John Lawlor

Fans of the long-running, girls'-school sitcom "The Facts of Life" will remember that the first season featured a gigantic cast, including school headmaster Steven Bradley. Veteran actor John Lawlor played that role for 13 episodes before he was cut from the show. (Lawlor also auditioned for the barely there McLean Stevenson sitcom "Hello, Larry," so his stint likely would have been abrupt regardless of where he landed.) Despite the dismissal, Lawlor has carved out a busy career, appearing in dozens of movies and television shows, including a season on the "Mary Tyler Moore" spinoff "Phyllis." In 2010, Lawlor landed a recurring role on the short-lived con-artist family drama "Scoundrels," which starred Oscar-nominee Virginia Madsen and "JAG" dreamboat David James Elliott. Lawlor has also worked as an assistant director on a number of high-profile movies, including the fantasy adventures "Highlander" and John Boorman's "Excalibur." John Lawlor died on February 13, 2025 in Albuquerque, NM at the age of 83.