Who are John Beasley's children? 'The Soul Man' star dies at 79 while undergoing liver testing

John Beasley died while undergoing liver testing before things took a sudden turn for the worse
UPDATED MAY 31, 2023
John Beasley died on May 30, 2023 at the age of 79 (Alberto E Rodriguez/Getty Images)
John Beasley died on May 30, 2023 at the age of 79 (Alberto E Rodriguez/Getty Images)

OMAHA, NEBRASKA: John Beasley, who portrayed Barton Ballentine on the TV Land comedy 'The Soul Man', died on Tuesday, May 30 at the age of 79. The father of two died while undergoing liver testing before things took a sudden turn for the worse.

Tyrone Beasley, the elder of his two children, informed Hollywood Reporter that John died in a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was born and raised. On Facebook, John's other son Michael Beasley wrote, "Man... you know this is a part of life... but that doesn't make it any easier. I lost my best friend today. They say you shouldn't ever meet your heroes because they don't turn out to be who you thought they were. That is so wrong. My hero was my father. Thank you for everything. I hope I made you proud. Love you more."



 

'I was raising my family'

John, a well-known figure to viewers of movies and television over the previous three decades, didn't start acting professionally until he was in his forties. He said, "I was raising my family. I have two sons that I'm very proud of and I thought that being a father and watching these kids grow up was more important," according to WOWT.

John's wife Judy, daughter-in-law Katie, grandchildren Evan, Miles, Olivia, Mika, Darius, and NBA veteran Malik Beasley—who played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season—are among the other survivors.



 

Who are John Beasley's children?

John is the father of Tyrone and Michael, who he shares with Judy Beasley. Tyrone is a pioneer in the arts and a writer, director, and actor. He has been on stage and in films. He was creative director of his father's John Beasley Theatre & Workshop before to taking on the role as associate artistic director of outbound programming at The Rose Theater. Earlier this year, he was chosen to serve as the new artistic director of Nebraska Shakespeare.

Michael is an independent film and television actor from Atlanta. He has emulated his father by playing recurrent roles in 'Bloodline', 'Swagger', 'Ballers', and 'Escape at Dannemora' and has also appeared on 'Blackish' as a guest. He has been in supporting roles in both TV movies like 'Steel Magnolias' and films like 'The Accountant', 'Flight', and 'Unconditional'.



 

The father, along with his two sons, are all brilliant artists. Michael formerly ran his own graphic design company. On the other hand, Tyrone's artwork can be seen in the homes of people. He is also skilled in creating and painting scenery for stage sets.

MORE STORIES

John Oliver was bleeped out twice during his brief, 15-second Emmys acceptance speech on live television after he roasted host Nate Bargatze
Sep 15, 2025
Kevin Hart doesn't appreciate paparazzi’s question after viral video of him hosting Diddy’s party resurfaces
Apr 6, 2025
Diddy’s childhood friend Tim Patterson claims Janice Combs’s wild parties often involved pimps, homosexuals, and other adult activities
Apr 6, 2025
Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson tied the knot in 1994, but she initially thought the King of Pop was a creep—and we totally get why
Apr 6, 2025
Riley Keough opens up about the Presley family curse in a candid interview while on tour for her book, 'From Here to the Great Unknown'
Apr 5, 2025
Natalie Morales hits back after her interview with Seth Meyers is removed from all platforms due to a revealing outfit
Apr 5, 2025
"Babyface, can you believe she wants me to dress like a girl?" Michael Jackson told a producer.
Apr 2, 2025
Sofia Vergara also dished out on why she doesn't ever want to play Modern Family's Gloria again
Apr 2, 2025
"It took more and more to get high, and I honestly don't know when your body decides it can't deal with it anymore," Lisa Marie Presley wrote.
Apr 1, 2025
A family member's last-minute intervention saved Michael Jackson from the 9/11 tragedy—here’s what happened
Apr 1, 2025