Jon Cypher, who starred in the first TV version of Cinderella, as well as Hill Street Blues and Major Dad, has died.
Cypher died on Aug. 3, according to the longtime screen and stage actor’s obituary in Oregon’s Ashland News.
Cypher’s turn opposite Julie Andrews’ title character in the 1957 CBS production of Cinderella marked the first time the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical was broadcast on live television.
On the NBC police procedural Hill Street Blues, Cypher starred as Chief Fletcher Daniels in a recurring role over 73 episodes from 1981 to 1987. He also starred as Gen. Marcus C. Craig opposite Gerald McRaney’s Maj. John D. MacGillis in the hit CBS sitcom Major Dad, appearing in 69 episodes through Seasons 2, 3 and 4 from 1990 to 1993.
On film, Cypher starred as Man-at-Arms in the 1987 version of Mattel toy franchise-turned-feature film Masters of the Universe. His other major film credits include the 1989 Tobe Hooper horror film Spontaneous Combustion and the 1991 comedy romance Strictly Business.
Cypher compiled more than 90 screen roles in film and television throughout his career. Following his TV debut in Cinderella, the actor starred as Driscoll, one of the lead roles of the NBC daytime drama Our Five Daughters. Cypher appeared in 160 episodes of the soap opera, which ran for one season in 1962.
The actor’s other daytime dramas included a guest role in three episodes of CBS’ As the World Turns in 1978 and 1979. He also starred as Max Van Stadt in 24 episodes of ABC’s General Hospital in 1981, and as Dr. Arthur Donnelly in 57 episodes of the NBC soap Santa Barbara in 1988 and 1989.
Cypher played Jeff Munson in 11 episodes of the CBS hit Knots Landing in Season 4 of the series in 1982 and 1983; and played Dirk Maurier in 10 episodes in Seasons 4 and 7 of the ABC hit Dynasty in 1983, 1984 and 1987.
Cypher starred in dozens of guest roles on TV, appearing in such series as Flipper, Mission: Impossible, Bonanza, Mannix, The Doris Day Show, The Rookies, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Rockford Files, Dallas, Trapper John, M.D., Tour of Duty, B.L. Stryker, The Commish, Walker, Texas Ranger, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, RoboCop and Law & Order.
He also starred as Capt. Paul Beaulieu, the stepfather of Elvis Presley’s (Dale Midkiff) wife, Priscella Beaulieu (Susan Walters), in the 1988 ABC miniseries Elvis and Me.
Appropriately, Cypher’s last screen appearance was as The Prince/Himself in PBS’ Great Performances highlighting Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Jon Cypher Preferred Stage Over Screen
In addition to his screen roles, Cypher, according to his obituary, appeared in 12 Broadway productions, playing such characters as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and Juan Perón in Evita.
In a 1994 interview with the website for the Ashland Theater in Oregon, Cypher explained why his heart was with the stage.
“That’s where the passion is. In the theater, the curtain goes up, you’re on stage, and you’ve got to do it. I got to play Thomas Jefferson on Broadway in a musical called 1776,” Cypher told the Ashland Theater. “Out there, there were 2,000 people, and there’s that interaction of that audience. In a movie, you don’t have that. It can be great, great interaction with you and the other actor, a great scene together — it’s wonderful: ‘Oh my god, I forgot the camera was there.’ But there are no people. It’s being at risk. There’s really no present risk in film today.”
In addition to his acting work, Cypher also authored the 2019 book If You’re Not Depressed You Oughta Be in Therapy, which contains 99 limericks.