John Beasley's son confirmed the heartbreaking news through his social media in a tributary post
John Beasley, an actor best known for his work on the television series The Soul Man and Everwood as well as for the number of iconic roles in films, has passed away. He was 79.
The news was verified on Tuesday by Mike Beasley, the veteran actor's son, who paid moving homage to his deceased father in a moving Facebook post.
"Man...you know this is a part of life...but that doesn't make it any easier," Mike wrote. "I lost my best friend today. They say you shouldn't ever meet your heroes because they don't turn out to be who you thought they were. That is so wrong. My hero was my father."
"Thank you for everything. I hope I made you proud. Love you more," he added, alongside a photo of himself with his arm around his smiling father's shoulders.
John, who was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 26, 1943, started acting professionally in his 40s. In 1989, he received his first acting credit, and from that point on, he routinely worked in film and television.
His most notable performance was as Irv Harper in the 2002–2004 television family drama Everwood. He also played a significant part in the 2012–2016 sitcom The Soul Man, starring Cedric the Entertainer.