John Forsythe, voice of “Charlie’s Angels” and homophobic Blake Carrington on “Dynasty” has died

John Forsythe was the never-seen voice of Charlie Townsend who sent Farrah, Kate and Jaclyn (later Kris, Tiffany and whatever the last one’s name was) on Charlie’s Angels.

Then he moved on to his most famous onscreen role of oil tycoon Blake Carrington on the long-running ABC soap Dynasty. Blake was devoted to wife Krystal (Linda Evans) but ex-wife Alexis (Joan Collins) never stopped loving him – or scheming!

He and Alexis had four children: Gay son Steven (Al Corley then Jack Coleman) who turned straight or bi for awhile and married Sammy Jo (Heather Locklear). He also had his hands full with daughter Fallon (Pamela Sue Martin then Emma Sams) and his long-lost kidnapped son was Adam (Gordon Thompson). In later seasons, Amanda (Catherine Oxenberg), the daughter he never knew about, showed up out of nowhere.

Sadly, Blake was no PFLAG father – especially when he accidentally killed his gay son Steven’s lover Ted Dinard in season one. That really bugged me and makes me cringe to this day. Blake is convicted for Ted’s death but does not serve any jail time.

He remained homophobic a few seasons later when learns that Steven is living with his attorney, Chris Deegan, (Grant Goodeve). Suspecting that the men are more than friends, Blake decides to sue Steven for custody of Steven’s son Danny. Blake argues that a homosexual cannot be a good parent, while Steven argues that Blake, as a convicted murderer, is worse.

In season five, Steven’s affair with Luke (Billy Campbell) strains his relationship with Blake, especially when Steven invites Luke to be his escort to Amanda’s wedding to Prince Michael of Moldavia. Steven is heartbroken when Luke is killed in the terrorist attack at Amanda’s wedding.

It was not until the 1991 reunion miniseries that Blake finally stops acting like a total homophobe and formally accepts Steven and his partner Bart.

But Forsythe, of course, was not Blake Carrington. He had a very long film and television career including the Alfred Hitchcock film The Trouble With Harry as well as Madame x and In Cold Blood and the series Bachelor Father and To Rome With Love.

He died today at the age of 92 from cancer.

Here are some Dynasty clips – including the Dinard death.