'Stranger Things' star Mark Withers dies after tragic cancer diagnosis

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Mark Withers has died at the age of 77.

The actor, who played Ted Dinard in the original run of the soap opera ‘Dynasty,’ passed away towards the end of November, his daughter Jessie Withers has confirmed.

On Friday, she told Variety: “He confronted his illness with the same strength and dignity he brought to his craft, creating a legacy of warmth, humour, and dedication, along with his remarkable ability to make every role unforgettable. Mark’s enduring talent and commitment to the industry will be fondly remembered by colleagues, friends, and fans alike.”

According to the outlet, Mark’s cause of death was pancreatic cancer.

He is also survived by his wife Haiyan Liu Withers.

The star made his television debut in 1975 when he appeared in two episodes of ‘How the West Was Won’ and then took on the more regular role of Peter Colcourt in the courtroom drama ‘Kaz’ from 1978 until 1979.

Towards the end of the 1980s, he appeared in episodes of ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Dallas’ as well as other television hits such as ‘L.A. Law’, ‘Matlock’ and Frasier’.

In 2016, he played the part of Coroner Gary in an episode of the Netflix hit ‘Stranger Things’ opposite Winona Ryder and Millie Bobby Brown.

During his later career, he appeared in films such as ‘The Phoenix Incident’ and ‘Bolden’ before making an uncredited appearance in 2019’s ‘The Creatress’ opposite Fran Drescher, in what would become his final on-screen appearance.

Before he found acting, Mark had been a keen athlete and won an NCAA football scholarship to Penn State University but started his career in showbusiness when he was spotted by an agent who signed him up to appear in a McDonald’s advertisement.

He subsequently went on to appear in advertising campaigns for brands such as Folger’s Coffee, Irish Spring, Tartar Control Crest and American Airlines.