John Vernon (born Adolphus Raymondus Vernon Agopsowicz; Zehner, February 24, 1932 – Los Angeles, February 1, 2005) was a Canadian actor. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, he became known for his deep, authoritative voice, which led him to specialize in roles as antagonists and authority figures. His film career is marked by memorable performances, notably as the stern Dean Vernon Wormer in the comedy *Animal House* (1978), the Mayor of San Francisco in *Dirty Harry* (1971), and Fletcher alongside Clint Eastwood in *The Outlaw Josey Wales* (1976). In addition to film, Vernon was a prolific voice actor, lending his voice to numerous characters in animated series, such as the mob boss Rupert Thorne in *Batman: The Animated Series*. His distinctive screen presence and vocal timbre made him an iconic and immediately recognizable character actor in film and television for decades, despite not receiving any major awards.