dewhurst, and in Uncle Vanya, opposite William Hutt and Rita Gam. He appeared in the CBC series Wojeck in the late 1960s, playing a crime-fighting medical examiner. However, he decided to go to the United States to further his acting career.
In 1967, he appeared opposite Lee Marvin in Point Blank.
In 1969, he played Cuban revolutionary Rico Parra in Alfred Hitchcock's Cold War-era spy movie Topaz. He appeared on The High Chaparral as the leader of a group of striking Irish Miners (1969) in "No Irish Need Apply".
In 1970, he guest-starred in the Hawaii Five-O episode "Force of Waves" as Cal Anderson, and he appeared in the two-part episode "The Banker" of The Silent Force in 1971. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he made four appearances over five years on the TV series Mission: Impossible as four different lead villains. In 1974, Vernon turned in a supporting performance in Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night.
In 1971, he played the by-the-book mayor of San Francisco, perpetually frustrated by Clint Eastwood, in the first Dirty Harry movie. He later parodied this role in the film One More Train to Rob and the premiere episode of Sledge Hammer!.
In 1974 he co-starred in the film The Black Windmill with Michael Caine and Donald Pleasence. Also in 1974, he appeared in The Questor Tapes.
In 1976, he played Fletcher in Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Wales.
In 1977, he played the husband in the Italian film, A Special Day, with Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.[4]
Villain[]
In 1972, he appeared as a villain in the Fear Is the Key and in 1973, he appeared in Charley Varrick as mob boss Maynard Boyle.
In 1975, Vernon portrayed Chicago gangster Ben Larkin in the John Wayne movie Brannigan, which was set in London, England, starring alongside Wayne and Richard Attenborough.
Vernon played Dean Vernon Wormer of fictional Faber College in 1978's Animal House (a role that he would reprise in the short-lived television sequel Delta House). He also played Mr. Prindle in 1980's Herbie Goes Bananas, Ted Striker's psychiatrist Dr. Stone in 1982's Airplane II: The Sequel, and Sherman Krader in 1987's Ernest Goes to Camp.
In 1979, Vernon played villainous American bigot Jonathon Pritts in New Mexico who was trying to steal the land from Mexican landowners in the Louis L'Amour story of The Sacketts.
He also appeared in several cult exploitation and action films in the 1980s, most notably Chained Heat and Savage Streets, both starring Linda Blair, and Jungle Warriors, opposite Sybil Danning. He underplayed his villain image (playing a character called "Mr. Big") in the 1988 Blaxploitation spoof I'm Gonna Git You Sucka: a character thinks Vernon should be "above exploitation films" and Vernon replies that many famous actors have done exploitation films, listing Jamie Lee Curtis, Angie Dickinson, and Shelley Winters as examples.
Vernon played "Ted Jarrett" in the season two The A-Team episode "Labor Pains" (1983). Vernon also played "Cameron Zachary" in the season two Knight Rider episode "A Good Knight's Work" (1984). He appeared in three episodes of The Fall Guy; as Carson Connally in the season two episode Just a Small Circle of Friends (1983), as Ellis in the season three episode Boom (1984), and as Mardovitch in the season four episode High Orbit (1985). Vernon later played "John Bradford Horn" in the season three Airwolf episode "Discovery" (1986).
In 1986, he played the Principal in Fuzz Bucket. He played Sergeant Curt Mooney in Killer Klowns from Outer Space and was a lead in the short-lived 1990s series Acapulco H.E.A.T.
Vernon guest-starred as the grouchy principal Dinkler in "Brad to Worse", an episode of Duckman on USA Network.
Voice work[]
Vernon did extensive voice work. He voiced the Prosecutor on the 1981 animated film Heavy Metal. He worked on animated TV series such as The Marvel Super Heroes portraying Tony Stark/Iron Man and Sub-Mariner among others, Batman: The Animated Series, The Incredible Hulk, Wildfire, Spider-Man, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy and Delgo.
