Len Wayland; Character Actor Had Hundreds of TV Roles

Len Wayland, perennially employed character actor who appeared in more than 350 guest roles on major television series from the 1950s through the 1970s, has died at age 80.

Wayland, seen in about 54 episodes of “The F.B.I.” and 35 episodes of “Dragnet,” died Feb. 5 in Los Angeles of a stroke, said his friend, producer and director Leonard B. Kaufman.

The actor began his career writing and producing a local weekly radio program near Modesto, Calif. After serving as a radar navigator during World War II, he formed Len Wayland Productions to create stage and television shows.

He found success as an actor on the Broadway stage and touring with “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Among his other stage credits were “Dark at the Top of the Stairs” and “A Man for All Seasons.”

Adept at television from its infancy, Wayland portrayed Chick Buchanan on the 1950s soap opera “A Time to Live” and was Dr. Buck Weaver in “From These Roots.”

A decade later, Wayland was in the original cast of the prime-time series “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing,” and in 1978 he co-starred with Mark Harmon in the prime-time television series by Jack Webb about K-9 police dogs, “Sam.” Wayland, who fit the role of detective especially well, became a favorite in other cop shows produced by Webb and many others. He made 27 appearances on “Barnaby Jones,” 17 on “The Fugitive” and 10 on “Ironside.”

Wayland also found steady work in Westerns.

Wayland, who largely retired from performing about 20 years ago, is survived by his companion of 22 years, actress Anina Lincoln.

Kaufman said in honor of Wayland’s love of golf, a memorial service is scheduled at the Roosevelt Golf Course on March 15 at 1:30 p.m.