Scott Hylands facts for kids

Scott Hylands (born 1943) is a Canadian actor. He has been in many movies, TV shows, and plays. People often call him "one of Canada's greatest actors" because he has worked for so long and can play many different kinds of characters.

Early Life and Education

Scott Hylands was born in 1943 in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. His mother, Ruth Douglas, was a nurse and later a math teacher. His father, Walter Norman Douglas, passed away in 1945 during World War II.

Scott grew up and went to school in British Columbia. He attended Shawnigan Lake Boys School on Vancouver Island. After that, he went to the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He graduated in 1964. Scott first studied zoology, which is the study of animals. But when the university started a theater arts program, he switched to studying acting.

After finishing university, he moved to New York City to start his acting career. His very first role was the main character in a play called Billy Liar in 1965.

Acting in the United States

After his first play, Scott Hylands spent several years acting in San Francisco. In 1968, a famous director named Mark Robson asked him to try out for a movie. Scott's first movie was a suspense film called Daddy's Gone A-Hunting in 1969. He received good reviews for his acting.

In 1975, Scott acted in the play Romeo and Juliet in Los Angeles. He played the character Mercutio. Critics praised his acting skills.

Even though he didn't become a huge superstar, Scott worked steadily. He appeared in many movies and American TV shows. Some of the TV shows he was in include Cannon, The Waltons, Kung Fu, Baretta, and Ironside. On American television, he often played tough characters or villains. He once said that if an actor isn't the main hero, they usually play the "bad guy."

Acting in Canada

In the early 1980s, Scott Hylands moved back to Canada. He got a chance to play a good guy, Detective Kevin "O.B." O'Brien. This was in the TV series Night Heat, a police drama filmed in Toronto. The show was on TV in both Canada and the United States from 1985 to 1989. This was his first main role in a TV series.

After Night Heat ended, Scott continued to live in Canada. He settled on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, where he lived for 25 years with his wife, Veronica, and their two children. Later, they moved to Victoria.

Scott worked in both American and Canadian TV shows and movies. He played Father Travis in the ABC-TV series V. He also appeared in many other programs. These include the 1992 TV movie To Catch a Killer and an episode of the police drama NYPD Blue in 1995. He was also in four episodes of The Outer Limits between 1996 and 2001.

Scott also returned to the Canadian stage. He played leading roles in plays like Waiting for Godot (2015) and The Tempest (1994). He even produced and directed a version of Waiting for Godot in 2008. He also performed a solo show of A Christmas Carol. In 2006, he directed and performed in a play called Under Milk Wood in Victoria, BC.

In 2021, when he was 78 years old, Scott Hylands said he didn't want to stop acting. He continued to be involved with theater until he faced some health challenges.

Health Update

In 2021, Scott Hylands was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukemia. His wife started a fundraising campaign to help pay for his expensive but effective medication, Venclexta, which was needed for his treatment.

Film and Television Roles

Scott Hylands has had many roles throughout his career.

Film Roles

Television Roles

This television-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.