Bryan O'Byrne

Bryan O'Byrne was an American character actor and acting coach. Born in Plattsburgh, New York, he served in the United States Army and worked as an elementary school teacher before moving to New York City to pursue acting. In the late 1950s he starred on Broadway in Duel of Angels opposite Vivien Leigh, and he studied acting with Stella Adler and dance with Martha Graham. After moving to Los Angeles, he appeared in numerous film and television roles and in more than 200 commercials. His television roles included Ned Carlin on The Virginian in 1962, Hodgkins on Get Smart, the school principal in Batman, and Mr. Beasley in Blondie. He also appeared in films such as The Million Dollar Duck (1971), Love at First Bite (1979), Marnie, and The Shakiest Gun in the West. As a teacher, he coached early actors and was credited with launching Nick Nolte's career, casting him in William Inge's The Last Pad.