Jason Bernard (born Ronald Carl Johnson, May 17, 1938 – October 16, 1996) was an American actor.
Life and career Bernard was born on May 17, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois. His first starring role was in the pilot episode of the television series The White Shadow as Jim Willis. His other well-known roles are in the television series Cagney & Lacey as Inspector Marquette from 1982 to 1983, Days of Our Lives as Preston Wade in 1982, and a recurring role in the first season of Night Court as Judge Stone's arrogant rival Judge Willard.
His largest role came in the 1983 NBC miniseries V as Caleb Taylor. Bernard reprised his role in the 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle. In the 1990s Fox comedy series Herman's Head, he played Herman's boss, Mr. Paul Bracken. He appeared in the video games Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger and Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom as Captain William Eisen.
Bernard's first role in a feature film was a cameo in the Charles Bronson film Death Wish, and his first major role was in the 1974 movie Thomasine & Bushrod. He later appeared in Car Wash, WarGames, No Way Out, While You Were Sleeping, and Blue Thunder.
Bernard made many guest appearances on a variety of television shows, including Starsky & Hutch; Flamingo Road; The Jeffersons; The Flash; Murder, She Wrote; Wiseguy and Partners. He also appeared, as the chief security guard, in The Dukes of Hazzard episode "The Dukes in Hollywood".
He played the blind musician Tyrone Wattell in the film All of Me. Bernard's final appearance was in the 1997 film Liar Liar as Judge Marshall Stevens.
Death Shortly after the filming of Liar Liar was completed, Bernard suffered a heart attack on October 16, 1996. He had been driving his car in Burbank, California, when he was stricken, and was involved in a rear-end collision. Bernard was rushed to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank where he was pronounced dead at the age of 58. He was survived by his wife Debra and son Jason Jr. His body was cremated. Both Suddenly and Liar Liar were dedicated in memory of him.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1974Thomasine & BushrodSeldon1975Friday FosterCharles Foley1976Car WashLonnie's Parole Officer1978ComaSurgical ResidentsUncredited1978Uncle Joe ShannonGoose1982Fast Times at Ridgemont HighGym TeacherUncredited1983Blue ThunderMayor1983WarGamesCaptain Knewt1983The Star ChamberJudge Bocho1984All of MeTyrone Wattell1987No Way OutMajor Donovan1988BirdBenny Tate1989Paint It BlackLt. Wilder1992A Few Good Men The Military Judge 1995While You Were SleepingJerry Wallace1997Liar LiarJudge Marshall StevensPosthumous release
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1965Days of Our LivesPreston Wade1969The Bold Ones: The New DoctorsDr. GriffithEpisode: "To Save a Life"1969Then Came BronsonReverend TaylorEpisode: "A Long Trip to Yesterday"1969–1972Medical CenterResident2 episodes1972The Longest NightFBI AgentTelevision film; uncredited1975Movin' OnCabeEpisode: "...To Be in Carolina"1976Starsky and HutchR.C. TurnerEpisode: "Silence"1976The Blue KnightDet. Bosco2 episodes1976Marcus Welby, M.D.Dr. Hal MendozaEpisode: "Vanity Case"1976SwitchCapt. DellingerEpisode: "Fleece of Snow"1977DelvecchioSgt. OgdenEpisode: "Bad Shoot"1977Most WantedWashburnEpisode: "The Dutchman"1977WilmaCoach TempleTelevision film1978The White ShadowJim WillisEpisode: "Pilot"1978A Woman Called MosesDaddy Ben Ross2 episodes1980The Righteous ApplesDr. WilsonEpisode: "Apple Juice"1980The Night