SR1605 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1605 LRB100 21009 ALS 38123 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Charles "John" Mahoney of Oak Park, who passed away on February 4, 2018; and

WHEREAS, John Mahoney was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England to Reginald and Margaret (Watson) Mahoney on June 20, 1940; originally from Manchester, his family was evacuated to Lancashire during World War II; when he was three months old, his family returned to Withington and Ardwick Green in Manchester, and he attended the area schools throughout his childhood; his love of theater led him to the Stretford Children's Theatre in Stretford, England, where he played the role of Polonius in "Hamlet" at the age of 12; and

WHEREAS, In 1951, John Mahoney traveled to Illinois to visit his sister, Vera Jones, who had married an American sailor during the war; he was so impressed by his visit to the United States that he returned eight years later under his sister's sponsorship; he earned his United States citizenship in 1959 after serving in the United States Army, an experience that also inspired him to shed his British accent; after his military service, he worked his way through college as a hospital orderly and earned a bachelor's degree from Quincy College in Illinois (now Quincy University); he then earned a Master of Arts in English from Western Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, John Mahoney briefly worked as a teacher and then editor of a technical publication, the Journal for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals; unfulfilled with office work, he was prompted to return to his love of theater and took acting classes at the St. Nicholas Theater in Chicago with playwright David Mamet; he then appeared in David Mamet's production of "The Water Engine," alongside John Malkovich, which put him on the path to becoming a professional actor; and

WHEREAS, In 1979, John Mahoney was invited to join the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, founded by John Malkovich and Gary Sinise in Chicago in 1974; he continued to perform there as an ensemble member for the rest of his life; and

WHEREAS, In 1986, John Mahoney won a Tony Award for his work in the production of John Guare's "The House of Blue Leaves"; while he had numerous roles in both film and television, including in the movie "Moonstruck," his most memorable role was the that of Marty Crane, father of Frasier and Niles, on the hit television show "Frasier"; his final screen appearance was in the British television drama "Foyle's War" in 2015, where he played an ailing, bed-bound former Texas oil tycoon; while he was proud of his television and film work, he was especially proud of his stage performances and called the theater his real home; and

WHEREAS, John Mahoney spent as much time as possible in his adopted hometown of Oak Park, which he praised for its combination of culture and Midwestern friendliness; he was a fixture in the Oak Park-Forest Park area for the last three decades; he enjoyed many restaurants, including Cucina Paradiso and Marion Street Grill, and he was a loyal customer at Val's Halla Records; and

WHEREAS, John Mahoney was active in his community and supported several local causes, including St. Malachy School and SOS Children's Villages Illinois and headlining the fundraising event "From Harlem Avenue to Hollywood Boulevard: An Evening with John Mahoney" for the Historical Society of Oak Park-River Forest; he will be remembered for his kindness and generosity; and

WHEREAS, John Mahoney is survived by his sister, Rita Sullivan and numerous nieces and nephews, both in the United States and England; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Charles "John" Mahoney and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of John Mahoney as an expression of our deepest sympathy.