Wikipedia / John Getz
Wikipedia / John Getz
John Getz (born October 15, 1946) is an American character actor. After starting his acting career on stage, he has appeared in numerous television series and films, most notably Blood Simple, The Fly, and The Social Network.
Early life
Getz, one of four children, was born in Davenport, Iowa, and grew up in the Mississippi River Valley. He is the son of William and Kay Getz. His father operated a heavy-machine company, and his mother's family worked in construction.
He was raised in Moline, Illinois, and attended Moline High School, where he was a member of the swimming team. As a student at the University of Puget Sound, he participated in theater to avoid being on the university's swimming team. He attended the University of Iowa intending to participate in its Writers Workshop. He planned to write and teach, but involvement with the university's theater department turned his interest to acting.
Career
Immediately after his college experience Getz began working with the American Conservatory Theater. He performed for a year with a touring company, after which he was one the founders of a theater company in Napa Valley. After moving to New York he performed in plays in East Village and was an understudy for productions in Lincoln Center's Shakespeare Festival.
Getz appeared in The Happy Hooker (1975) and followed up with several other roles before starring in the Coen Brothers' neo-noir thriller Blood Simple (1984). He played the doomed lover of a married woman (Frances McDormand) who woefully misinterprets his increasingly complex circumstances.
In 1985, he co-starred in the police drama MacGruder and Loud. The pilot aired after Super Bowl XIX on January 20, 1985, and the series subsequently aired on ABC. The series was canceled by ABC after its first season.
Getz appeared in two television series with Maggie in their titles: Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs (1984), in which he played Geoff Bennett, the new editor of the New York Examiner, and Maggie (1998–1999), in which he played Dr. Arthur Day, the title character's husband.
Getz also appeared in The Fly (1986) and The Fly II (1989) as Stathis Borans, a science magazine editor who pays a heavy price for his curiosity.
Also in 1989, he appeared in Born on the Fourth of July as a Marine major. In 1990, he played a greedy tycoon in the Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez spoof Men at Work. In 1991, he appeared as Gus in Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead and as an obnoxious corporate lawyer boyfriend in Curly Sue. In 1994, he appeared in the film Playmaker, starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Rubin.
In 2007, he had a role in David Fincher's film Zodiac. Also in 2007, he appeared in Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman's documentary film Nanking as George Ashmore Fitch, head of the local YMCA and administrative director of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone. Getz also had a role in Fincher's film The Social Network (2010), about the founding of Facebook. He appeared in the suspense thriller Elevator as a Wall Street executive trapped in an elevator with a group of strangers, one of whom has a bomb. Written and produced by Marc Rosenberg and directed by Stig Svendsen, Elevator was released in July 2012. He appeared in Trumbo (2015) as director Sam Wood.
Through the decades, Getz has guest-starred in many television series, including Barney Miller (in the 1977 episode "Atomic Bomb") and Three's Company (1980), where he played Lee Tripper, brother of Jack Tripper. He has guest-starred in How I Met Your Mother, Prison Break, The King of Queens and Private Practice, and had recurring roles in Homeland (2014–2017), Timeless (2016–2018), Bosch (2017–2018), and the Netflix series A Man on the Inside (2024).
Personal life
Getz married playwright Grace McKeaney on January 3, 1987; They have a daughter together.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1975 | Trout Fisherman | ||
1981 | Buddy | ||
1984 | Ray | ||
Ray Davis | |||
1986 | Stathis Borans | ||
1989 | Stathis Borans | ||
Marine Major - Vietnam | |||
1990 | Maxwell Potterdam III | ||