Death[]
Vernon died of complications following heart surgery on February 1, 2005, in Westwood, Los Angeles at the age of 72.[1]
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 1984 | Big Brother | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Nobody Waved Good-bye | Lot Supervisor | |
| 1967 | Point Blank | Mal Reese | |
| 1969 | Justine | Nessim | |
| Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here | George Hacker | ||
| Topaz | Rico Parra | ||
| 1971 | One More Train to Rob | Timothy Xavier Nolan | |
| Face-Off | Fred Wares | ||
| Dirty Harry | The Mayor | ||
| 1972 | Journey | Boulder Allin | |
| Fear Is the Key | Vyland | ||
| 1973 | The Solid Gold Kidnapping | Julian Peck | Television film |
| Charley Varrick | Maynard Boyle | ||
| Hunter | David Hunter | ||
| More Joy in Heaven | Kip Caley | Television miniseries | |
| 1974 | The Questor Tapes | Geoffrey Darrow | Television film |
| Sweet Movie | Aristote Alplanalpe, a.k.a. M. Kapital | ||
| The Black Windmill | McKee | ||
| W | Arnie Felson | ||
| 1975 | Brannigan | Larkin | |
| The Swiss Family Robinson | Charles Forsythe | Television film | |
| 1976 | The Outlaw Josey Wales | Captain Fletcher | |
| Drum | Unknown | Scenes deleted | |
| 1977 | A Special Day | Emanuele, the husband of Antonietta | |
| The Uncanny | Pomero | Segment: "Hollywood 1936" | |
| Golden Rendezvous | Luis Carreras | ||
| 1978 | Angela | Ben Kincaid | |
| National Lampoon's Animal House | Dean Vernon Wormer | ||
| 1980 | It Rained All Night the Day I Left | Killian | |
| Fantastica | Jim McPherson | ||
| Herbie Goes Bananas | Prindle | ||
| 1981 | The Kinky Coaches and the Pom Pom Pussycats | Coach "Bulldog" Malone | |
| Heavy Metal | Prosecutor | Voice; segment: "Captain Sternn" | |
| 1982 | Airplane II: The Sequel | Dr. Stone | |
| 1983 | Curtains | Jonathan Stryker | |
| Chained Heat | Warden Bacman | ||
| 1984 | The Blood of Others | Charles | |
| Jungle Warriors | Vito Mastranga | ||
| Savage Streets | Principal Underwood | ||
| 1985 | Fraternity Vacation | Chief Ferret | |
| Doin' Time | Big Mac | ||
| 1986 | Rat Tales | Unknown | |
| 1987 | Terminal Exposure | Mr. Karrothers | |
| Ernest Goes to Camp | Sherman Krader | ||
| Blue Monkey | Roger Levering | ||
| 1988 | Dixie Lanes | Elmer Sinclair | |
| Killer Klowns from Outer Space | Curtis Mooney | ||
| Deadly Stranger | Mr. Mitchell | ||
| Two Men | Alex Koves | ||
| Office Party | Mayor | ||
| I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | Mr. Big | ||
| 1989 | Afghanistan - The Last War Bus (L'ultimo Bus Di Guerra) | Ken Ross | |
| Mob Story | Don "Luce" Luciano | ||
| 1990 | Object of Desire | Unknown | |
| 1992 | The Naked Truth | Von Bulo | |
| 1995 | Malicious | Detective Pronzini | |
| The Gnomes' Great Adventure | Omar / Master Ghost | Voice | |
| 2000 | Stageghost | Slim | |
| 2002 | Sorority Boys | Old Man | |
| Welcome to America | Detective Golding | ||
| 2003 | Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman | Rupert Thorne | Voice; direct-to-video |
| 2008 | Delgo | Nohrin Judge | Voice; posthumous release; final film role |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | The Marvel Super Heroes | Iron Man / Tony Stark[5] / Sub-Mariner / Prince Namor[5] / Major Glenn Talbot / Major Corey | Voice |
| 1966–1968 | Wojeck | Dr. Steve Wojeck | Main role |
| 1968 | Bonanza | Beaudry | Episode: "Yonder Man" |
| 1968–1974 | The F.B.I. | Mike Burton / Rudy Keppler / Michael Durgom / David Starret | 4 episodes |
| 1969–1972 | Mission: Impossible | Colonel Josef Strom / General Ramon Sabattini / Ramone Fuego / Norman Shields | 6 episodes |
| 1971 | Bearcats | Jason Ryker | Episode: "The Devil Wears Armor" |
| 1972–1975 | Cannon | Arthur Correll / Ward Trustin / Brad Calvert / Ross McClintock | 4 episodes |
| 1974 | Police Woman | Ed Cory | Episode: "The Cradle Robbers" |
