Scott Hylands, the Canadian-born actor who starred in the 1980s television police drama “Night Heat,” died on July 29, his son announced. He was 83.

Cinematographer Luke Hylands wrote on social media that his father, who was a longtime resident of Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia -- cancer of the blood and bone marrow -- in October 2021.

No cause of death was provided, USA Today reported.

“Myself and my family are still trying to process this horrible loss. Thank you for understanding,” Luke Hylands wrote. “There simply are not enough words I can say about you right now.

“You are my forever hero and my best friend.”

Scott Hylands starred as the cynical Det. Kevin “O.B.” O’Brien on “Night Heat” from 1985 to 1989, according to IMDb.com. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the program was the first Canadian original drama series to simultaneously air in the United States.

He was nominated for two Gemini Awards for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Continuing Dramatic Role in 1986 and 1987 by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Scott Hylands was also nominated for a Leo Award for Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Motion Picture, the entertainment news website reported. He played Earl in the 2012 film “Becoming Redwood,” about a boy who dreamed of defeating golf legend Jack Nicklaus at the 1975 Masters.

Scott Hylands Douglas was born on Feb. 27, 1943, in Lethbridge, Alberta, according to The Hollywood Reporter. His mother was a nurse and a math teacher, while his father was killed in action in 1945 during the latter stages of World War II.

He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1964 and then traveled east to New York, where he earned the lead role in a 1965 off-Broadway production of “Billy Liar, the entertainment news website reported.

In 1969 he made his onscreen debut by starring as the deranged ex-boyfriend in the film “Daddy’s Gone A-Hunting,” according to IMDb.com.

Hylands spent the next decade playing heavies or tough guys in television appearances on “Kung Fu,” “Ironside,” “Cannon,” “Wonder Woman” and “The Waltons,” USA Today reported.

On film, he appeared in “Slipstream” (1973), “Earthquake” (1974) and “The Boys in Company C” (1978), according to The Hollywood Reporter.

After “Night Heat” was canceled, Hylands remained in the public eye during the 1990s and 2000s with guest roles on television, USA Today reported. They included appearances on “NYPD Blue,” “The X-Files,” “The Outer Limits,” “The Twilight Zone” and “V.”

In 2017, Hylands landed a recurring role on the television series “Fargo,” appearing in three episodes, according to IMDb.com. His final onscreen role came in 2020 on the supernatural Western “Wynonna Earp.”

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