General Hospital and Risky Business star Nicholas Pryor is dead at 89

The soap opera actor Nicholas Pryor, who was best known for his long stint on the General Hospital spinoff Port Charles, has died at age 89.

Pryor died on Monday at his home in Wimington, North Carolina.

The actor had been battling cancer for some time prior to his death, according to The Mirror.

Although he filmed hundreds of episodes of soap operas going back to the late 1950s, Pryor also established a solid career in higher-profile television shows and films.

His best known film role was in the 1983 classic Risky Business, in which he played the father of star Tom Cruise. 

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Pryor also memorably played the father of Clare Arnold (Kathleen Robertson) on Beverly Hills, 90210.

In a note to The Hollywood Reporter that was delivered after his death, he wrote: 'Nicholas Pryor was enormously grateful to have been, for nearly 70 years, a working actor.'

The news of his death was first announced on Instagram on Tuesday by his General Hospital and Port Charles costar Jon Lindstrom, who played both of his character Victor Collins' twin sons, Kevin Collins and Ryan Chamberlain.

'It is my solemn task to announce the passing of the great Nicholas Pryor,' Lindstrom wrote in his caption, adding that 'Nick was an Actor's actor, and an exceptional friend.'

He wrote that Pryor had been 'surrounded by loving family' when he died, and he noted some of his best known roles including as the father of Robert Downey Jr.'s character in Less Than Zero.

Lindstrom also named some of the screen stars his late friend had worked with, including Jack Nicholson, Kurt Russell and Ewan McGregor.

Lindstrom wrote that Pryor wasn't only a versatile actor, but also his 'friend,' and 'One of the best I've ever had.' 

'He was a mentor, a sounding board, a trusted confidant, and even a father-figure beyond, yes, playing my own father on #GH and #PortCharles,' he continued. 'And he was one of the funniest people you could hope to spend time with over a bottle of good wine and a great meal. I will miss him terribly, as will his beautiful wife Christina, his daughter Stacey, and his two grandchildren, Gus and Avril. R.I.P.'

Pryor was born Nicholas Probst on January 28, 1935, in Baltimore, Maryland. 

His work in television began in the late 1950s, with stints on the soap operas The Brighter Day and The Secret Storm.

However, Pryor also booked far more prestigious gigs, including an early role in a 1961 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. 

In 1964, he began appearing as Tom Baxter on Another World, which he starred on over 77 episodes.'

Following that, he began starring on a revived version of The Nurses from 1965 through 1967.

Pryor began to pursue more film roles beginning in the 1970s.

He appeared in The Gumball Rally (1976) and the horror sequel Damien: Omen II (1978), and he had a small — but hilarious — part in the comedy classic Airplane (1980).

In 1983 he appeared as Tom Cruise's father in Risky Business, but the role didn't lead to more film work, and instead he turned his focus to guest roles on popular shows.

He appeared on M*A*S*H, Little House On The Prairie, Dallas, Dynasty, Night Rider, St. Elsewhere and many others. 

Later in the '80s he took on a main cast role opposite Ed Asner in the single-season series The Bronx Zoo.

His '90s TV work included guest stints on Beverly Hills, 90210; Chicago Hope; Growing Pains; LA Law; The Practice; Party Of Five; Murder She Wrote and Diagnosis Murder, among others.

Pryor capped off his career in 2021 with two final roles in the Disney+ Marvel series The Falcon And The Winter Soldier and the horror reboot sequel Halloween Kills.