Fred Dryer

John Frederick Dryer was born on July 6, 1946, in Hawthorne, California. He was raised in Lawndale, California, and attended Lawndale High School and El Camino College. Before his acting career, Dryer established himself as a prominent football player. He played collegiate football for the Aztecs of San Diego State University from 1967-1968, earning First Team All-American honors in 1968. He was recognized as the school’s top defensive lineman, receiving the Chase Memorial Trophy in 1968, and played in collegiate All-Star games like the College All-Star Game, East-West Shrine Game, and Hula Bowl in 1969. Dryer was inducted into the Aztec Hall of Fame in 1988 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997, solidifying his legacy in collegiate sports before transitioning to a professional career.

Dryer’s professional football career began in 1969 when he was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round. He played for the Giants for three seasons before moving to the Los Angeles Rams in 1972, where he played until his retirement in 1981. During his 13-year NFL career, Dryer famously set an NFL record on October 21, 1973, by recording two safeties in a single game against the Green Bay Packers. He played in Super Bowl XIV in 1980 with the Rams. After retiring from football, Dryer briefly worked as a sportscaster for CBS before pursuing acting. He studied acting with Nina Foch and gained his Screen Actors Guild card with roles in ‘Gus’ and ‘Prime Time’. He was considered for the lead role of Sam Malone in ‘Cheers’ but ultimately lost to Ted Danson, though he made several guest appearances on the show as Dave Richards.

Dryer’s most notable acting role came in 1984 as the leading character, LAPD Homicide Detective Sergeant Richard Hunter, in the NBC series ‘Hunter’. The show ran until 1991 and achieved international success, airing in 88 countries worldwide. He directed several episodes of ‘Hunter’ and served as an executive producer for 44 episodes in the sixth and seventh seasons. Following ‘Hunter’, he reprised his role in ‘The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A.’ (1995) and also produced and starred in the TV series ‘Land’s End’ (1995-1996). Dryer has continued to act in films and television shows, including ‘Bumblebee’ (2018), ‘NCIS’ (2018), and ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ (2015).