Nicholas Pryor, a well-known actor recognized for his long career in movies and TV, has passed away at the age of 89. Pryor, famous for playing fatherly roles to young stars, died on October 7 at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina, after a battle with cancer. His wife, Christine Belford, shared the sad news with The Hollywood Reporter.
Pryor’s death has left both Hollywood and his fans mourning. A message shared by The Hollywood Reporter on October 8 stated, “Nicholas Pryor was enormously grateful to have been a working actor for nearly 70 years.” He had a long, successful career and was thankful for all the opportunities he had in the entertainment industry.
Jon Lindstrom, one of Pryor’s co-stars from the TV shows Port Charles and General Hospital, also paid tribute to him on Instagram. He called Pryor an “Actor’s actor,” meaning someone who was highly respected in the acting world. But beyond work, Lindstrom shared that Pryor was a close friend. He wrote, “He was my friend, mentor, and even a father figure, not just on-screen but in real life too.” Lindstrom remembered how funny Pryor was and how much fun they had spending time together, especially over good food and wine. Lindstrom said he would miss him deeply.
Fans reacted strongly to Lindstrom’s tribute. Many expressed their sadness, remembering Pryor’s roles in popular shows like Eight Is Enough and Beverly Hills, 90210. One fan wrote, “I’m so saddened by Nicholas Pryor’s passing. He was an amazing actor.” Others shared their shock at the news and thanked Lindstrom for his heartfelt tribute, saying Pryor’s work would always be remembered.
In addition to Lindstrom, Pryor’s agent, Susan Tolar Walters, also shared her sorrow, calling him “one of the nicest people” she had ever met. Jeff Maxwell, who runs a podcast about the TV show MASH*, where Pryor made a guest appearance, also paid tribute to the actor.
Born on January 28, 1935, in Baltimore, Maryland, Pryor’s full name was Nicholas David Probst. He began his acting career on Broadway before moving into film and TV. Over the course of his career, Pryor acted in more than 170 roles, showing his talent in both comedy and drama.
Pryor was best known for his roles in TV shows like The Secret Storm, Beverly Hills, 90210, All My Children, and Another World. He also appeared as a guest star in well-loved series like The West Wing and NYPD Blue. In a video interview shared on YouTube on October 9, Pryor talked about his time on Beverly Hills, 90210 and how much he enjoyed watching his wife, Christine, guest-star on the show. He said it made him happy to see her having such a good time with the cast and crew.
Pryor wasn’t just a TV actor. He also had memorable roles in movies. He appeared in films like Airplane!, Damien: Omen II, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1. He played the father of Tom Cruise’s character in Risky Business and Robert Downey Jr.’s character in Less Than Zero. His last role was in the 2021 movie Halloween Kills.
Nicholas Pryor is survived by his wife, Christine, his daughter Stacey, and his two grandchildren, Auguste and Avril. They will carry on his memory and the impact he left behind in his nearly 70-year acting career.
My Daughter-in-Law Tossed My Things Out After Finding Out She Inherited the House, but Fate Came Back to Bite Her That Very Day
I was so certain the will reading would be a clear-cut affair without surprises. How wrong I was.
The nursing home smelled of antiseptic and faintly of wilted flowers, a combination that made my throat tighten. I took a steadying breath as a young nurse handed me Dad’s belongings, neatly packed in a plain, worn cardboard box.
“Here you are, Ma’am,” the nurse said, her voice gentle but distant as if she’d done this a hundred times.
I nodded, murmuring a quiet thank you as I lifted the box.
It wasn’t heavy, but the weight seemed to press down on me all the same. Inside were the simple things: his favorite worn sweater, a small Bible with its cover frayed from years of use, and several mystery novels with dog-eared pages.
I brushed my fingers over the sweater, catching a faint scent of his cologne, familiar and fleeting.
The finality hit me when I turned to leave.
Dad was truly gone. I tightened my grip on the box as if holding onto it could somehow keep him with me. When I reached my car, silent tears were slipping down my cheeks.
I sat in the car and cried until my tears ran out. My phone beeped and rang several times, but it was just Matt. He was probably worried about me, but some grief you have to wade through alone.
The last thing I expected to find when I arrived home was my whole life strewn across the front lawn like some kind of unholy estate sale.
The wind picked up, scattering the memories I’d so carefully packed into boxes and hauled down from the attic.
Mom’s old recipes, her china, the worn plaid quilt Dad used to nap under, and all his books — it all lay out in the open, unprotected, as if they meant nothing. I stumbled out of my car, heart pounding.
“What in God’s name…” I muttered, my voice swallowed by the wind.
“Oh, good. You’re finally back. I was getting tired of waiting.”
There, perched on my patio furniture with her designer sunglasses and her too-bright lipstick, was Jessica. My daughter-in-law didn’t even glance up from her phone. She took a leisurely sip from her coffee, and her lips curved in a barely restrained smirk.
