Ron McLarty
American actor (1947–2020)
title: "Ron McLarty" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["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"] description: "American actor (1947–2020)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_McLarty" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American actor (1947–2020) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Ron McLarty |
| birth_name | Ronald William McLarty |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | East Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| death_date | |
| death_place | New York City, U.S. |
| education | Rhode Island College |
| occupation | Actor |
| Playwright | |
| Narrator | |
| Novelist | |
| years_active | 1971–2014 |
| spouse | |
| children | 3 |
| website | |
| :: |
| name = Ron McLarty | image = | imagesize = | birth_name = Ronald William McLarty | birth_date = | birth_place = East Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = New York City, U.S. | education = Rhode Island College | occupation = Actor Playwright Narrator Novelist | years_active = 1971–2014 | spouse = | children = 3 | website =
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". 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 narration 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 at 72 years old, having lived with dementia since 2014. He was survived by his wife, three sons, and seven grandchildren.
Novels
- Mislaid. Lulu Publishing Services, 2020, softcover , ebook
- The Dropper. New York: Random House, Books on Tape, 2009 (audiobook),
- The Dropper was scheduled to be released as a Trade Hardcover and Signed Limited Edition by Cemetery Dance Publications in Spring 2012.
- Art in America. New York: Viking Press, 2008,
- Traveler. New York: Viking Press, 2007,
- The Memory of Running. New York: Viking Press, 2004,
Filmography
Film
::data[format=table]
| 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
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree | Papa Bear/Narrator | 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
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Batman: Dark Tomorrow | Commissioner James Gordon | |
| :: |
Audiobooks
A partial list:
- McLarty and Cassidy also narrated books 2 and 3 in the John Puller series, The Forgotten and The Escape.
References
References
- MacDonald, Jay. [http://www.bookpage.com/0501bp/ron_mclarty.html "''Book Page'' feature and interview with McLarty"] {{webarchive. link. (2008-07-06 . Retrieved 2008-03-09.)
- Barnes, Mike. (February 10, 2020). "Ron McLarty, Actor on 'Spenser for Hire,' 'Cop Rock' and 'Law & Order,' Dies at 72".
- (2003-03-18). "Ron McLarty (visual voices guide) - Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors.
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