John Lawlor, ‘Phyllis’ & ‘The Facts of Life’ Actor, Dies at 83
Veteran actor John Lawlor, who starred in the CBS sitcom Phyllis and the NBC comedy The Facts of Life, has died. He was 83.
Lawlor’s passing was confirmed by his family in his Syracuse.com obituary, which noted he “passed away peacefully Feb. 13, 2025 at the Albuquerque veterans hospice facility with his daughter, Riel, by his side.”
Born on June 5, 1941, in Troy, New York, Lawlor was raised in Boulder, Colorado, where he graduated from the University of Colorado and was a member of the Nomad Players, acting in Sweeney Todd and other stage productions.
He went on to serve in the U.S. Army in Vietnam before making his first on-screen appearances on 1975 episodes of The Rockford Files and Ellery Queen. He also played a deputy in Jackson County Jail (1976).
Lawlor is best known for playing Supervisor Leonard Marsh on the hit television series Phyllis from 1976 to 1977 and later Headmaster Steven Bradley on The Facts of Life from 1979 to 1980.
Charlotte Rae, John Lawlor, Facts of Life; Everett Collection
His other credits include guest spots on L.A Law, Knots Landing, T.J. Hooker, Mr. Belvedere, Breaking Bad, and Longmire. He also appeared on the big screen in films such as National Lampoon’s Movie Madness (1982), S.O.B. (1981), Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977), The Gumball Rally (1976), Wyatt Earp (1994) and Mr. Fixit (1988).
Lawlow also appeared in a 1980s commercial for a Malt-O-Meal cereal, where he became known for the catchphrase, “Good stuff, Maynard.”
More recently, Lawlor appeared in four episodes of the 2017 Netflix miniseries Godless, playing Elmer Knowland.
“John will be remembered for his great love and affection for his family, his work and enjoyment of theater, television, movies, literature, and of course, his beloved horses,” his family wrote in his obit.
He is survived by his five children, two brothers, three grandchildren, a nephew and two nieces.
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