Wikipedia / Tracey Walter
Wikipedia / Tracey Walter
Tracey Walter (born November 25, 1947) is an American retired character actor, who appeared in more than 170 films and television roles. He is best known for his appearances alongside his real-life friend Jack Nicholson, as well as having been a regular collaborator of directors Jonathan Demme and Danny DeVito. He won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Miller in Repo Man.
Early life
Walter was born and grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a truck driver. He attended St. Anthony's High School there and played basketball. He credited the off-Broadway play Scuba Duba with spurring his interest in acting. He studied acting under Jean Stapleton at the Totem Pole Playhouse in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. He made his screen debut in the low-budget exploitation film Ginger.
Career
Walter is known for his portrayal of "sidekicks" and "henchmen", such as Bob the Goon in Batman, Cookie in City Slickers, and Malak in Conan the Destroyer. He portrayed Frog Rothchild Jr. on the ABC sitcom Best of the West from 1981 to 1982.
Walter is well-known for his appearances alongside his real-life friend Jack Nicholson. The two appeared in nine films together, beginning with Goin' South in 1978. Walter has acted in six Jonathan Demme films: Something Wild (1986), Married to the Mob (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Philadelphia (1993), Beloved (1998), and The Manchurian Candidate (2004). He has been directed by Danny DeVito in three films: Matilda (1996), Death to Smoochy (2002), and Duplex (2003).
His portrayal of Miller, the philosopher mechanic of Alex Cox's Repo Man, earned Walter a Saturn Award in 1985 for Best Supporting Actor. In the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, Walter played Charles Embry, the PG&E employee who supplied internal paperwork that included a memo that tied an executive at the PG&E corporate headquarters to the knowledge of the Hinkley station water contamination.
Walter's television credits include guest appearances on WKRP in Cincinnati, Taxi, Charlie's Angels, Hill Street Blues, Amazing Stories, Moonlighting, David Lynch's On the Air, Melrose Place, The Division, Veronica Mars, Criminal Minds and Cold Case. He appeared on Nash Bridges as Angel from 1996 to 2001 and on Reno 911! as Sheriff Walter Chechekevitch from 2003 to 2006.
Personal life
Walter has two children.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1971 | Ginger's Brother | ||
Man in Crowd | Uncredited | ||
1973 | Delivery Boy | ||
Street Urchin | Uncredited | ||
1977 | Actor in Rob's T.V. Show | ||
Mad Bull | Coley Turner | ||
1978 | Union Member | ||
Coogan | |||
Mental Patient | |||
1979 | Porn Store Clerk | ||
1980 | Beatty | Uncredited | |
Rocco Mason | |||
1981 | Cop | ||
Arnold | |||
1982 | Carl Dorsett | ||
'Pooch' | |||
1983 | Alley Mugger | ||
1984 | Miller | ||
Malak | |||
1986 | Patch Whitewood | ||
The Country Squire | |||
1987 | Calvin Bollard | ||
1988 | Don Dickson | ||
Diner Counter Man | |||
Chicken Lickin' Manager | |||
1989 | Bum | ||
Lieutenant Frank Meyers | |||
Bob Hawkins, The Goon | |||
Tommy Dearly | |||
1990 | Beever Smith | ||
Tyrone Otley | |||
The Exterminator | |||
1991 | Lamar | ||
Cecil | |||
Bus Ticket Cashier | |||
'Cookie' | |||
1992 | Elton | ||
1993 | Bob 'Bloodhound Bob' | ||
'Wild Card' | |||
Librarian | |||
1994 | Janitor With Information | Uncredited | |
1995 | Paul McCarthy | ||
'Pappy' | |||
1996 | Wee St. Francis | ||
FBI Agent Bill | |||
Joe Bennett | |||
Amanda | Father Reckinger | ||
1997 | Leon | ||
'Hedgehog' | |||
Jim | |||
1998 | Medical Inmate | ||
Slave Catcher | |||
Conservancy Guard | |||
