Actor John Wesley has passed away at the age of 72. John, who had more than 100 film and television credits to his name, starred as Dr. Hoover in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, alongside Will Smith. His family confirmed the sad news of his death, revealing that John had died from complication's related to his long battle with multiple myeloma – blood cancer. Gerry Pass, who worked as John's manager and producer, said in a statement to Variety: "John Wesley was a gift to the world, for his kindness and grace are immortalised in his works of theatre, TV and film. I am heartbroken to have lost a dear friend today."
John Wesley pictured alongside Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Prior to embarking on his career in Hollywood, John earned degrees from the University of California, San Diego and from the University of San Diego. He also served in the US Army during the Vietnam War. Over the course of his acting career, John worked alongside the likes of Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington and Barbra Streisand, among other notable stars. His TV and film credits include Big Fish, Stop, Or My Mom Will Shoot and Missing In Action, while he took on cameo roles in Fraser and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. His final project was a short film, titled Second Acts.
MORE: Gorka Marquez and Karen Hauer surprise fans with big announcement
John starred as Dr. Hoover in the hit show
John was also a seasoned theatre actor, having appeared in plays including Toys In The Attic at London's Old Globe Theatre, and a production of Arthur Miller's An American Clock. He leaves behind his wife Jenny Houston, his mother Hazel Baskin, his two daughters, his stepson and his grandchildren.
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.