‘Dynasty’ and ‘Stranger Things’ Actor Dead After Cancer Battle: Mark Withers Was 77
Dynasty star Mark Withers has died. The 77-year-old actor, who portrayed Ted Dinard in the original ‘80s soap opera, died on Nov. 22 from pancreatic cancer, his daughter, Jessie Withers, told Variety. Withers appeared in six episodes of the first season of Dynasty back in 1981.
“He confronted his illness with the same strength and dignity he brought to his craft, creating a legacy of warmth, humor, and dedication, along with his remarkable ability to make every role unforgettable,” his daughter wrote. “Mark’s enduring talent and commitment to the industry will be fondly remembered by colleagues, friends, and fans alike.”
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Before acting, he played football at Penn State University on an NCAA scholarship. After being discovered by an agent, Withers starred in a national McDonald’s campaign, which began his acting career. In addition to the fast food chain, he also appeared in commercials for Folgers Coffee, Irish Spring, and American Airlines, among others.
In 1977, Withers landed his first role with the TV movie McNamara’s Band. The following year, he appeared in two episodes of How the West Was Won. Throughout the ‘70s, he also appeared in shows such as Wonder Woman, Kaz, and California Fever before eventually landing the role of Ted on Dynasty. While he only appeared in a handful of episodes, the role still remains one of his best-known.
Throughout his career, Mark Withers was also on Trapper John, M.D., Best of the West, Magnum P.I., The Dukes of Hazzard, Hill Street Blues, Divorce Court, Days of Our Lives, L.A. Law, Matlock, Frasier, The King of Queens, True Blood, and more. In 2016, Withers appeared on an episode of Stranger Things’ very first season and was on the second season of fellow Netflix series Sense8 in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, he had his final two roles in the films Bolden and The Creatures.
Via E! News, Withers previously looked back at his TV career on a podcast, saying, “I guess you could go for the million-dollar stuff. Me, I didn’t. I guess I would have liked to be a little more famous, but the reality is that when I look back on it, and I see all the wonderful people I worked with, I’m just, wow. I’m a pretty lucky actor, I really am.”
In addition to his daughter, Jessie, Withers is also survived by his wife, Haiyan Liu Withers. Donations are asked to be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
