Scott Hylands

Scott Hylands (born 1943), born Scott Hylands Douglas, is a Canadian actor who has appeared in movies, on television, and on the stage. Due to his longevity and versatility, critics have called him "one of Canada's greatest actors."
Early years
Hylands was born in 1943 in Lethbridge, Alberta. His mother, Ruth (White) Douglas (1913-2005), was a public health nurse, later a mathematics teacher, and his father, Walter Norman Douglas, was killed in action in 1945 during World War II. He was raised and educated in southwest British Columbia, where he attended Shawnigan Lake Boys School; on Vancouver Island. He then attended the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and graduated in 1964. Hylands initially studied zoology, but when the university began a theater arts major, he transferred into that program.
Upon graduation, he left Canada to pursue an acting career in New York City, where his first role was as the lead in an off-Broadway production of the comedy Billy Liar.
Career in the United States
After that 1965 debut role, he spent several years in San Francisco, acting with the American Conservatory Theater. Then, in 1968, he was asked by Canadian-American Hollywood film director Mark Robson to audition for a movie role. His first film appearance was in the 1969 suspense film Daddy's Gone A-Hunting. He got good reviews, but his movie debut was overshadowed by another film that came out at the same time: Midnight Cowboy.
In August 1975, Hylands appeared onstage as Mercutio in the Los Angeles Free Shakespeare Society production of Romeo and Juliet at the Pilgrimage Theatre in the Cahuenga Pass. He won some critical praise, both for his acting skill and for his good looks.
While he did not become a household name, he worked regularly, appearing in a number of movies, as well as in some American television shows. Among the TV shows in which he acted were Cannon, The Waltons, Baretta, and Ironside.
On American television, he became well known for playing tough guy characters and villains: as he noted in an interview, if an actor is not the leading man, he generally plays a "heavy."
Career in Canada
In the early 1980s, Hylands returned to Canada. He got an opportunity to play a good guy, Detective Kevin "O.B." O'Brien on the television series Night Heat, a police drama, produced in Toronto; it aired on both Canadian (CTV) and American (CBS) TV, from 1985 to 1989. This was his first television starring role.
After Night Heat was canceled, Hylands continued to live in Canada, settling in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, where he lived for 25 years with his wife, Veronica, a nurse, and their two children. They later relocated to Victoria. He worked in both American and Canadian productions. He appeared as Father Travis in the ABC-TV series V.
He was seen on numerous other programs, including the 1992 TV movie To Catch a Killer, a 1995 episode of the hit cop drama NYPD Blue, and on four episodes of the remade version of The Outer Limits from 1996 to 2001. He also returned to the Canadian stage, playing leading roles in such productions as Waiting for Godot (2015), and The Tempest (1994), among others. He produced and directed a 2008 version of Waiting for Godot, and performed in a solo version of A Christmas Carol. In addition, he directed, as well as performed in, a 2006 production of Under Milk Wood that was staged in Victoria BC.
In 2021, at age 78, he expressed no interest in retiring, and continued to be involved with theater until sidelined by health issues.
Health
In 2021, shortly before his daughter's wedding, the actor was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. A GoFundMe account was set up by his wife to help pay for the well-regarded but expensive medication, Venclexta, needed for Hylands' chemotherapy treatment.
Partial filmography
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969) – Kenneth Daly
Operation Snafu (1970) – Reginald Wollington
Fools (1970) – David Appleton
Earth II (1971, TV Movie) – Jim Capa
The Sixth Sense (1972, TV Series) – Jason
Griff (1973, TV Series) – Assassin
Slipstream (1973) – Terry
The Visitor (1974)
The Magician (1974, TV Series) – Hal
Earthquake (1974) – Asst. Caretaker – Hollywood Reservoir Dam
Bittersweet Love (1976) – Michael Lewis
Cannon (1976, TV series) – Joe Gantry
Wonder Woman (1977, TV Series) – Paul Bjornsen
Police Story (1977, TV Series) – Lt. Carl Inforzato
The Boys in Company "C" (1978) – Capt. Collins
The Winds of Kitty Hawk (1978) – Glenn Curtiss
Coming Out Alive (1980) – Jocko
Death Hunt (1981) – The Pilot
Hart to Hart (1982, TV Series) – Alan Chambers
Shocktrauma (1982, TV Movie) – Dr. "Tex" Goodnight
George Washington (1984, TV Mini-Series) – General Greene
Isaac Littlefeathers (1984) – Jesse Armstrong
The Oasis (1984) – Jake
Night Heat (1985–1989, TV series) – Detective Kevin O'Brien
To Catch a Killer (1992, TV film) – Delta Squad Sergeant Mike Paxton
Ordeal in the Arctic (1993, TV Movie) – Fred Ritchie
Scales of Justice (1993) - Harry Oakes, episode "Rex v De Marigny"
Destiny Ridge (1993, TV Series)
Decoy (1996) – Jenner
Titanic (1996) – John Jacob Astor IV
Ignition (2001) – Carlsen
Anna's Storm (2007, TV Movie) – Clint Corbin
Freezer Burn: The Invasion of Laxdale (2008) – Arnie Filmore
V (2009, TV series) – Father Tarvis
Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) – Dr. Mercurio Arboria
Knockout (2011) – Grandfather Charlie Putman
Becoming Redwood (2012) – Earl
The Horses of McBride (2012) - Preston
Rememory (2017) – Charles
Fargo (2017, TV Series) – Ennis Stussy
Norman (2019, Short film) – Norman
Heartland (2019, TV Series) – Lucky Butch Connelly
Elsewhere (2019) – Mr. Black
Wynonna Earp (2020, TV Series) – Wyatt Earp
References
External links
Scott Hylands profile, Aveleyman.com. Accessed 12 July 2023.
1943 births
Canadian male film actors
Canadian male television actors
Canadian people of Scottish descent
Living people
Male actors from Vancouver
Shawnigan Lake School alumni
University of British Columbia alumni
TV program, Black Sheep Squadron, 12/14/1977 played a Combat Priest, S2*Ep1 Guest Star.