John Deyle, who appeared in “Annie” and three other Broadway musicals and was the inept Mr. Science during the first season of “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” died June 22. He was 68.
His wife, Rebecca Paller, said that Deyle died at his home in Mount Kisco, New York, after a battle with esophageal cancer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Deyle attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Deadline reported.
John Deyle, Actor in ‘Annie,’ ‘Camelot’ and ‘Urinetown’ on Broadway, Dies at 68 https://t.co/9BTPLSvMkP
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) July 7, 2023
Deyle said he was auditioning for a role in the musical adaptation of “I Remember Mama” in 1978. That is when lyricist Martin Charnin told him that he was “all wrong for this show, but we could use you in ‘Annie,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
As a member of the third-year cast of “Annie,” which starred Sarah Jessica Parker in the title role, Deyle debuted in March 1979 and played the roles of Louis Howe, Fred McCracken, and Bert Healy, Deadline reported.
His other Broadway credits include roles in the 1980 revival of “Camelot,” “Footloose” (1998) and “Urinetown” (2001), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Deyle appeared in more than 100 television commercials, hawking products from Skippy Peanut Butter and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese to Just for Men Hair Color, Deadline reported.
In addition to his role as Mr. Science during O’Brien’s inaugural “Late Night” season in 1993, Deyle appeared on “Law and Order” and “Law and Order: SVU.” He also had roles on afternoon soap operas such as “One Life to Live” and “All My Children,” the entertainment news website reported.
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