Ron McLarty
Ron McLarty | |
---|---|
Born | Ronald William McLarty April 26, 1947 |
Died | February 8, 2020 New York City, U.S. | (aged 72)
Education | Rhode Island College |
Occupation(s) | Actor Playwright Narrator Novelist |
Years active | 1971–2014 |
Spouses |
|
Children | 3 |
Website | ronmclarty |
Ronald William McLarty (April 26, 1947 – February 8, 2020) was an American actor, playwright, and novelist. He also worked as an audiobook narrator, in which role he recorded over 100 titles and received many Audie Awards.
McLarty appeared in numerous television series, films and stage productions. He also wrote dozens of plays and 10 novels, notably The Memory of Running (2004).
Career
McLarty began his career in theatre during the early 1970s with one of his earliest professional performances being the role of Lucky in Michael Weller's Moonchildren for the play's American premiere at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. in November 1971. McLarty continued with the production when it moved to Broadway in 1972.
McLarty also co-starred on Spenser: For Hire, as Boston homicide detective Sgt. Frank Belson.
Although he enjoyed a successful career as an actor, he had not had much luck finding a publisher for his novel The Memory of Running, until Stephen King happened upon an audiobook version, narrated by McLarty, and praised it as "the best book you can't read".[1] This led to the book's publication by Viking Press, and its rapid rise to bestseller status. McLarty was an accomplished narrator: besides Running, he provided the narrative for a number of audiobooks, including Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the unabridged audiobook Decision Points by George W. Bush (the abridged version is narrated by the former president himself).
A graduate of Rhode Island College, class of 1969, McLarty was commencement speaker and received a Doctor of Humanities degree from RIC in 2007.
Death
McLarty died on February 8, 2020, having lived with dementia since 2014.[2]
Novels
- Mislaid. Lulu Publishing Services, 2020, softcover ISBN 978-1-6847-1801-6, ebook ISBN 978-1-7169-1557-4
- The Dropper. New York: Random House, Books on Tape, 2009 (audiobook), ISBN 0-307-70459-9
- The Dropper was scheduled to be released as a Trade Hardcover and Signed Limited Edition by Cemetery Dance Publications in Spring 2012. ISBN 978-1-58767-275-0
- Art in America. New York: Viking Press, 2008, ISBN 0-670-01895-3
- Traveler. New York: Viking Press, 2007, ISBN 0-670-03474-6
- The Memory of Running. New York: Viking Press, 2004, ISBN 0-670-03363-4
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1977 | The Sentinel | Real Estate Agent | |
1978 | Bloodbrothers | Mac | |
1982 | Vigilante | Doctor | Uncredited |
1983 | Touched | George | |
1983 | Daniel | Prison Guard | |
1983 | Enormous Changes at the Last Minute | John Raferty | |
1984 | The Flamingo Kid | Pat McCarty | |
1986 | Heartburn | Detective O'Brien | |
1989 | The Feud | Dolf Beeler | |
1995 | Two Bits | Irish Man | |
1997 | The Postman | Old George | |
2010 | How Do You Know | George's Lawyer | |
2014 | St. Vincent | Principal O'Brien | (final film role) |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1979 | The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree | Papa Bear | Voice, Television specials |
1980 | The Berenstain Bears Meet Bigpaw | ||
1981 | The Berenstain Bears' Easter Surprise | ||
1982 | The Berenstain Bears' Comic Valentine | ||
1983 | The Berenstain Bears Play Ball | ||
1983 | Tiger Town | Buddy | TV movie |
1985–1988 | Spenser: For Hire | Sgt. Frank Belson | 65 episodes |
1987 | The Father Clements Story | O'Hare | TV movie |
1990 | Cop Rock | Detective Lieutenant Ralph Ruskin | 12 episodes |
1991 | A Little Piece of Heaven | Agent Mr. Jack Daniels | TV movie |
1991–2008 | Law & Order | Scoler/Judge William Wright | 7 episodes |
1996 | Champs | Coach Harris | 12 episodes |
2000 | Sex and the City | Dr. Talley | Episode: "Hot Child In The City" |
2000–2002 | Courage the Cowardly Dog | The General / Police / Additional voices | Voice, 39 episodes |
2005 | Law & Order: Trial by Jury | Judge William Wright | Episode: "Truth or Consequences" |
2005 | Trump Unauthorized | Fred Trump | TV movie |
2005 | Into The Fire | Walter Hartwig, Sr. | TV movie |
2006 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Judge Joseph Malloy | Episode: "Infected" |
2008 | The Return of Jezebel James | Ronald Tompkins | 7 episodes (3 aired episodes) |
2013 | Person of Interest | Lou Mitchell | Episode: "All In" |
Videogames
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Batman: Dark Tomorrow | Commissioner James Gordon[3] |
Audiobooks
A partial list:
Title | Author | Un-/Abridged | Read by | Published |
The Memory of Running | Ron McLarty | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2004-01-16 |
Zero Day | David Baldacci | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty, Orlagh Cassidy* | 2011-04-11 |
Brian's Hunt | Gary Paulsen | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2003-12-23 |
The Gift | Danielle Steel | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2012-07-20 |
'Salem's Lot | Stephen King | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2008-02-05 |
Blaze | Stephen King | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2008-01-22 |
Valhalla Rising: A Dirk Pitt Adventure | Clive Cussler | ABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2001-08-13 |
The Great Brain | John D. Fitzgerald | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2002-05-28 |
Miracles and Massacres | Glenn Beck | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2013-11 |
Decision Points | George W. Bush | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty | 2010-11-08 |
The Longest Ride | Nicholas Sparks | UNABRIDGED | Ron McLarty, January LaVoy | 2013-09-17 |
- McLarty and Cassidy also narrated books 2 and 3 in the John Puller series, The Forgotten and The Escape.
References
- ^ MacDonald, Jay. "Book Page feature and interview with McLarty" Archived 2008-07-06 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
- ^ Barnes, Mike (February 10, 2020). "Ron McLarty, Actor on 'Spenser for Hire,' 'Cop Rock' and 'Law & Order,' Dies at 72". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ "Ron McLarty (visual voices guide) - Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. 2003-03-18. Retrieved 2019-04-17. Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources.
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External links
- Ron McLarty at IMDb
- 1947 births
- 2020 deaths
- 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
- 20th-century American male writers
- 21st-century American dramatists and playwrights
- 21st-century American male writers
- 21st-century American novelists
- Male actors from Providence, Rhode Island
- American male dramatists and playwrights
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male video game actors
- American male voice actors
- American male novelists
- Audiobook narrators
- Deaths from dementia in New York (state)
- Rhode Island College alumni
- Writers from Providence, Rhode Island