John Sylvester White

John Sylvester White Jr. (October 31, 1919 – September 11, 1988) was an American actor.[1] Best known as Mr. Michael Woodman in Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979).

John Sylvester White
Born
John Sylvester White Jr.

(1919-10-31)October 31, 1919
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
DiedSeptember 11, 1988(1988-09-11) (aged 68)
Waikiki, Hawaii, United States
OccupationActor
Years active1951–1952
1970–1983
Known forMichael Woodman in Welcome Back, Kotter
SpouseJoan Alexander

Early life

John Sylvester White was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but grew up in the new town of Colmar Manor, Maryland, a bedroom community suburb of northeast Washington, D.C., where his father, an attorney also of the same name, was elected the first mayor of the community in July 1927.[2]

Acting career

Before becoming known in the 1970s as the assistant principal (and later head principal) Mr. Woodman on the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, White had been best known for his starring role as Keith Barron, the first husband of Mary Stuart's character Joanne Gardner on the television soap opera Search for Tomorrow from 1951 to 1952. Starting in 1970, he had guest appearances on various television shows, including Kojak and Baretta, and TV movies such as The Marcus-Nelson Murders,[3] before landing a recurring role on the Kotter show.[1] In 1983, he appeared as Mr. Vogelman, the proprietor of the Raytown Travel Agency in the episode titled "Mama Gets a Job" (Season 1 - Episode 7) on Mama's Family.

White married Joan Stanton, known as Joan Alexander in the 1940s when she was the voice of Lois Lane on the radio version of "The Adventures of Superman", in 1944. They later divorced.[4] White moved to Hawaii in the early 1980s.[3]

Death

He died on September 11, 1988, from pancreatic cancer in Waikiki, Hawaii, at the age of 68.

Filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes
1975-1979Welcome Back, KotterMr. Michael Woodman94 episodes
1984E. Nick: A Legend in His Own MindHarry(final film role)

References
  1. "John Sylvester White". The New York Times. September 28, 2013. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013.
  2. "History". Colmar Manor Maryland.
  3. "John Sylvester White, TV actor, 68, dies here", The Honolulu Advertiser (September 13, 1988), p. D-2.
  4. Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 14, 17. ISBN 978-0-1950-7678-3.
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