Actor George Dickerson, well-known for playing police detective John Williams in the 1986 film Blue Velvet, has died at the age of 81.
Film writer and director Dome Karukoski, who is Dickerson's son, confirmed that he passed away on January 10 after a long illness.
Dickerson played a recurring role as Police Commander Swanson in the first season of the acclaimed 1980s cop drama Hill Street Blues and appeared in films such as Psycho II, No Mercy and Death Wish 4: The Crackdown.
He appeared in several TV series including The Incredible Hulk, Little House on the Prairie, Miami Vice and Three's Company.
Before turning to acting, Dickerson worked as a magazine writer, poet, editor and playwright. He was also a United Nations diplomat in Lebanon and served as a speechwriter for US Congressman Robert Steele.