1999 | Façade | Jake | |
National Enquirer Editor | |||
2000 | Clarence | ||
Charles Embry | |||
2001 | The Mortician | ||
The Bartender | |||
Professor Wood | |||
Mr. Siegel | |||
2002 | Ben Franks | ||
Randy Myers | |||
2003 | Desk Clerk | ||
Attorney | |||
Pharmacy Customer | |||
2004 | Nicky | ||
Night Clerk | |||
2005 | Draft Board Doctor | ||
2006 | Toupee Salesman | ||
2007 | Mr. Klein | ||
Simon Ahrens | |||
Mr. Whicks | |||
2008 | Ancient Trucker | ||
Clem | |||
Roy White | |||
2009 | Captain Slater | ||
2010 | Earl | ||
2011 | The Janitor | ||
Glen | |||
The Landlord | |||
2013 | Mathias | ||
2014 | Henry Johnson | ||
2016 | Leo 'Lucky Leo' | ||
Father Ricky, Lil J | |||
Homeless Man |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1978 | Junior Hall | Episode: "The Lost Boy" | |
Leo | Episode: "Dandruff" | ||
1979 | Don Pesola #2 | Episode: "The Contest Nobody Could Win" | |
Jimmy Potter | Episode: "Mixed Blessing" | ||
1980 | Clint Mason | Episode: "An Angel's Trail" | |
Harlan Tyler | Television film | ||
1981–82 | 'Frog' Rothchild Jr. | 21 episodes | |
1982 | Skip | Episode: "The Silent Partner" | |
Lucky | Episode: "Gold Fever" | ||
1982, 1983 | Willie Laporter, Sammy | 2 episodes | |
1982–83 | Alvin Essary | 2 episodes | |
1983 | Boone | Episode: "The Gang's All Here" | |
Panhandler | Episode: "A Grand Gesture" | ||
Kenny | Television film | ||
1984 | Archie | Episode: "Pen Pals" | |
1985, 1986 | Blaze, Ezra | 2 episodes | |
1986 | Alvin | Episode: "Wildfire" | |
1987 | Candy | Episode: "Louie" | |
Sam | Television film | ||
Malcolm Box | Episode: "Seams from a Marriage" | ||
Arnie Steckler | 2 episodes | ||
1987–88 | Gus 'Gravel Gus' | 2 episodes | |
1987, 1992 | Berik, Kayron | 2 episodes | |
1988 | Mr. Woshinsky | 3 episodes | |
Dusty | 2 episodes | ||
1989 | Tom Mulden | Episode: "The Takeover" | |
1989–90 | Eugene Moss / The Gravedigger | 2 episodes | |
1990 | The Ride Operator | 2 episodes | |
1991 | Ed, The Janitor | Episode: "Hostile Takeover" | |
Boris | Episode: "Bride of the Wolfman" | ||
1992 | 'Blinky' Watts | 7 episodes | |
Tucker | Episode: "Two Jerks and a Jill" | ||
1993 | Phil Swill | 2 episodes | |
Clerk | Episode: "Christmas" | ||
Security Guard | Episode: "Dino Might (Gomora)" | ||
1994 | Man At 'Dreamy Pines' | Episode: "Love, Mancini Style" | |
Ride with the Wind | Francis | Television film | |
John Rosten | Episode: "Whistle Stop" | ||
Mr. Malloy | Episode: "Best Friends" | ||
1995 | Oliver Tracy | Television film | |
Jim Ragg | Miniseries | ||
1996–2001 | Peter Spielman, Angel | 8 episodes | |
1997 | Tell Me No Secrets | Sean Ferguson | Television film |
Ezra | Television film, uncredited | ||
1998 | Knapsack | Episode: "Repentance" | |
Drug Store Guy | Episode: "Endless Bummer" | ||
2002 | Tom Johnson | Episode: "Forgive Me, Father" | |
Dwayne | Episode: "Reelin' in the Years" | ||
2003 | Puppet King (voice) | Episode: "Switched" | |
Mophir (voice) | Episode: "Eclipsed" | ||
2003–06 | Sheriff Walter Chechekevitch | 4 episodes | |
2005 | Lou | Television film | |
Manager | Episode: "Rat Saw God" | ||
2006 | Television film, uncredited | ||
2007 | William Jones | Episode: "Pilot" | |
Bum | Episode: "Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City" | ||
2008 | Ike Stratman | Episode: "Elephant's Memory" | |
The Professor | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Miracle" | ||
2009 | Janitor | Episode: "Rate of Exchange"; uncredited | |
Cotter Doyle '09 | Episode: "The Crossing" | ||
2010 | Walter Durant | Episode: "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day" | |
2012 | Tom Smith | Episode: "Identity" | |
Gary 'Scary Gary' | Television film |
References
External links