Scott Hylands: Difference between revisions

| years_active = 1969–present1965–present

'''Scott Hylands''' (born 1943), born '''Scott Hylands Douglas''',<ref name="Roy Shields 1965, p. 31">{{cite news | first=Roy | last=Shields. | title=B.C. to B'Way-- In a Hurry | newspaper=Toronto Star | date=10 April 10, 1965 | page=31}}</ref>, is a Canadian actor who has appeared in movies, on television, and on the stage. Due to his longevity and versatility, critics have called him "one of Canada's greatest actors."<ref name="Adrian Chamberlain 2006">{{cite news | first=Adrian | last=Chamberlain | title=Milk Wood Memories | location=Victoria B.C. | newspaper=[[Times- Colonist]] | date=23 February 23, 2006 | page=D7}}</ref>

Hylands was born in 1943 in [[Vancouver]]Lethbridge, [[British ColumbiaAlberta]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Rudy | last=Haugeneder. | "title=Massive Fire Climax of Movie." ''| newspaper=Lethbridge (Herald | location=Alberta) Herald'',| date=15 July 1972, p.| page=14.}}</ref> His mother, Ruth ({{nee}} White) Douglas (1913-2005), was a public health nurse, later a mathematics teacher, and his father, Walter Norman Douglas, diedwas killed in action in 1945 during [[World War II]].<ref name="Roy Shields 1965, p. 31"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2107506 |title=Flight Lieutenant Walter Norman Douglas |website=veterans.gc.ca |date=20 February 2019 |access-date=14 July 2023}}</ref> He was raised and educated in Vancouversouthwest [[British Columbia]], where he attended [[Shawnigan Lake School|Shawnigan Lake Boys School]];<ref>{{cite news | first=Adrian | last=Chamberlain. "| title=Dickens Classic a One-Man Show", ''[[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria newspaper=[[Times- Colonist]]'', December| location=Victoria | date=10, December 2009, pg.| page=D8.}}</ref> heon [[Vancouver Island]]. He then attended the [[University of British Columbia]] in [[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]] and graduated in 1964.<ref>{{cite news | first=Scott | last=Hylands. "| title=Readers Pay Tribute to Vancouver Playhouse", ''| newspaper=[[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver Sun]]'', March| date= 19, March 2012, pg.| page=A10.}}</ref> Hylands at firstinitially studied [[zoology]], but when the university began a [[theater arts]] major, he transferred into that program.<ref>{{cite news | first=Ray | last=Conlogue. "| title=This Macho Man Has Many Faces", ''| location=Toronto | newspaper=Globe & Mail'', June| date=26, June 1982, pg.| page=E3.}}</ref>

Upon graduation, he left Canada to pursue an acting career in [[New York City]], where his first role was as the lead in an off-Broadway production of the comedy ''[[Billy Liar]].''<ref>{{cite news | first=Carol | last=Gault. "| title=Night Heat Gives Hylands the Right Slot", ''| location=Toronto | newspaper=Globe & Mail'', April| date=19, April 1986, pg.| page=7.}}</ref>

After that 1965 debut role, he spent several years in San Francisco, acting with the American Conservatory Theater. Then, in 1968, he was asked by Canadian-American Hollywood film director [[Mark Robson (film director)|Mark Robson]] to audition for a movie role.<ref>{{cite news | first=Marci | last=MacDonald. "| title=How Scott Hylands Became a Matinee Idol Without a Suit", ''| newspaper=Toronto Star'', December| date= 7, December 1968, pg.| page=69.}}</ref> His first moviefilm appearance was in the 1969 suspense film ''[[Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969 film)|Daddy's Gone A-Hunting]].''. He got good reviews, but his movie debut was overshadowed by another film that came out at the same time:, ''[[Midnight Cowboy]].''<ref>{{cite news | first=Jim | last=Bawden. "| title=Night Heat", ''| newspaper=Toronto Star'', March| date=24, March 1985, pg.| page=G1.}}</ref>

In August 1975, Hylands appeared onstage as Mercutio in the Los Angeles Free Shakespeare Society production of ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' at the [[John Anson Ford Amphitheatre|Theater, known at the time as [[The Pilgrimage Theatre]], in the [[Cahuenga Pass]].<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/71711012/ ''Progress Bulletin'' from Pomona California, July 20, July 1975, pg. 25]. Accessed February 5, February 2018.</ref> He won some critical praise, both for his acting skill and for his good looks.<ref>Helen Bullock. "Acting is for the Hardy", ''Toronto Star'', 22 June 22, 1982, pg. F1.</ref>

While he did not become a household name, he worked regularly, appearing in a number of movies, as well as in some American television shows. Among the TV shows in which he acted were ''[[Cannon (TV series)|Cannon]]'', ''[[The Waltons]]'', ''[[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]'', ''[[Baretta]]'', and ''[[Ironside (1967 TV series)|Ironside]]''.<ref name="Michael D. Reid 2015">Michael D. Reid. "Actor Exults in Beckett's Booby-Traps", ''[[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria Times-Colonist]]''. 13 March 13, 2015, pg. C12.</ref>

On American TVtelevision, he became well known for playing tough guy characters and villains: as he noted in an interview, if an actor is not the leading man, he generally plays a "heavy."<ref>Carol Gault. "Night Heat Gives Hylands the Right Slot", ''Toronto Globe & Mail'', 19 April 19, 1986, pg. 7.</ref>

In the early 1980s, Hylands returned to Canada.<ref>{{cite news | first=Adrian | last=Chamberlain. ''| title= Scott Hylands news| newspaper=[[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria Times-Colonist]]'', January| date=21, January 1994, pg.| page=1.}}</ref> He got an opportunity to play a good guy, Detective Kevin "O.B." O'Brien on the television series ''[[Night Heat]]'',<ref name="NewhouseMessaline1999">{{cite book|last1=Newhouse|first1=Miriam|last2=Messaline|first2=Peter|title=The Actor's Survival Kit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F1bXo_VQYY4C&pg=PA29|accessdate=4 July 4, 2012|date=1999-02-01|publisher=Dundurn Press Ltd.|isbn=9780889242784|pages=29–}}</ref> a police drama, produced in Toronto; it aired on both Canadian (CTV) and American (CBS) TV, from 1985 to 1989. This was his first television starring role.<ref>Diane Smith. "Great Scott." ''Toronto Star'', 29 March 29, 1986, pg. S4.</ref>

He was seen on numerous other programs, including the 1992 TV movie ''[[To Catch a Killer (1992 film)|To Catch a Killer]]'', a 1995 episode of the hit cop drama ''[[NYPD Blue]]'', and on four episodes of the remade version of ''[[The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'' from 1996 to 2001.<ref>Eirik Knutzen. "TV Talkback", ''Toronto Star'', April 20, 2002, pg. S8.</ref> He also returned to the Canadian stage, playing leading roles in such productions as ''[[Waiting for Godot]]'' (2015), and ''[[The Tempest]]'' (1994), among others. He produced and directed a 2008 version of ''Waiting for Godot'', and performed in a solo version of ''[[A Christmas Carol]]''. In addition, he directed, as well as performed in, a 2006 production of ''[[Under Milk Wood]]'' that was staged in Victoria BC.<ref name="Adrian Chamberlain 2006"/> In 2021, at age 78, he expressed no interest in retiring, and continued to be involved with theater until sidelined by health issues.<ref>Michael D. Reid. "Actor Exults in Beckett's Booby-Traps", ''[[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria Times-Colonist]]'', 13 March 13, 2015, pg. C12.</ref>

In 2021, shortly before his daughter's wedding, the actor was diagnosed with [[acute myeloid leukemia]]. A [[GoFundMe]] account was set up by his wife to help pay for the well-regarded but expensive medication, [[Venclexta]], needed for Hylands' chemotherapy treatment.<ref>[{{cite news | url=https://torontosun.com/news/national/gofundme-to-help-beloved-canadian-actor-scott-hylands | title=GoFundMe set up to help beloved Canadian actor Scott Hylands], torontosun.com.| Accessednewspaper=Toronto JulySun 12,| first=Liz | last=Braun | date=22 November 2021 | accessdate=1 August 2023.}}</ref>

* ''[[Becoming Redwood]]'' (2012) – Earl

* [http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=8479 Scott Hylands profile] (Aveleyman)