Charles Hallahan
Born	Charles John Hallahan (1943-07-29)July 29, 1943 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	November 25, 1997(1997-11-25) (aged 54) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Rutgers University–Camden ( BA) Temple University ( MFA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1972–1997
Spouses	Elizabeth Widmann ​ ​ ( m. 1970; div. 1974)​ Barbara Gryboski ​ ​ ( m. 1983)​
Children	2

Charles John Hallahan (July 29, 1943 – November 25, 1997) ^[1] was an American film, television, and stage actor. His films include Going in Style, and Nightwing (1979), The Thing (1982), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Vision Quest and Pale Rider (1985), Cast a Deadly Spell (1991), and Dante's Peak (1997). On television he appeared in The Rockford Files, Happy Days and Hawaii Five-O (all 1977), played Chet Wilke in Lou Grant (1979–1982), M* A* S* H and Hill Street Blues (1981), The Equalizer (1985), and as Capt. Charlie Devane in Hunter from 1986 to 1991.

Biography

Hallahan was born in Philadelphia ^[1] and grew up in Harrisburg and then Green Ridge, Delaware County. ^[2] He was a student at St. James High School in Chester, leaving in 1961. ^[2] He attended Rutgers University-Camden, ^[1] graduating with a BA degree in 1968. ^[2] He then continued for a masters degree earning an MFA from Temple University in 1971. ^{[3] [2]}

He served three years in the US Navy in the early 1960s, ^[2] including time as a Navy hospital corpsman. ^[2] He moved to Los Angeles in 1977. ^[1]

Career

Hallalhan was a member of the American Conservatory Theater and appeared in many productions there such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Equus, and The Threepenny Opera. ^[3] In 1977, Hallahan was a founding member of The Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles. ^[3] performing in plays like Endgame (play) and The Seagull, ^[3] and Robert Schenkkan's play, The Kentucky Cycle. ^[2]

On screen, Hallahan has played Chet Wilke in Lou Grant (1979–1982). ^[1] In 1982, he portrayed geologist Vance Norris in the remake of The Thing alongside Kurt Russell. ^[3] He starred as LAPD Captain Charlie Devane on Hunter. ^[1] He portrayed the nameless "Coach" in Vision Quest, opposite Matthew Modine. ^[1] Hallahan also co-starred as a regular cast member in two popular television series, Grace Under Fire ^[2] and the long-running The Paper Chase. ^[3]

One of his final film roles--and arguably among his best remembered--was his portrayal of volcanologist Dr. Paul Dreyfus in the 1997 disaster-thriller film Dante's Peak, which also starred Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton. ^[1] His final screen turn--and his lone big-screen leading role--was as corrupt Los Angeles homicide detective Jack Stillman in the 2001 independent Hitchcockian noir-thriller Mind Rage, a film eventually released, posthumously, four years after his untimely death. In 1997, Hallahan was cast as Liam Bilby for the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode " Honor Among Thieves", but was replaced after having passed away.

Death

On November 25, 1997, he died of an apparent heart attack while driving his car in Los Angeles. ^[3] He left behind his wife, Barbara; two sons, Seamus and Liam; and four brothers, Michael, Kenneth, Lawrence and Thomas. ^[3] His brother, Fr. Kenneth Hallahan, was a Roman Catholic priest in Camden, New Jersey. He was predeceased by his sister, Regina Macrina, an educator from Collingswood, New Jersey. ^[2]

Filmography

Film

Television series appearances

See also

• Back Stage West Garland Awards, first annual awards dedicated honor to Hallahan

References

External links

• Charles Hallahan at IMDb