Mark Fred Withers—actor, writer, teacher, thinker, activist, husband, father, and friend—departed this world on November 22, 2024, after a valiant two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 77 years old. Known for his resonant presence, intellectual depth, and quietly magnetic performances, Mark left behind a legacy of artistry, integrity, and generosity that spanned more than four decades.
Born in Binghamton, New York, on June 25, 1947, Mark’s early life was shaped by both athletic excellence and artistic ambition. He earned an NCAA football scholarship to Pennsylvania State University, where he distinguished himself not only on the field but also as a speaker and a student of the arts. His calling toward performance would soon draw him west to California, where his acting career began with both serendipity and spark. Signed by an agent before he had even earned his SAG card, Mark landed a national McDonald’s commercial just three months after arriving in Los Angeles thanks to his “boy-next-door charm.” This commercial marked the beginning of a successful series of leading spots for brands like Folger’s Coffee, Irish Spring, American Airlines, and Tartar Control Crest.
From there, his presence became a fixture on American television. Mark appeared in a wide range of iconic series, including Wonder Woman, Magnum P.I., Dallas, Remington Steele, Hart to Hart, Matlock, Frasier, The King of Queens, and L.A. Law, among others. His most memorable and trailblazing performance came as Ted Dinard in the prime-time drama Dynasty, portraying one of television’s first emotionally complex gay characters. Mark’s thoughtful and dignified portrayal remains widely regarded as a watershed moment in LGBTQ+ representation on American television (variety.com; CNN.com).
Over the years, Mark continued to bring nuance and depth to his roles across genres, from legal dramas to science fiction and beyond. His recent television credits included True Blood, Criminal Minds, Castle, Drop Dead Diva, Sense8, and Stranger Things, with film appearances spanning from Basic Training, Turn Around Jake, and The Ultimate Life to Bolden (IMDb). Throughout his long career in Hollywood, Mark shared the screen with legendary talents such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Kelsey Grammer, and Craig T. Nelson, and he was known for bringing a spirit of professionalism, warmth, and genuine camaraderie to every set he graced.
In addition to his screen work, Mark was a dedicated stage actor and lifelong student of his craft. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Acting and Directing from California State University, Los Angeles, graduating summa cum laude, and later completed his Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance at Minnesota State University, Mankato. His formative years performing at the Pasadena Playhouse, a theater that was dear to his heart, helped lay the foundation for the precision and presence that would ultimately define his performances throughout his life.
Yet Mark never measured his life solely by accolades or professional successes. He was a man of boundless empathy and wide-ranging curiosity. A voracious reader, he had a deep appreciation for political nonfiction, science fiction, and literary biographies. His favorite authors included Joseph Campbell, J.D. Salinger, Isaac Asimov, Tom Wolfe, and Patricia Cornwell. He loved poetry, especially Shakespeare's works, and wrote dozens of poems himself, often exploring themes of mortality, memory, and the unseen forces that shape us. Mark’s lifelong passion for music was also ever-present. He played guitar, wrote songs, and loved filling the house with various musical styles, from classical and jazz to rock. Known for his quick wit and as a spirited conversationalist, he also had a deep political conscience. In 2016, he was elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in support of Senator Bernie Sanders, a role he took on with conviction and pride. For Mark, civic engagement was a vital extension of patriotism and personal integrity.
At home, Mark was devoted to his family. He cherished life’s quieter moments: reading in the backyard, rewatching his favorite movies, and savoring a fine glass of wine. Known for his humor, deep sensitivity, and love for language, he cherished holiday traditions, particularly those tied to Christmas. Friends and family regarded Mark as the very essence of the giving Christmas spirit throughout the year. Additionally, as a science fiction enthusiast and admirer of the cosmos, he considered William Shatner his role model and often spent evenings gazing at the stars.
For Mark, his lifelong fascination with space and desire to explore the universe was more than casual wonder; it was a deeply held dream. At 6’4”, he often remarked that had he been shorter, he might have become an astronaut. It is therefore fitting that Mark’s extraordinary life will be honored by Celestis Memorial Spaceflights to celebrate his enduring passion for the stars and honor the man whose heart and imagination were never earthbound.
Mark is survived by his wife of thirty years, Haiyan Liu Withers, and his daughter, Jessie Withers. He is lovingly remembered by numerous friends, colleagues, and admirers, and his legacy remains one of talent, curiosity, compassion, and a life dedicated to purpose.
*****
Poems by Mark Withers
Atlas of the Unseen Sky
Nothing sobers the soars
of emotions
more than the functions of the body.
A sneeze,
a cough,
the oozing of blood from a wound.
Damn this shell,
this weight that holds the heart of me down
and keeps me earth-bound
when all that I am,
the more that I am
beyond this flesh
wants to lift and fly
on an unseen wind,
free,
free,
eternally free.
-Mark Withers (2016)
From Among the Grains of Sand:
Just breathe, brother –
sit back. Enjoy the ride.
You’ll be back. Well, one way or t’other.
Never-the-less, any more often than always-the-more,
you’ll be back.
Parsed into pieces, then molded again,
riding a wave cresting against a shore -
that familiar shore
where you once chose so many times, there aren’t enough zeros to tell you.
-Mark Withers (2004)
