Steve Ryan, Broadway & TV Actor, Dies at 55

Steve Ryan, well-known character actor, died September 3 in Duarte, California, after a long illness.  He was 55 years old. Ryan was a ubiquitous face on primetime television, with some of his most notable roles in recent years including Secretary of Defense Hutchinson on NBC's "The West Wing", and J. Walter Weatherman on Fox's "Arrested Development".

Born in Manhattan, Ryan started his career in theatre, playing major roles at Williamstown Theatre Festival, Yale Repertory, Milwaukee Repertory, Hartford Stage and the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival and moved on to several Broadway and off-Broadway productions including The Iceman Cometh, Guys and Dolls, On The Waterfront and I'm Not Rappaport.

His television work was prodigious and showcased his natural abilities for both drama and comedy, including series regular roles on "Daddio" and "Crime Story", and numerous guest appearances including "Boston Legal", "Six Feet Under", "The George Lopez Show", "American Dreams", "Will & Grace", "Oz", "Law and Order", "CSI" and "Without A Trace".

He is survived by his wife and two daughters. A memorial service will be held on September 15 at 10AM at First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA.   Donations can be made to City of Hope, 1500 E. Duarte Rd, Attn: Biller Center – Machris 1111, Duarte, CA 91010 (please note "Biller Center / Steve Ryan Memorial" on your donation) or online at www.cityofhope.org/billercenter