Steve Ryan, a tall, masculine character actor who carved out a steady career in theatre and television playing a variety of authority figures, died Sept. 3, 2007, in Duarte, CA, after a long illness. He was 55. Due to his commanding bearing, strong nose and square jaw, Mr. Ryan was often cast as policemen, detectives and other men in positions of power. He was Secretary of Defense Hutchinson in NBC's "The West Wing," Sargeant Adams in "CSI," Lt. Lane in "NYPD Blue," Officer Mike Healey in "Oz" and Det. Nate Grossman in "Crime Story." He also played J. Walter Weatherman on "Arrested Development."

Perhaps his most famous Broadway appearance was in the 1992 Jerry Zaks-directed revival of Guys and Dolls, in which he swept on stage in a Dick Tracy-yellow trenchcoat as Lt. Brannigan, foe of all Runyonesque gamblers. His other Broadway credits included the original I'm Not Rappaport, On the Waterfront and the 1999 revival of The Iceman Cometh, in which he understudied the roles of Chuck Morello, Piet Wetjoen and Rocky Pioggi.

Off-Broadway, he appeared in Minor Demons, The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Delacorte, Israel Horowitz's Unexpected Tenderness and Approximating Mother. The Manhattan native began his career acting at Williamstown Theatre Festival, Yale Repertory, Milwaukee Repertory, Hartford Stage and the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters. A memorial will be held Sept. 15 at 10 AM at at First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101.