the City ScreamedDale WrightsonTelevision film1981Ramblin' ManTurmanEpisode: "On the Run"1981–1982Flamingo RoadCarl Turner4 episodes1982Pray TVEverettTelevision film1982M*A*S*HMajor Quentin RockinghamEpisode: "The Tooth Shall Set You Free"1982Here's BoomerSergeant Lindsey AndrewsEpisode: "Flatfoots"1982The Greatest American HeroMorganEpisode: "Divorce, Venusian Style"1982Tucker's WitchMr. StillwellEpisode: "Terminal Case"1982I Was a Mail Order BrideJudgeTelevision film1982–1988Cagney & LaceyDeputy Inspector Marquette10 episodes1983BensonProfessor Roger PetrieEpisode: "Family Tree"1983High PerformanceFletchEpisode: "Along Came a Spider"1983VCaleb Taylor2 episodes1983The JeffersonsLloyd Tyndall3 episodes1984V: The Final BattleCaleb Taylor3 episodes1984Wolf Rock TVMr. Morris (voice)1984HunterChief Kenny LanarkEpisode: "The Hot Grounder"1984AirwolfAaron MartinEpisode: "Sins of the Past"1984City KillerCaptain Frank SydneyTelevision film1984The Dukes of HazzardThe Chief GuardEpisode: "The Dukes in Hollywood"1984Night CourtJudge Robert T. Willard2 episodes1984RiptideMr. CollinsEpisode: "It's a Vial Sort of Business"1984Knots LandingDr. Garner4 episodes1984This Is the LifeEpisode: "Dark Journey"1985Crazy Like a FoxEpisode: "The Geronimo Machine"1985The Rape of Richard BeckSgt. Wally RydellTelevision film1985HotelIrwin SmithEpisode: "Obsessions"1985The Facts of LifeFrankEpisode: "Teacher, Teacher"1985Hardcastle and McCormickArnie SandovalEpisode: "Conventional Warfare"1985Shadow ChasersBurkeEpisode: "The Many Lives of Jonathan"1986The Children of Times SquareLt. DevinsTelevision film1986Comedy FactoryFinney MorganEpisode: "The Faculty"1986StarmanChief Harold GalleyEpisode: "Peregrine"1986The Cosby ShowSgt. Major Boswell StokesEpisode: "War Stories"1986–1987It's Garry Shandling's ShowOfficer Sweeny2 episodes1987AmenDexterEpisode: "Frye for the Defense"1987A Year in the LifeRichardEpisode: "Don't I Know You from Somewhere?"1987CBS Summer PlayhouseVern PuckettEpisode: "Kingpins"1987Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered MadamSergeant KoslowTelevision film1987Beauty and the BeastJack DavisEpisode: "An Impossible Silence"1988Police Story: Gladiator SchoolLt. CrawfordTelevision film1988Designing WomenWilson BrickettEpisode: "The Candidate"1988Empty NestMr. NoackEpisode: "Tinker to Evers to Tucson"1989Original SinDet. MitchellTelevision film1989UnsubBishop Grace2 episodes1989Heart and SoulCecil KincaidTelevision film1989American PlayhouseMartin Luther King, Jr.Episode: "The Meeting"1989HardballEpisode: "Till Death Do Us Part"1989WiseguyAttorney General2 episodes1990Equal JusticeJudge Thaddeus JonesEpisode: "Separate Live"1990–1991The FlashDr. Desmond Powell2 episodes1991–1994Herman's HeadMr. Paul Bracken72 episodes1992DinosaursEdward R. Hero (voice)Episode: "And the Winner Is..."1994Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?Additional Voices (voice)1994Cosmic SlopBernard ShieldsTelevision film1995The Computer Wore Tennis ShoesProf. Miles QuigleyTelevision film1995Down, Out & DangerousDetective DannerTelevision film1996Murder, She WroteWilson SloaneEpisode: "Death Goes Double Platinum"1996Sophie & the MoonhangerHoltTelevision film1996PartnersLeavittEpisode: "You Quit?"1996The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul PlayLeon MartinTelevision film1996SuddenlyLouieTelevision film; posthumous release
Video games YearTitleRoleNotes1994Wing Commander III: Heart of the TigerCapt. William Eisen1995Wing Commander IV: The Price of FreedomCapt. William Elsen
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