Anecdotes

He spent the first 44 years of his life out of the acting limelight and worked as a Union Pacific railroad clerk for seven years before he decided to pursue acting as a full-time career.

In 2002 founded the John Beasley Theater in Omaha, Nebraska to promote live theater, especially works written by or featuring African-Americans.

Received Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, August 12, 2005

Beasley's grandson Malik Beasley is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Playing Troy Maxon (a role originated by James Earl Jones on Broadway) in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences" by August Wilson at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The production is part of "August Wilson's 20th Century,: the Kennedy Center's presentation of Wilson's 10-play cycle about African American life, each set in a different 20th Century decade. (mars 2008)

He did not begin his acting career until his mid-40s.

Has two sons, Tyrone and Michael Beasley.

Beasley made numerous guest roles on television and has appeared in several television movies. His most prominent role in a television series was as Irv Harper in the WB series Everwood. He also appeared in the TV Land sitcom The Soul Man, which aired its fifth and final season in 2016.

He co-starred opposite The Rock in the 2004 remake of Walking Tall.

He established the John Beasley Theater and Workshop in South Omaha.

Survived by his wife Judy, two sons, Tyrone, and Michael six grandchildren, Evan, Miles, Olivia, Mika, Darius, and Malik Beasley, three brothers, Gary, Steven, and Leon.

Parents are; John Wilfred Beasley, and Grace Triplett Beasley.

Has two great-grandchildren: Makai, and Mia.