The Canadian television landscape has lost one of its most familiar faces: Scott Hylands is dead. The actor, who portrayed Detective Kevin "OB" O'Brien in the crime series "Night Heat" between 1985 and 1989, died Wednesday evening, July 29, at the age of 83. The news was announced by his son, cinematographer Luke Hylands, on Instagram.
"Husband, father, actor, director, writer, storyteller, friend and a person who loved life", he wrote about him. "My heart is breaking to share the news that my Dad Scott passed away Wednesday evening. My family and I are still trying to process this terrible loss." There aren't enough words, the son continued: "You are my hero forever and my best friend. Now and for all eternity. I love you. Goodbye, Dad."
From zoology studies to the stage
The path to the spotlight was anything but straightforward for Hylands. Born February 27, 1943, in Lethbridge and raised in British Columbia, Hylands initially enrolled in zoology at the University of British Columbia. Only afterwards did he switch to theater studies. After graduation, he moved to New York, where in 1965 he took the lead role in an Off-Broadway production of "Billy Liar".
Several years at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco followed, before Hylands made his screen debut in 1969 with "Der Mann mit dem Katzenkäfig". In the seventies, he appeared in films such as "Fools", "Slipstream", the disaster film "Erdbeben", and "Die Boys von Company C". In addition came a long series of guest appearances, from "Kung Fu" to "Wonder Woman" to "Die Waltons" and "Hart aber herzlich".
"Night Heat" made him a series face
His greatest success came from his return home. In the eighties, Hylands went back to Canada and slipped into the role of Detective O'Brien for CTV and CBS. For four years he investigated in "Night Heat", the series with which his name remains associated to this day. A younger generation of viewers later remembered him as Father Travis in the ABC production "V".
The guest roles never stopped. Hylands appeared in "NYPD Blue", "Akte X", "Stargate SG-1", "Supernatural", "Fargo", and "Wynonna Earp", as well as the films "Rememory" and "Elsewhere". He is survived by his wife Veronica, his son Luke, and his daughter Rebecca.
