That Guy

In light of the unfortunate passing of John Hughes, I'm reminded of some of the great "who's that guy?" character actors that he utilized in most of his films. Here are some of my favorites:


J.T. Walsh

He was the man. J.T. was at his best when playing a low-key prick, as in The Client, Backdraft and Breakdown. But he also stole the show in money roles such as Blue Chips, Outbreak and my favorite, as Lt. Col. Markinson in A Few Good Men. Playboy once called him "everybody's favorite scumbag". A true American actor, Walsh died in 1998.


Paul Gleason

Gleason, like Walsh, was another classic actor best known for playing a series of laughable pricks. Probably best remembered as Richard Vernon in The Breakfast Club, Gleason played a series of similar roles in Johnny Be Good and Die Hard. Unfortunately, he also died a few years ago.


M. Emmet Walsh

Walsh has had a long and versatile career playing a variety of characters. He won several independent film awards for his private dick role in The Coen Brothers' first film, Blood Simple. My personal favorite films of his are as the can-hating sniper in The Jerk, the probing doctor in Fletch, and the bumbling sports fan attorney in Wildcats.


Ted Levine

If there's any doubt who this guy is, all you gotta know is "Buffalo Bill". His Jame Gumb character from Silence Of The Lambs is one of the most memorable yet disturbing movie villains of all time. These days, he's best known for his role as Leland Stottlemeyer on the show Monk. In between, he's been in such films as Heat and Switchback.


Barry Corbin

With his Texas twang and his authoritative presence, Corbin was memorable in many appearances over the years. His breakthrough performance was as Uncle Bob in the classic, Urban Cowboy. He also contributed mightily to Stir Crazy, Wargames and later in the TV hit, Northern Exposure. More recently, he played a key role in the Best Picture Winner, No Country For Old Men.