John Lasell dead at 95: Actor appeared in ‘Dark Shadows’ and ‘The Twilight Zone’

As well as appearing in an episode of Dallas in 1984, John Lasell regularly appeared in the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows and played the part of a vampire hunter called Dr. Peter Guthrie. He also starred in Perry Mason in 1966 and played the role of John Wilkes Booth in an episode of The Twilight Zone in 1961. 

John Lasell’s son Peter Lasell paid tribute to him on Instagram and said: “My dad, John Lasell, 95, passed away this morning. He was an actor, model maker & avid devotee of Shakespeare. He will be missed. If you knew him, get in touch.”

Following Peter Lasell’s tribute to his father John Lasell, many fans responded to him by offering their condolences. Voice actor and writer Bryan Cain said: “We just saw your Dad on Alfred Hitcock’s Topaz. Great actor. Our deepest condolences to you and your family,” whilst a fan said: “My deepest condolences. I’ve been re-watching my favorite episodes with your father as Dr. Guthrie on Dark Shadows.” Peter Lasell responded and said: “I’ve been watching those episodes too, the seance is so good.”

Deadline reported that as well as Dallas, John Lasell’s other TV appearances included “Falcon Crest, Lassie, Mannix, The Streets of San Francisco, The Mod Squad, Mission: Impossible (in 1972) and Gunsmoke. He was also in two episodes of Wagon Train and four episodes of the Emmy-winning show The Fugitive. 

“While Lasell mainly worked in television, he had several film credits, including a role as Helen Keller’s father in 1970’s Helen Keller and Her Teacher.”

John Lasell was married three times, and one of his wives was Patricia Smith, his co-star on The Twilight Zone and Helen Keller and Her Teacher.