"Who's that guy? I know I've seen him before, but I don't know what he was in." "Oh, he's that guy that was in that movie." "What's his name?"
How many times have you said these words or something similar? It seems that every good movie or TV show has a person in it that you never remember until you see him in that moment, then you remember, "Oh yeah, he was on an episode of Knight Rider, the one where KITT was melted with acid".
Who are these unsung heroes that help our other (bigger just isn't the right word) stars shine so
well? They are members of a select guild: the character actors. Seldom do they receive praise.
Even more seldom does anyone remember their name. Here's a short list of "That Guy"s and some of their achievements that will hopefully help them stick out a little more in your mind.
1. Dan Hedaya
You've loved him, you've hated him. He's played cops, criminals, scumbags, a space captain, and even the president in the film "Nixon" (maybe those are the same thing). But he is probably best known for his role as Nick Tortelli, Carla's sleaze-bag ex-husband on "Cheers". Maybe everyone knows your name there, Dan, but most don't know it in the real world.
2. Will Patton
He's been in numerous TV shows, including "C.S.I.", "24", "Numb3rs", and "The Agency" (seems he has a penchant for playing someone in law enforcement) and movies out the wazoo, such as "Gone In 60 Seconds", "Silkwood", "The Fourth Kind", and "Armageddon". Most Recently, you'll probably recognize him from "Brooklyn's Finest", starring opposite Don Cheadle.
3. Giovanni Ribisi
The brother-in-law of singer, Beck, his early work included roles on TV's "The Wonder Years" and "Highway To Heaven", as well as appearing on the family game show "I'm Telling". He (and the rest of the cast) won a SAG award for his part in "Saving Private Ryan", which also landed him on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine.
4. Curtis Armstrong
Most people will always remember Curtis Armstrong for his role as 'Booger', the lovable slob in "Revenge Of The Nerds" and the subsequent sequels. He also played alongside John Cusack in "Better Off Dead" way back in 1985. He's had numerous V.O. roles, including a steady role (33 episodes worth until he was replaced) on Fox's "American Dad" as 'Snot' (a mucous trend?), Steve Smith's friend.
5. Saul Rubinek
Saul has had numerous bit parts, TV appearances, and roles in independent films. Most notably, perhaps, are his roles in "True Romance" and "Jerry and Tom", the latter scoring him the coveted Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Currently he plays Artie Nelson on "Warehouse 13". He was born in a refugee camp in Germany, shortly after the end of WWII.
6. Matt Frewer
What '80s child can forget Max Headroom? Frewer has landed role after role since then, and in my opinion none were greater than his roles in the SyFy Channel's miniseries "Taken" (Dr. Chet Wakeman) and "Alice" (The White Knight). He even played a man bitten by a zombie in the 2004 remake of "Dawn of the Dead". He's also done a lot of V.O. work for the Disney channel, mainly as 'Panic' in the "Hercules" franchise.
7. Danny Trejo
Who do you cast when you need a tough, tattooed, Mexican, criminal? Danny Trejo, that's who. Contrary to his appearance, Trejo is actually a very nice guy. It wasn't always that way, though. He's done time in several maximum security prisons and is a recovering cocaine addict. That all changed when he landed a role in 1985's "Runaway Train", and the rest is B-film history.
8. Mickey Jones
"That would be me," his famous catch phrase from his appearances on "Home Improvement", is etched in my mind every time I see Mickey Jones. However, most people don't know that this player once played a very different role. He was the drummer for Bob Dylan during the controversial 1966 tour that angered so many of Dylan's fans, especially in England, where they were met with boos and cries to get off the stage.
9. Vincent Schiavelli
Most people would remember Vincent as The Subway Ghost in "Ghost", and how badly he wanted 'just one drag' from a cigarette. In addition to playing many roles, he also authored three cookbooks and myriad of newspaper and magazine articles. Sadly, he succumbed to lung cancer at the early age of 57. He owed his looks to another disease, Marfan Syndrome, the same disorder that also plagued musician Joey Ramone.
10. Mike Starr
Often typecast as a mobster or detective, Starr has had 164 roles to date since his first screen credit on Hawaii Five-O in 1978. He had a small role in "Goodfellas" as the airport security guard that aided Deniro and the boys in their multi-million dollar Lufthansa heist. He's also played on TV shows such as "Law and Order: Criminal Intent", "Newsradio", and "Ed", as well as the role of the thrwarted hitman in "Dumb and Dumber".
By no means is this list meant to be considered a compendium of character actors or even a 'best of' list. Simply, it is meant to inspire you, the reader, to find out who the hell "that guy" is when you see him and appreciate the work that the supporting actor lends to the screen. I know there's some of you that are saying: "What about all the unsung actresses? What are you, some kind of cinema chauvinist?" Not at all. I appreciate all the hard work that the female of the character actor species has contributed as well. But that is a tale for another time.
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