---
name: "John Karlen"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-karlen"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "28 May 1933"
died: "22 January 2020"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 84
updated: "2026-09-16T21:21:02.987313+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# John Karlen

Actor. Born 28 May 1933 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. Died 22 January 2020.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 28 May 1933, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 22 January 2020
- **Active:** 1971–1982
- **Also known as:** John Adam Karlewicz, John Karlin

## Biography

John Karlen (born John Adam Karlewicz) was an American actor. He trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and made his Broadway debut in the 1959 production of Tennessee Williams' *Sweet Bird of Youth*.

Karlen was best known for playing multiple roles, including Willie Loomis, on the gothic soap opera *Dark Shadows* from 1967 to 1971, and as Harvey Lacey, husband of Tyne Daly's Mary Beth Lacey, on the CBS series *Cagney & Lacey* (1982–88). He appeared in over 100 episodes of the latter and won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1986, with further nominations in 1985 and 1987. He reprised the role in four made-for-television movies between 1994 and 1996.

His other credits include the film *Daughters of Darkness* (1971) as Stefan Chilton, guest appearances on series such as *Murder, She Wrote*, *Mad About You* and *Charlie's Angels*, and later audio dramas reprising his *Dark Shadows* character. Karlen died on 22 January 2020 in Burbank, California.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, televisionacademy.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), Fi1m 81, as Harvey Lacey — [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), Fi1m 86, Actor — [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)

## Also credited on (not yet reviewed)

- *Daughters of Darkness* (1971), Actor

## Also known for

- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), Lt. Martin McGinn, Patrick MacNair, Superintendent Arthur Joyce
- *Mad About You* (1992), Gus Stemple
- *Charlie's Angels* (1976), Leonard Chaffey
- *Starsky & Hutch* (1975)
- *Trilogy of Terror* (1975), Thomas Amman
- *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), Harris
- *Surf Ninjas* (1993), Mac
- *Quincy, M.E.* (1976), Agent Brice

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/john-karlen