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Prevalent T.V. actor John Wesley has unfortunately passed over the weekend.
According to CNN, he died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California. His manager Gerry Pass explained that Wesley’s final days came after a long struggle with multiple myeloma, a cancer that forms in white blood cells. He was 72 years old.
Wesley is known for appearing in various T.V. shows including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where he played Dr. Hoover. He also appeared in another beloved 1990s sitcom, Martin, as Mr. Jim. Other credits include Benson, The Jeffersons, NCIS, Moving, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot and Medium.
“John Wesley was a gift to the world, for his kindness and grace are immortalized in his works of theatre, TV, and film,” Pass said in a statement. “I am heartbroken to have lost a dear friend today.”
According to Entertainment Weekly, Wesley demonstrated his theater talents at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles where he starred in plays like Wild Oats and Arthur Miller‘s An American Clock. He also showcased his skills at the Old Globe Theatre in London in Toys in the Attic by Lillian Hellman.
Wesley originally hailed from Louisiana and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at the University of San Diego. He then earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego, according to CNN.
Wesley also served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. However, he couldn’t escape his passion for acting and he secured his first credited role playing a police officer on My Three Sons in 1963. A successful career in television followed, including work with actors like Denzel Washington, Barbara Streisand, Morgan Freeman, Tim Burton and James Earl Jones.
In an interview with Indie Activity, Wesley said he cherished playing many memorable roles such as activist Torro Chombe in The Atlanta Child Murders mini-series and Vic Glendon on the series In the Heat of the Night.
“Another memorable character was ‘Sweets Walker leader of his quintet from the series Dirty Dancing,” Wesley said. “This character was created to tell the civil rights story of the 60’s. Too bad the series ended after one season.”
Wesley’s most recent endeavor was the short film Second Acts, which was co-written by Pass.
He is survived by his wife Jenny Houston, their daughters, his stepson as well as his mother and grandchildren.
