John Aylward, ‘West Wing’ and ‘ER’ actor, dies at 75

West Wing and ER actor John Aylward has died at the age of 75. According to an entertainment news source. The actor died Monday night at his Seattle home after a four-decade career. Mary Fields, the wife of John Aylward, informed her agent Mitchell K. Stubbs of his death, which was caused by his deteriorating health.

John Aylward’s widow’s reaction to his death

“I was blown away. He was a wonderful actor and a phenomenal human being,” Stubbs told Deadline. “He was a dream client, a dream friend and a dream person.” “I got a terrible call from Mary Fields, the widow of John Aylward,” Stubbs said on Twitter after learning of John Aylward’s death on Wednesday.

Early life of John Aylward

“This magnificent actor and charming man has passed away. Sir, I am honored to have known you and worked with you. BREAK.” He was born and raised in Seattle, graduating from the University of Washington Professional Actors Training Program in 1970 before founding Seattle’s Empty Space Theater three years later. He was best known for playing Dr. Donald Anspaugh on the medical drama ER, which he starred in from 1996 to 2008.

Anspaugh worked at County General Hospital as a cardiothoracic surgeon and was also a member of the hospital’s board of directors and chief of staff. Carol Flynt, the show’s co-producer, auditioned him after seeing him in the 1996 Los Angeles production of Psychopathia Sexualis, for which he won the Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Performance.

The dynamic roles played by John Aylward

From 2005 to 2006, John Aylward played former Democratic National Committee Chairman Barry Goodwin on the political drama The West Wing. Additionally, he played Niles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III in 1993, Sheriff Haynes in Finding Graceland, Dr. Banks in Armageddon, and most recently The Way Back in 2020. In the video game Half-Life 2: Episode Two, John Aylward provided the voice of Dr. Arne Magnusson.