“Jessica… What is all this?” My eyes swept over the chaos, disbelief clamping down on my chest. “What are you doing?”
She glanced up, lowering her sunglasses just enough for me to see the disdain in her eyes. She waved a manicured hand dismissively.
“I’m doing what’s necessary. This is my home now, after all.”
A cold knot twisted in my stomach. “Your home? What are you talking about?”
“Looks like you should’ve attended the will reading.” Jessica held up a crisp piece of paper, and there was my father’s signature, clear as day, at the bottom. “Guess your dad knew who deserved it most, huh?”
I swayed, gripping the car door for support. “That’s impossible. Dad would never—”
“Oh, but he did.” She smirked, casually inspecting her perfect manicure.
“Signed, sealed, delivered. The house is mine now.” She leaned in close, her perfume, a cloying, artificial scent, invading my space. “I think it’s time you moved on, Hattie.”
A truck rumbled into the driveway, and my son, Matt, climbed out, his face twisting as he took in the scene. His boots crunched over the gravel as he approached, confusion deepening the crease between his brows.
“What the heck, Jess? First you run out of the lawyer’s office, and now you send me this weird text? What’s going on?” he asked, glancing from me to Jessica, his jaw tight.
She stretched, standing at last, looking smug and at ease in her towering heels. It made my skin crawl. “Like I said, I’m making some necessary changes, honey. And actually, there’s more you should know.”
Matt’s expression hardened with a flash of something I hadn’t seen before. “More than you throwing my mother’s belongings all over the yard?”
“Much more!” Jessica’s laugh was harsh. “I want a divorce.”
The word hung in the air like the final nail in a coffin. Matt’s mouth opened, then closed as he struggled to process. “What? You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I am.” Her voice was dripping with disdain. “I’ve spent enough years suffocating in this house, being made to feel like I don’t fit in, like I’m not good enough!” She gestured at the house with a sweep of her arm. “I need a fresh start.”
“You have no right—” I started, but she cut me off with a scornful wave.
“Oh, save it, Hattie. You never wanted me in this family. You looked down on me right from the start, judging me just because I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon. Well, now I’m finally getting what I deserve out of you people.”
Matt’s face shifted from bewilderment to anger, his fists clenched. “Everything my family said about you is true,” he said, voice low and trembling. “You really are a covetous witch.”
Jessica’s veneer cracked.
“And you’re a spineless mama’s boy!” she snapped. “Always running to her defense, always putting her first.” She sneered, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at him. “It’s pathetic. You’re just as small-minded as she is.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my son that way!” My voice cut through the silence, sharper than I’d intended.
“I’ll do whatever I want, Hattie.” Jessica set her hands on her hips, her expression smug. “And there’s nothing either of you can do about it.”
“In fact,” Jessica continued. “The two of you had best hurry and clear your stuff off MY lawn, before I call the cops and have them arrest you both.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Matt yelled.
I numbly looked on as Matt confronted Jessica. None of this made sense! Dad hadn’t even liked Jessica! My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed Dad’s lawyer.
His voice was a balm, calm and reassuring. “Hattie? I was just about to call you.”
“… really believed I liked you?” Jessica yelled in the background. “You were just a means to an end, a way for me to leave my old neighborhood behind. Now I have the house, I don’t need you anymore!”
“Please,” I whispered to the lawyer. “Tell me she’s lying. There’s no way Dad left his home to Jessica.”
There was a pause, then a warm chuckle.
“You’re right. Your father didn’t leave her the house. It was all a test to get her to show her true colors.”
“A…test?” Relief rushed through me, and I started laughing, tears gathering in my eyes. It was the kind of laugh that came from somewhere deep, a laugh that surprised even me.
Jessica’s face twisted, her confidence faltering. “What are you laughing at?”
“Oh, Jessica,” I managed, still shaking. “You really should have waited for the real will reading.”
“What?”
I let the satisfaction roll through me as I explained. “Dad never left you the house. It was fake — a test to get you to show your true character.”
Matt turned to Jessica, his face a storm of emotions. “Looks like Grandpa’s plan worked.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. She glanced between Matt and me as the realization of what she’d done sunk in. Her confident facade crumbled, her voice turning desperate as she scrambled to save face.
“Matt — baby, please.” She reached out, but he recoiled, the finality in his eyes unmistakable.
“I swear, I never meant it!” She pleaded. “I was just…upset, frustrated. You know I love you!”
He shook his head. “Save it. You want a divorce? You’ve got one.”
As Jessica stomped off the property, her heels sinking with each step, I felt an odd peace settle over me. Dad’s wisdom lived on, a quiet, guiding presence.
Matt and I gathered the remnants of my life from the grass, and I couldn’t help thinking that sometimes the real inheritance isn’t in a house — it’s in the lessons of who truly deserves to be in your life.
Dad would have been proud.
Leave a Reply