| 1974–1975 | Kung Fu | General Cantrell / Forbes | 3 episodes |
| 1975 | Gunsmoke | Oliver Harker | Episode: "The Fires of Ignorance" |
| S.W.A.T. | Shannon | Episode: "Dealers in Death" | |
| The Invisible Man | Ernest Sheed | Episode: "Man of Influence" | |
| 1978 | Quincy, M.E. | Vincent DiNardi | Episode: "Requiem for the Living" |
| 1986 | Wildfire | Wildfire | Voice; 13 episodes |
| 1987 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Jordan | Episode: "Promises to Keep" |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Mr. Brenner | Episode: "Conversation Over a Corpse" | |
| 1988 | War of the Worlds | General Wilson | 3 episodes |
| 1990 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Sam McCauley | Episode: "The Undercover Nun Mystery" |
| 1991 | Dark Justice | Don Paolo | Episode: "Broken Toys" |
| 1992 | Dinosaurs | Mr. Ashland | Voice; episode: "Power Erupts" |
| The Ray Bradbury Theater | La Farge | Episode: "The Martian" | |
| Tales from the Crypt | Mr. Chalmers | Episode: "Seance" | |
| 1992–1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Rupert Thorne | Voice; 9 episodes |
| 1993 | SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron | Rex Shard | Voice; episode: "Chaos in Crystal" |
| 1993–1994 | Acapulco H.E.A.T. | Mr. Smith | 22 episodes |
| 1993–1995 | Renegade | Max Powers / Capt. Ed McKendrick | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | Fantastic Four | Doctor Doom | Voice; episode: "The Mask of Doom, Part 1" |
| 1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Clint Murdock / Max Slater | Episode: "Final Justice" |
| Pinky and the Brain | Admiral | Voice; episode: "Das Mouse" | |
| 1996 | Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm | Shao Kahn | Voice; 3 episodes |
| Spider-Man | Doctor Strange | Voice; episode: "Doctor Strange" | |
| 1996–1997 | The Incredible Hulk | General Ross | Voice; 14 episodes |
| 1997 | Duckman | Principal Dinkler | Voice; episode: "From Brad to Worse" |
| 1998 | Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain | Principal Cheevers / Principal | Voice; 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Pigs Next Door | Grand Porcinus | Voice; episode: "Hog Island"; uncredited |
| 2003–2005 | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | Dean Toadblatt | Voice; 3 episodes |
Video games[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Adventures of Batman & Robin | Rupert Thorne | |
| 2000 | Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 | Tesla trooper | |
| Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn | Goldander Blackenrock / Baron Ployer | ||
| Star Trek: Klingon Academy | Academy Communications Officer / Federation Commander 2 | ||
| 2001 | Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge | Unknown | |
| 2002 | Earth & Beyond | Proconsul Dionysius Kerr | |
| 2004 | Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel | Rhombus / Glowing Ghoul | |
| 2005 | Area 51 | Additional Voices |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bernstein, Adam (February 4, 2005). "Actor John Vernon, 72; 'Animal House' Dean". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved on April 20, 2013.
- ↑ Edenwold Anniversary Committee (1981). "Where Aspens Whisper: Edenwold". Edenwold Anniversary Committee.
- ↑ Toth, Cory. "The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan". Esask.uregina.ca. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017. Retrieved on May 3, 2017.
- ↑ Bernstein, Adam (February 4, 2005). "Actor John Vernon, 72". The Washington Post.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mallory, Michael (February 7, 2013). "Iron Man the First (and Cheapest)".
External links[]
- John Vernon at Wikipedia
- John Vernon at the Internet Movie Database
- John Vernon at Find a Grave