Richard Dysart

American actor Richard Dysart has been portraying sandy-haired, distinguished corporate types for nigh onto thirty years. Several seasons of stage and TV work were followed by supporting authority-figure roles in such films as The Hospital (1971), The Crazy World of Julius Vrooder (1974) (as the title character's dad), Meteor (1978) (the Secretary of Defense) and Being There (1979) (the doctor of politico Melvyn Douglas). TV-movie credits for Dysart include The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1973), The People vs. Jean Harris (1980), Last Days of Patton (1985), the Hedda Hopper/Louella Parsons biopic Malice in Wonderland (1988), and the made-for-cable Marilyn and Bobby: Her Final Affair (1993). In 1986, Richard Dysart gained nationwide TV fame as senior law partner Leland McKenzie on the NBC weekly LA Law. - Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide