Ron Harper Dies; Journeyman Actor From ‘Generations,’ ‘Another World’ Was 91

Ron Harper, whose career in TV spanned several decades with roles in Generations, Planet of the Apes, Land of the Lost and Another World, died March 21 of natural causes in West Hills, CA. He was 91.

His death was confirmed by his daughter, Nicole Longeuay, to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Pennsylvania-born actor studies at Princeton and served in the U.S. Navy before returning to New York City to serve as Paul Newman’s understudy in Sweet Bird of Youth on Broadway. He later moved to Los Angeles to kick off a career in television, starting with a 1960 role in NBC’s Tales of Wells Fargo before booking spots in shows like Wagon Train, Shotgun Slade and 87th Precinct, in which he played Det. Bert Kling for multiple episodes.

Other regular gigs on the small screen included a run on Garrison’s Gorillas, as well as Where the Heart Is and Planet of the Apes.

He also found success in daytime dramas. In 1980, he was cast as Taylor Holloway on Another World; three years later, he joined Loving as Charles Hartman. In 1990, he joined Generations as Peter Whitmore.

His more recent credits include Pearl Harbor and playing a chairman in The West Wing.