1991 | Gus | ||
Walker McCormick | |||
1994 | Franklin Hewitt | ||
Eddie | |||
Jerry | |||
1996 | Police Officer | ||
1998 | Claire's Father | ||
2000 | Mr. Kirkland | ||
2004 | Senator Abercombie | ||
2007 | Documentary | ||
Templeton Peck | |||
2008 | Lunatic Editor | ||
2010 | Sy | ||
2011 | Henry Barton | ||
2013 | Paul Jobs | ||
2015 | Renkin | ||
2016 | Sheriff Rowles | ||
2018 | Bart | ||
2019 | Sheriff | ||
2023 | Reverend Simpson |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1974 | Attendant | Television film | |
1974–1976 | Neil Johnson | Main role, 122 episodes | |
1977 | Dan Bridger | 1 episode | |
1977 | Tom Ericson | 1 episode | |
1977 | Dr. Daniel Gentry | Main role, 13 episodes | |
1977 | Christian Harrison | 1 episode | |
1977 | William McKuen | 1 episode | |
1978 | Walter Alberts | 1 episode | |
1978 | John Campbell | Miniseries | |
1978 | Stewart | Miniseries, 2 episodes | |
1978–1981 | Jim / Dr. Morgan Thomas | 2 episodes | |
1979 | William Simmons | 1 episode | |
1980 | Lee Tripper | 1 episode | |
1984 | Geoff Bennett | 5 episodes | |
1985 | Thomas Sanders | 1 episode | |
1985 | Scott Harris | 1 episode | |
1985 | Malcolm MacGruder | Main role, 15 episodes | |
1989 | John Hale | 1 episode | |
1990 | Bob Wiltz | 1 episode | |
1993 | Doug Hulin | Television film | |
1993 | Greg | 1 episode | |
1993 | Jack | 1 episode | |
1995 | Roy Buchanan | 2 episodes | |
1995–1996 | Kyle Kimball / Jonas Cole | 2 episodes | |
1995–1996 | Les MacDowall | Recurring role, 6 episodes | |
1996 | Television film | ||
1996 | Dennis Hewitt | Television film | |
1996 | Karl Hansen | 1 episode | |
1998–1999 | Dr. Arthur Day | Main role, 20 episodes | |
1999 | Admiral Harrison Spencer | 1 episode | |
2000 | Dr. Sullivan | 1 episode | |
2000; 2014 | Richard Zeigler / Bill Harvey | 2 episodes | |
2001 | General Hammond | Television film | |
2001 | Wendell Rapke | 1 episode | |
2003 | George Risher | 1 episode | |
2003 | Frank | 1 episode | |
2003 | D.A. Gabe Fellowes | Recurring role, 6 episodes | |
2004 | Mr. Garrett | 1 episode | |
2004–2006 | Mr. Dugan | 3 episodes | |
2005 | Dan | 1 episode | |
2005 | Mr. Salinger | 1 episode | |
2005 | Councilman Stuart McCallister | 1 episode | |
2006 | Bill Simmons | 1 episode | |
2006 | Maurice Hardecker | 1 episode | |
2006 | Congressman Mark B. Sellner | 2 episodes | |
2006 | Freddie Smith | 1 episode | |
2006–2007 | Judge Tobias Booth | Recurring role, 5 episodes | |
2007 | Judge Nicholas | 1 episode | |
2007 | Walter Storrs | 1 episode | |
2008 | Bob Hewitt | Episode: "Miracles" | |
2008 | Steve Gilboy | 1 episode | |
2008 | Dr. Eric Stone | 1 episode | |
2008 | Michael Breyers | 2 episodes | |
2008 | William Gregory | 1 episode | |
2008 | Dr. Roger Knowlton | 1 episode | |
2009 | Peter Derby | 2 episodes | |
2009 | Andrew Kane | 1 episode | |
2009 | Mr. Kent | 1 episode | |
2010 | Rudy Wharton | 1 episode | |
2010 | Walter Kane | 1 episode | |
2012 | Patrick Keating | 1 episode | |
2012 | Henry Williams | 1 episode | |
2013 | Admiral Vincent Albers | 1 episode | |
2013 | Bernard Moss | 1 episode | |
2013 | Senator Lockhart | 1 episode | |
2013 | Senator Ed Chappell | 2 episodes | |
2014 | Steven Frank | 1 episode | |
2014 | Dr. Gustavo Bauer | 1 episode | |
2014 | Howard | 1 episode | |
2014 | Joe MacMillan Sr. | 2 episodes | |
2014 | David Dolan | 1 episode | |
2014–2017 | Joe Crocker | 4 episodes | |
2016 | Randal Cowan | 1 episode | |
2016 | Army General Owen Matthews | 1 episode | |
2016 | James Harrison Barret | 4 episodes | |
2016–2017 | John | 3 episodes | |
2016–2017 | Donald | 4 episodes | |
2016–2018 | Benjamin Cahill | Recurring role, 9 episodes | |
2017 | Chairman | 2 episodes | |
2017 | Director Romsio | 1 episode | |
2017–2018 | Bradley Walker | Recurring role, 13 episodes | |
2018 | Mr. St. Pierre Vanderbilt | 2 episodes | |
2018–2020 | Dwight / Doug Layton | Recurring role, 5 episodes | |
2020–2021 | Paul Trainor | 4 episodes | |
2022–2023 | Conrad Pritchard | 4 episodes | |
2023 | Edelstein | 2 episodes | |
2023 | Warren | Miniseries, 4 episodes | |
2023 | James Minor | 1 episode | |
2024–present | Elliot Haverhill | Recurring role, 9 episodes | |
2026 | Lloyd Wilkins | 3 episodes |
References
External links