Gary Busey's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Into the West Johnny Fox Celebrity Fit Club Himself Fallen Angels Buzz' Meeks I'm With Busey Gary Busey The Texas Wheelers Truckie Whe…

Main Movie Roles 2009 - Hallettsville 2008 - Beyond The Ring 2006 - Cloud 9 2006 - Kurtlar vadisi - Irak 2006 - Chasing Ghosts 2005 - The Hard Easy 2005 - The Gingerdead Man 2000 - A Crack in the Floor 1998 - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 1997 - Lost Highway 1996 - Carried Away 1996 - Black Sheep 1996 - Steel Sharks 1994 - Surviving the Game 1994 - Drop Zone 1994 - Chasers 1993 - The Firm 1992 - Under Siege 1992 - The Player 1991 - Point Break 1990 - Predator 2 1987 - Lethal Weapon 1986 - Let's Get Harry 1986 - Eye of the Tiger 1985 - Insignificance 1985 - Silver Bullet 1983 - D.C. Cab 1982 - Barbarosa 1980 - Carny 1978 - Big Wednesday 1978 - The Buddy Holly Story 1978 - Straight Time 1976 - The Gumball Rally 1976 - A Star Is Born 1974 - Thunderbolt And Lightfoot 1973 - The Last American Hero 1972 - The Magnificent Seven Ride! 1971 - Angels Hard as They Come 1968 - Wild in the Streets

BIOGRAPHY:

A blond-haired, fair-complexioned actor with a toothy grin and capable of an unsettling glint in his eyes, Gary Busey was born in Goose Creek, Texas, to a Native American father and an Irish mother and was raised in Oklahoma. He graduated from college in 1963 and for a while was a professional musician. A talented drummer, he played in several bands, including those of country-and-western legends Leon Russell, Kris Kristofferson (I) and Willie Nelson.

Busey's first film appearance was as a biker in the low-budget Angels Hard as They Come (1971) and, over the next few years, he landed several film roles generally as a country hick/redneck or surly, rebellious types. His real breakthrough came in the dynamic 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story (1978), with Busey taking the lead role as Buddy Holly, in addition to playing guitar and singing all the vocals! His stellar performance scored him a Best Actor nomination and the attention of Hollywood taking overcasting agents. Next up, he joined fellow young actors William Katt and Jan-Michael Vincent as surfing buddies growing up together in the cult surf film Big Wednesday (1978), directed by John Milius. However, a string of appearances in somewhat mediocre films took him out of the spotlight for several years, until he played the brutal assassin "Mr. Joshua" trying to kill L.A. cops Mel Gibson (I) and Danny Glover in the runaway mega-hit Lethal Weapon (1987). Further strong roles followed, including alongside Danny Glover once again in Predator 2 (1990). He was back on the beaches, this time tracking bank robbers with FBI agent Keanu Reeves, in Point Break (1991) and nearly stole the show as a psychotic Navy officer in league with terrorists led by Tommy Lee Jones taking over the USS Missouri in the highly popular Under Siege (1992).

The entertaining Busey has continued to remain busy in front of the cameras and has certainly developed a minor cult following among many film fans. Plus, he's also the proud father of accomplished young actor Jake Busey, whose looks make him almost a dead ringer for his famous father.


TRIVIA:

• Busey played Peter Keyes in _Predator 2 (1990)_ (qv) and then, at one point, he was attached to do a cameo as John Yutani, the other half of the infamous "Weyland-Yutani" Company from the "Alien" films in _AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)_ (qv), but the character was written out of the script.
• Attended Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas in the Early 1960s.
• Starred with 'Russell Wong' (qv) in the unreleased 1997 pilot episode of _"Hawaii Five-O" (1968)_ (qv). This pilot episode was filmed in Hawaii, but was not released due to a decision from CBS-TV executives.
• (25 January 1999) Arrested and released on bail after a fight with his wife, 'Tiani Warden' (qv).
• SPOILER: Was the last man killed on the TV show _"Gunsmoke" (1955)_ (qv).
• Member of the Promise Keepers, a Christian-based mens' organization.
• Has black belts in all of the following martial arts: budo-jujitsu, capoeira, hapkido, "Jailhouse Rock," and kendo.
• Appeared on Tulsa television as the character Teddy Jack Eddy, along with the host 'Gailard Sartain' (qv), in "Mazeppa's Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting".