Annette O'Toole (born April 1, 1952)^[2] is an American actress, dancer, and singer-songwriter. She is most recently known for portraying Martha Kent, the mother of Clark Kent on the television series Smallville.

Early life and career[link]

O'Toole was born Annette Toole in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Dorothy Geraldine (née Niland) and William West Toole, Jr. Her mother taught dance, something O'Toole learned at the age of 3.^[1] She started taking acting lessons after family moved to Los Angeles when she was 13; her first role was on The Danny Kaye Show.^[1] She also had guest appearances in shows such as My Three Sons (1960), The Virginian, Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five-O, and The Partridge Family.

1970s–1980s[link]

O'Toole's first major film role was as a jaded beauty pageant contestant in the 1975 satire Smile; she got the role after doing an impression of a "dead cockroach" at the audition.^[1] She also appeared as Robby Benson's tutor/girlfriend in the college basketball story One on One in 1977. She co-starred opposite Gary Busey in the 1980 film Foolin' Around. In 1981, she starred in the HBO onstage production of Vanities, as well as in the TV movie Stand By Your Man, which detailed the life of country music legend Tammy Wynette.^[1] Later on in 1982, she appeared briefly as Nick Nolte's girlfriend in 48 Hours. That same year, she played Alice Perrin in Cat People and in 1983 she played Clark Kent's boyhood first love Lana Lang in Superman III.

In 1985, she co-starred with Barry Manilow in the CBS television movie Copacabana playing Lola La Mar to Manilow's Tony Starr. Also in 1985, she had a starring role as Ms. Edmunds in the original Bridge to Terabithia. In 1987's Cross My Heart, a romantic comedy, O'Toole had a leading role opposite Martin Short.

1990s–2000s[link]

In 1990, she had roles in two ABC television miniseries. She played the adult Beverly Marsh in the miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel It. She also portrayed Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy in The Kennedys of Massachusetts, a role that earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress.^[3]

In 1993, she starred in Desperate Justice as Ellen Wells.

She had a recurring role on the television shows Nash Bridges (1996) and starred in her own series The Huntress (2000). She starred in the TV movie Keeping the Promise as Anne Hallowell, Matt Hallowell's mother.

In October 2001, 18 years after portraying Lana Lang in a feature film (Superman III), she returned to the Superman mythos in the role of Martha Kent, Superman's adoptive mother, in the television series Smallville. She remained part of the show's main cast, though at times in the background,^[4] until the end of its sixth season. On January 19, 2010, it was announced that O'Toole would be returning to Smallville for at least one episode.^[5] On November 22, 2010, Annette O'Toole played the role of Veronica; a middle aged woman suffering from severe case of Alzheimer's, in season 3 episode 7 of the TV series Lie to Me.

Musical career[link]

In retrospect, O'Toole can date the beginning of her songwriting career to events during a car ride after the September 11 attacks; as her husband Michael McKean describes it, "On September 11, 2001, Annette found herself without an airline to carry her back down to Los Angeles from Vancouver, where she films Smallville. So she drove a rental car down. The two of us drove it back up together, and on the long drive up there, somewhere between Portland and Seattle, she told me she had a tune in her head."^[6] The "tune in her head" became "Potato's in the Paddy Wagon", one of three songs the couple wrote for A Mighty Wind,^[6] including the Oscar-nominated song "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow."

O'Toole sang "What Could Be Better?" — a song she and her husband co-wrote — for the 2004 Disney children's album A World of Happiness.^[6][7]

In May–June 2005, the couple did a cabaret act for "Feinstein's at the Regency" in New York City.^[8]

On July 7, 2007, O'Toole appeared as a backing singer for her husband's fictional band Spinal Tap at the London leg of the Live Earth concerts. She has also performed on the band's 2009 Unwigged and Unplugged tour.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life[link]

O'Toole married actor Bill Geisslinger on April 8, 1983;^[1] the couple had two daughters.^{[citation needed]}

O'Toole first met Michael McKean, the man who would later become her second husband, when McKean was working on Laverne & Shirley.^[6] After both were divorced, O'Toole and McKean became friends in 1997,^[6] while starring together on Final Justice, a Lifetime movie.^[9] They were married in March 1999.^[6]

O'Toole and McKean guest-starred together in "Mega", a 10th season episode of Law & Order as a wealthy married couple accused of murder.^[10] The couple also guest starred on Boy Meets World as Topanga Lawrence's parents, Jedidiah and Rhiannon.^[11] McKean also played Perry White, the reporter, and later boyfriend, of O'Toole's character Martha Kent on Smallville.

In 2011 she starred in CAP21's production of the new musical Southern Comfort, based on the Sundance award winning documentary, by Dan Collins and Julianne Wick Davis.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Annette O'Toole as Martha Kent at the Wayback Machine (archived February 10, 2007) (originally from The CW website)
• Annette O'Toole at the Internet Movie Database

O'Toole is an Irish surname. It may refer to:

People[link]

• O'Toole (family)
• O'Toole (surname)

Other uses[link]

• O'Tooles GAC football and hurling club in Dublin
• Ensign O'Toole, a military sitcom starring Dean Jones, which aired on NBC, 1962-1963
• Ensign O'Toole and Me, the title of a semi-autobiographical novel by William Lederer
• Plenty O'Toole, James Bond girl
• Slugger O'Toole, Irish weblog
• St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band
• Sneakers O'Toole Family Guy Character (Boys Do Cry)
• Timmy O'Toole Bart's fictional character who fell down a well in an episode of the Simpsons

See also[link]

• Other anglicizations of ó Tuathail:
  • Tohill
  • Toal (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Michael McKean
McKean performing in April 2009
Born	Michael John McKean (1947-10-17) October 17, 1947 (age 64) New York City, New York, United States
Occupation	Actor, comedian, writer, composer, musician
Years active	1973–present
Spouse	Susan Russell (1970-1993) Annette O'Toole (1999-present)

Michael John McKean (born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard "Lenny" Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne & Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St. Hubbins of Spinal Tap.

Early life and career[link]

McKean was born in New York City, New York, the son of Ruth and Gilbert McKean.^[1] As a teenager, he played as a session musician on the Michael Brown single, "Ivy, Ivy" b/w "And Suddenly" which he released under the name of his group, The Left Banke. This action by Brown sparked a lawsuit that basically ended the Left Banke. He began his career (as well as the characters of Lenny and Squiggy) in Pittsburgh while a student at Carnegie Mellon University; David Lander was a fellow student at CMU. Their partnership grew after graduation as part of the comedy group The Credibility Gap with Harry Shearer in Los Angeles, but McKean's breakthrough came in 1976 when he joined the cast of Laverne and Shirley. McKean directed one episode, and the characters became something of a phenomenon, even releasing an album as Lenny and the Squigtones in 1979, which featured a young Christopher Guest on guitar (credited as Nigel Tufnel; the name Guest would use a few years later as part of the spoof rock band, Spinal Tap). "Foreign Legion of Love" was a big hit for the Squigtones, with frequent play on the Dr Demento Show. McKean also played his character in an episode of Happy Days. After leaving Laverne and Shirley in 1982, McKean played David St. Hubbins in the cult spoof documentary movie This is Spinal Tap with both Guest and Shearer, and appeared in the soap opera spoof Young Doctors in Love.

Film and television[link]

McKean quickly became a recognizable name in film and television, with appearances in films such as Used Cars (1980), Clue (1985), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), Earth Girls Are Easy (1988), the film adaptation of Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992), Coneheads (1993), and Radioland Murders (1994). He also had guest roles on such shows as Murder, She Wrote, Murphy Brown, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and Caroline in the City. McKean was part of an ensemble cast in the short-lived television series Grand on NBC which aired in 1990.

Having already appeared as a musical guest and then host of Saturday Night Live, McKean joined the cast in 1994 and remained a cast member until 1995. At 46, he was the oldest person ever to join the Saturday Night Live cast, and the only person to be a musical guest, host, and cast member in that order.^[2] During this time, he also released a video follow up to Spinal Tap, played the villainous Mr. Dittmeyer in The Brady Bunch Movie, and played the boss Gibby in the HBO series Dream On. After leaving Saturday Night Live, McKean spent a lot of time doing children's fare, voicing various TV shows and movies. In 1999, with two children from a previous marriage (to Susan Russell, from 1970 to 1993) McKean married Annette O'Toole.

Later work[link]

McKean and Jane Lynch at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival.

In 1997, he played the lead voice role in the video game Zork Grand Inquisitor, as Dalboz of Gurth. His more recent films have included Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999); Mystery, Alaska (1999); Best in Show (2000) (in which he reunited with Christopher Guest); Little Nicky (2000); The Guru (2002); And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003); and A Mighty Wind (2003) (in which The Folksmen are played by the actors who play Spinal Tap).

McKean's TV guest appearances include; The Simpsons; Law & Order; Family Guy; Star Trek: Voyager; and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. He also guest voiced on Oswald as Henry's cousin, Louie. Coincidentally, Henry was voiced by David Lander. He also lent his voice to an episode of Kevin Smith's Clerks: The Animated Series that was never aired on ABC but was included on the VHS and DVD versions of the series. In 1998, he guest starred in a two-part episode of The X-Files called "Dreamland" in which his character, Morris Fletcher, switched bodies with Fox Mulder. The character was a success, and reappeared in 1999's Three of a Kind, an episode which focused on the recurring characters of The Lone Gunmen. The character appeared on their short-lived spin-off series in 2001, and then returned to The X-Files in its final season for an episode called "Jump the Shark". McKean had a regular role as the brassy, heavily made-up bandleader Adrian Van Horhees in Martin Short's Comedy Central series, Primetime Glick, and in 2003, he guest starred on Smallville, the Superman prequel in which his wife stars as Martha Kent. McKean played Perry White, who - in the Superman universe - ultimately becomes Clark Kent's boss. He previously has been related to the Superman myth. In 1994, on the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman first season episode "Vatman", He played Dr. Fabian Leek, a cloning expert who creates a Superman clone that belonged to corporate mogul Lex Luthor (John Shea). Also, during his short stint on Saturday Night Live, McKean played Perry White in a Superman spoof.

In 2003, he appeared in the Christopher Guest comedy A Mighty Wind. He co-wrote several songs for the film, including A Mighty Wind (with Guest and Eugene Levy), which won the Grammy for "Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media" and A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow (with wife Annette O'Toole), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song.

He was on Broadway in a production of Hairspray in 2004, and is apparently writing his own musical with O'Toole. He was co-starring as Hines in a revival of The Pajama Game with Harry Connick, Jr. at the American Airlines Theatre in the first half of 2006. Also in 2006, McKean reunited with most of the cast of A Mighty Wind to film the comedy For Your Consideration and appeared in the play Love Song on the stage in London. His musical interests led him to a starring role in the critically acclaimed 2008 comedy air-drumming film Adventures of Power, in which he was re-united on-screen with his co-star Jane Lynch (from "For Your Consideration") and starred alongside Adrian Grenier, Chiu Chi Ling, and Shoshannah Stern. In it, McKean plays a copper-miner who organizes a community strike against the corrupt owners of the town plant and is the father of Power (Ari Gold, a devoted young musician whose goal it is to win the national air-drumming competition. His role honors the leaders and fighters of the 99% movement. ^[3]

On March 22, 2006, while Harry Shearer was being interviewed on the Opie and Anthony Radio Show about Spinal Tap, he stated the following: "Well, Michael McKean had been in a band called 'The Left Banke'. They'd done a hit called 'Walk Away Renée', and 'Pretty Ballerina' was their follow-up that was a semi-hit, and he joined the band right after they had their hits."

McKean was cast in the pilot episode of a remake of the British series The Thick of It as the chief of staff. The pilot was directed by Guest.

Recently, McKean starred in the 40th Anniversary Broadway revival of Harold Pinter's The Homecoming, co-starring Ian McShane, Raul Esparza, Eve Best, and James Frain. The show opened on December 9, 2007. In 2009, he starred in the Chicago-based Steppenwolf Theatre Company's production of Superior Donuts, by Pulitzer Prize award-winning playwright Tracy Letts.

On January 20, 2010, it was announced that Michael McKean would return to an episode of Smallville alongside his real life wife, Annette O'Toole.^[4]

In May 2010, McKean won the Celebrity Jeopardy tournament by defeating Jane Curtin and Cheech Marin. The earnings were donated to the International Myeloma Foundation in honor of McKean's friend Lee Grayson, who died of myeloma in 2004.

In the summer of 2010, McKean took over the role of the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's Our Town at the Barrow Street Playhouse in New York's Greenwich Village. His run ended on August 24, 2010.

McKean guest-starred on TBS' Glory Daze.^[5]

In 2011, McKean appeared on an episode of Sesame Street as Virgil, the rock star, looking for "rocks" to be in an all ROCK-band. He searches for many different rocks and gems but is unable to find his lead singer until Abby turns him into an emerald.

On May 22, 2012, McKean was hit by a car in New York City. He suffered a broken leg and was forced to miss the opening performance of "The Best Man." His position is to be filled by James Lecesne. ^[6] On June 1, 2012, McKean was released from the hospital to begin physical rehabilitation. ^[7]

[edit] Recurring characters on SNL

• Anthony, the weatherman from "Good Morning, Brooklyn"

[edit] Celebrity impersonations on SNL

• Bill Clinton (after Phil Hartman left at the end of season 19)
• Jimmy Carter
• Robert Evans
• John Tesh
• Robert Shapiro
• Spalding Gray
• Tom Skerritt
• Vincent Price
• Richard Gephardt
• Jeffrey Dahmer
• Howard Stern
• Donald E. Belfi
• Adam West
• Elvis Costello
• George F. Will
• Gary Busey
• Patrick Stewart

Filmography[link]

• Cracking Up (1977)
• 1941 (1979)
• Used Cars (1980)
• Young Doctors in Love (1982)
• This Is Spinal Tap (1984) (also writer)
• D.A.R.Y.L. (1985)
• Clue (1985)
• Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986)
• Double Agent (1987)
• Light of Day (1987)
• Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
• Portrait of a White Marriage (1988)
• Short Circuit 2 (1988)
• Earth Girls Are Easy (1988)
• Hider in the House (1989)
• The Big Picture (1989) (also writer)
• Flashback (1990)
• Book of Love (1990)
• True Identity (1991)
• Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
• Man Trouble (1992)
• Coneheads (1993)
• Airheads (1994)
• Radioland Murders (1994)
• The Brady Bunch Movie (1995)
• Across the Moon (1995)
• Friends (1995) "The One with the List"
• Star Trek: Voyager - "The Thaw" (1996)
• Edie & Pen (1996)
• The Pompatus of Love (1996)
• Jack (1996)
• No Strings Attached (1997)
• Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997)
• That Darn Cat (1997)
• Nothing to Lose (1997)
• Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1997) as himself (TV series)
• Still Breathing (1997)
• The Man Who Counted (1998) (short subject)
• Spinal Tap: The Final Tour (1998) (short subject)
• The Pass (1998)
• The X-Files - Dreamland (1998)
• Small Soldiers (1998) (voice)
• Archibald the Rainbow Painter (1998)
• With Friends Like These... (1998)
• Sugar: The Fall of the West (1998)
• Masters of Horror and Suspense (1999)
• Kill the Man (1999)
• True Crime (1999)
• Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)
• Mystery, Alaska (1999)
• Best in Show (2000)
• Beautiful (2000)
• Little Nicky (2000)
• My First Mister (2001)
• Never Again (2001)
• Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)
• Slap Her... She's French (2002)
• Teddy Bears' Picnic (2002)
• The Guru (2002)
• Auto Focus (2002)
• 100 Mile Rule (2002)
• A Mighty Wind (2003)
• And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003)
• Smallville (2004)
• The Producers (2005)
• Relative Strangers (2006)
• The Year Without a Santa Claus (2006) - Snow Miser
• For Your Consideration (2006)
• Joshua (2007)
• The Grand (2007)
• Surf's Up (2007) (scenes deleted)
• Adventures of Power (2008)
• Whatever Works (2009)
• Homeland - "Grace" (2011)

Awards[link]

• 2004 – Academy Award Nomination: Best Song - A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow - (shared with Annette O'Toole)
• 2004 – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Winner: Best Song - A Mighty Wind - (shared with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy)
• 2004 – Golden Satellite Award Nomination: Best Original Song - A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow - (shared with Annette O'Toole)
• 2004 – Grammy Award Winner: Best Song Written for a Motion Picture - A Mighty Wind - (shared with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy)
• 2003 – Seattle Film Critics Award Winner: Best Music - A Mighty Wind - (shared with Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Annette O'Toole, Harry Shearer and Jeffrey C.J. Vanston)
• 2003 – DVD Exclusive Award Nomination: Best Animated Character Performance - The Hunchback of Notre Dame II - (shared with Ritsuko Notani)
• 2001 – DVD Exclusive Award Winner: Best DVD Audio Commentary - This Is Spinal Tap - (shared with Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Michael McKean

• Michael McKean at the Internet Movie Database
• Michael McKean at the Internet Broadway Database
• Michael McKean at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Michael McKean on Twitter
• Michael McKean - Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org
• Official The Homecoming on Broadway website
• Michael McKean at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

Peter Boyle
Boyle in 1978
Born	Peter Lawrence Boyle, Jr. (1935-10-18)October 18, 1935 Norristown, Pennsylvania
Died	December 12, 2006(2006-12-12) (aged 71) New York City, New York
Cause of death	multiple myeloma
Nationality	American
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1966–2006
Spouse	Loraine Alterman (m.1977–2006; his death)

Peter Lawrence Boyle, Jr. (October 18, 1935 – December 12, 2006)^[1][2] was an American actor, best known for his role as Frank Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, and as a comical monster in Mel Brooks' film spoof Young Frankenstein (1974).

Boyle, who won an Emmy Award in 1996 for a guest-starring role on the science-fiction drama The X-Files, won praise in both comedic and dramatic parts following his breakthrough performance in the 1970 film Joe.

Early life and career[link]

Boyle was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania of Irish descent, the son of Alice and Peter Boyle Sr. He moved with his family to nearby Philadelphia.^[3] His father was a Philadelphia TV personality from 1951–1963 who, among many other things, played the Western-show host Chuck Wagon Pete, and hosted the afterschool children's program Uncle Pete Presents the Little Rascals, which showed vintage Little Rascals, Three Stooges comedy shorts and Popeye cartoons.^[4]

He was raised Roman Catholic^[5][6] and he attended St. Francis de Sales School and West Philadelphia Catholic High School For Boys. After high school Boyle spent three years as a novice of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, or De La Salle Brothers, a Catholic teaching order. He lived in a house of studies with other novices and earned a BA from La Salle University in Philadelphia in 1957, but left the order because he did not feel called to religious life.^[7][8] While in Philadelphia, he worked as a cameraman on the cooking show Television Kitchen, hosted by Florence Hanford.^[9]

After graduating from Officer Candidate School in 1959, he was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy, but his military career was shortened by a nervous breakdown.^[10]

In New York City, Boyle studied with acting coach Uta Hagen while working as a postal clerk and a maitre d'.^[11] He went on to play Murray the cop in a touring company of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, leaving the tour in Chicago, Illinois and joining The Second City improv comedy ensemble there.^[11] He had a brief scene as the manager of an indoor shooting range in the critically acclaimed 1969 film Medium Cool, filmed in Chicago.

Screen and theater[link]

Boyle gained acclaim for his first starring role, playing the title character, a bigoted New York City factory worker, in the 1970 movie Joe. The film's release was surrounded by controversy over its violence and language. It was during this time that Boyle became close friends with actress Jane Fonda, and with her he participated in many protests against the Vietnam War. After seeing people cheer at his role in Joe, Boyle refused the lead role in The French Connection (1971),^[12] as well as other movie and TV roles that he believed glamorized violence. His next major role was as the campaign manager for a U.S. Senate candidate (Robert Redford) in The Candidate (1972). He also played an Irish mobster opposite Robert Mitchum in The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973).

Boyle had another hit role as Frankenstein's monster in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein, in which, in an homage to King Kong, the monster is placed onstage in top hat and tails, grunt-singing and dancing to the song "Puttin' on the Ritz". Boyle said at the time, "The Frankenstein monster I play is a baby. He's big and ugly and scary, but he's just been born, remember, and it's been traumatic, and to him the whole world is a brand new alien environment. That's how I'm playing it".^[11] Boyle met his wife, Loraine Alterman, on the set of Young Frankenstein while she was there as a reporter for Rolling Stone.^[13] He was still in his Frankenstein makeup when he asked her for a date.^[14] Through Alterman and her friend Yoko Ono, Boyle became friends with John Lennon, who was the best man at Boyle and Alterman's 1977 wedding.^[15] Boyle and his wife had two daughters, Lucy and Amy.

Boyle received his first Emmy nomination for his acclaimed dramatic performance in the 1977 television film Tail Gunner Joe, in which he played Senator Joseph McCarthy. Yet he was more often cast as a character actor than as a leading man. His roles include the philosophical cab driver "Wizard" in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976), starring Robert De Niro; the private detective hired in Hardcore (1979); the attorney of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson (played by Bill Murray) in Where the Buffalo Roam (1980); a corrupt space mining-facility boss in the science-fiction film Outland (1981), opposite Sean Connery; Boatswain Moon in the 1983 pirate comedy Yellowbeard, also starring Cheech and Chong, Madeline Kahn, and members of the comedy troupe Monty Python's Flying Circus; a psychiatric patient who belts out a Ray Charles song in the comedy The Dream Team (1989), starring Michael Keaton; a boss of unscrupulous corporation in the sci-fi Solar Crisis (1990) along Charlton Heston and Jack Palance; the title character's cab driver in The Shadow (1994), starring Alec Baldwin; the father of Sandra Bullock's fiancee in While You Were Sleeping (1995); the corporate raider out to buy Eddie Murphy's medical partnership in Dr. Dolittle (1998); the hateful father of Billy Bob Thornton's prison-guard character in Monster's Ball (2001); Muta in The Cat Returns (2002); and Old Man Wickles in the comedy Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004). In cameo roles, he can be seen as a police captain in Malcolm X (1992), and as a drawbridge operator in Porky's Revenge (1985). In 1992, he starred in Alex Cox's Death and the Compass, an adaptation of Jorge Luis Borges' La Muerte y la Brujula. However, the film was not released until 1996.

His New York theater work included playing a comedian who is the object of The Roast, a 1980 Broadway play directed by Carl Reiner. Also in 1980 he co-starred with Tommy Lee Jones in an Off Broadway production of playwright Sam Shepard's acclaimed True West. Two years later, Boyle played the head of a dysfunctional family in Joe Pintauro's less well-received Snow Orchid, at the Circle Repertory.

In 1986, Boyle played the title role of the acclaimed but short-lived TV series Joe Bash, created by Danny Arnold. The comedy-drama followed the life of a lonely, world-weary, and sometimes compromised New York City beat cop whose closest friend was a prostitute, played by actress DeLane Matthews.^[16]

Later life and career[link]

In 1990, Boyle suffered a near-fatal stroke that rendered him completely speechless and immobile for six months. After recovering, he went on to win an Emmy Award in 1996 as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his appearance on The X-Files. In the episode, "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose", he played an insurance salesman who can see selected things in the near future, particularly others' deaths. Boyle also guest starred in two episodes as Bill Church in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He appears in Sony Music's unaired Roger Waters' music video "Three Wishes" (1992) as a scruffy genie in a dirty coat and red scarf, who tries to tempt Waters at a desert diner.^[17][18]

Boyle was perhaps most widely known for his role as the deadpan, cranky Frank Barone in the CBS television sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, which aired from 1996 to 2005. The show was shot in Los Angeles, to which Boyle commuted from his New York City home. He was nominated for an Emmy seven times for this role, but never won (beaten out multiple times in the Supporting Actor category by his co-star Brad Garrett), though fellow co-stars Garrett, Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, and Boyle's TV wife Doris Roberts won at least one Emmy each for their performances.

In 1999, he had a heart attack^[13] on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond. He soon regained his health and returned to the series. After the incident, Boyle was drawn back to his Catholic faith, and resumed attending Mass.^[19]

In 2001, he appeared in the film Monster's Ball as the bigoted father of Billy Bob Thornton's character.

Introduced by comedian Carlos Mencia as "the most honest man in show business", Boyle made guest appearances on three episodes of the Comedy Central program Mind of Mencia — one of which was shown as a tribute in a segment made before Boyle's death — in which he read hate mail, explained the "hidden meanings" behind bumper stickers, and occasionally told Mencia how he felt about him.

Starting in late 2005, Boyle and former TV wife Doris Roberts appeared in TV commercials for the 75th anniversary of Alka-Seltzer, reprising the famous line, "I can't believe I ate that whole thing!" Although this quote has entered into popular culture, it is often misquoted as, "...the whole thing."^[20] Boyle had a role in all three of The Santa Clause films. In the original, he plays Scott Calvin's boss. In the sequels, he plays Father Time.

Death and legacy[link]

On December 12, 2006, Boyle died in New York City at New York Presbyterian Hospital after suffering from multiple myeloma and heart disease. He was 71 years old. At the time of his death, Boyle had completed his role in the film All Roads Lead Home and was scheduled to appear in The Golden Boys.^[21] The end credits of The Santa Clause 3 and All Roads Lead Home include a dedication to his memory.

Newspapers and magazines reported on Boyle's death and reflected on his lifetime accomplishments, while numerous tribute pages and videos can be found on the Internet in commemoration of him and his career. The familiarity of Boyle's grouchy but lovable character on Raymond could easily allow the audience to develop a seemingly intimate parasocial relationship with the actor. Since his death, fans have been quoted saying such remarks as "It was like we lost a family member ourselves".^[22]

Boyle's death also had a tremendous effect on his Raymond co-stars, who worked alongside him for the entire nine seasons of the popular CBS sitcom. When asked to comment on Boyle's death, his cast members had nothing but positive things to say. Ray Romano was personally affected by the loss, saying, "He gave me great advice, he always made me laugh, and the way he connected with everyone around him amazed me." Boyle's death also saddened Patricia Heaton who stated, "Peter was an incredible man who made all of us who had the privilege of working with him aspire to be better actors."^[23]

On October 18, 2007, which would have been Boyle's 72nd birthday, his friend Bruce Springsteen, during a Madison Square Garden concert with the E Street Band in New York, dedicated "Meeting Across the River", segueing into "Jungleland", in memory of Boyle, stating: "An old friend died a while back – we met him when we first came to New York City... Today would have been his birthday."^[24]

After he lost his battle to multiple myeloma in late 2006, Boyle's wife Loraine Alterman Boyle established the Peter Boyle Memorial Fund in support of the International Myeloma Foundation.^[25] Boyle's closest friends, family and co-stars have since gathered yearly for a comedy celebration fundraiser in Los Angeles. Acting as a tribute to Boyle, the annual event is hosted by Ray Romano and has included performances by many comedic veterans including Dana Carvey, Fred Willard, Richard Lewis, Kevin James, Jeff Garlin and Martin Short. Performances typically revolve around Boyle's life, recalling favorite and hysterical moments with the late actor. The comedy celebration has been noted as the most successful fundraiser in IMF history, as the first event held in 2007 raised over $550,000, while the following year over $600,000 was raised for the Peter Boyle Memorial Fund in support of the IMF's research programs.^[26]

Awards and nominations[link]

• Emmy Award

Nomination (1977) — Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special: Tail Gunner Joe

Nomination (1989) — Guest Actor in a Drama Series: J.J. Killian in Midnight Caller episode "Fathers and Sins"

Win (1996) — Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Clyde Bruckman in The X-Files episode "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose"

(7) Nominations (1999–2005) — Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Everybody Loves Raymond

• Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award

The cast of Everybody Loves Raymond was nominated for Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series each year from 1999–2000 and 2002–2006. Boyle was additionally nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series in 2002.^[27]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Peter Boyle at Find a Grave
• Peter Boyle at the Internet Broadway Database
• Peter Boyle at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Peter Boyle at the Internet Movie Database
• Archive of American Television interview with Peter Boyle
• Peter Boyle at the TCM Movie Database
• Peter Boyle at AllRovi
• MSNBC.com (December 13, 2006): The Daily Nightly: "Remembering Uncle Pete", by Clare Duffy, NBC Nightly News Producer

Gary Busey
Busey at CUN2008 Oscar party
Born	William Gary Busey (1944-06-29) June 29, 1944 (age 67) Goose Creek, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1968–present
Spouse	Tiani Warden (1996–2001; divorced) Judy Helkenberg (1968–90; divorced)

William Gary Busey^[1] (born June 29, 1944) is an American film and stage actor, and artist. He has appeared in a large variety of films, as well as making regular appearances on Gunsmoke, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, and Entourage. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in 1978 for his role in The Buddy Holly Story.

Early life[link]

Busey was born William Gareth Jacob Busey in Goose Creek (now Baytown), Texas, the son of Sadie Virginia (née Arnett), a homemaker, and Delmer Lloyd Busey, a construction design manager.^[2] He graduated from Nathan Hale High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1962. While attending Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg (located in southeastern Kansas) on a football scholarship, he became interested in acting.^[3] He then transferred to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where he quit school just one class short of graduation.

Career[link]

Busey began his show-business career as a drummer in The Rubber Band.^{[citation needed]} He appears on several Leon Russell recordings, credited as playing drums under the names "Teddy Jack Eddy"^[4] and "Sprunk",^{[citation needed]} a character he created when he was a cast member of a local television comedy show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, called The Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting^[4] on station KTUL (which starred fellow Tulsan Gailard Sartain as "Dr. Mazeppa Pompazoidi"). For his skits on Uncanny Film Festival, Busey drew on his American Hero, belligerent, know-it-all character. When he told Gailard Sartain his characer needed a name, Sartain replied, "Take three: Teddy, Jack and Eddy."^[4]

He played in a band called Carp, which released one album on Epic Records in 1969.^[5] Busey continued to play several small roles in both film and television during the 1970s. In 1975, as the character "Harvey Daley," he was the last person killed on the series Gunsmoke (in the antepenultimate episode, No. 633 – "The Busters").

In 1976 he was hired by Barbra Streisand and her producer-boyfriend Jon Peters to play Bobby Ritchie, road manager to Kris Kristofferson's character in the remake film A Star is Born. On the DVD commentary of the film, Streisand says Busey was great and that she had seen him on a TV series and thought he had the right qualities to play the role.

In 1978, he starred as Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story with Sartain as The Big Bopper. The movie earned Busey an Academy Award nomination and the National Society of Film Critics' Best Actor award. In the film, he changes the lyrics to the song "Well All Right" and sings, "We're gonna love Teddy Jack..." a reference to his Teddy Jack Eddy persona.^{[citation needed]} In the same year he also starred in the surfing movie Big Wednesday.

In the 1980s, Busey's roles included Silver Bullet, Barbarosa, Insignificance and Lethal Weapon. In the movie D.C. Cab, Busey portrayed the character Dell. At one point, Dell is singing along with a cassette recording of Busey singing the song "Why Baby Why" (which Busey recorded, but still remains unreleased).^[6] In the 1990s, he appeared in Predator 2, Rookie of the Year, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Under Siege, The Firm, Lost Highway, Point Break and Black Sheep.

Busey sang the song "Stay All Night" on Saturday Night Live in March 1979, Episode 14, Season 4, and on the Late Show with David Letterman in the 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

In 2002, Busey voiced the character Phil Cassidy in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, then again in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories in 2006.^{[citation needed]} He also voiced himself on a 2005 episode of The Simpsons, narrating an informational video about restraining orders.^[7]

Busey appeared in the 2006 Turkish nationalist film Valley of the Wolves: Iraq, (Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak, in Turkish). The film, accused of fascism, anti-Americanism^[8] and anti-Semitism,^[9] tells the story of the U.S. Army run amok in Iraq and brought into check by a Turkish soldier; Busey plays a Jewish-American Army doctor who harvests fresh organs from injured Iraqi prisoners to sell to rich patients in New York City, London and Tel Aviv.

Busey in Kazakhstan, 2007.

In 2007, he appeared as himself on HBO's Entourage. Producers at HBO asked^{[citation needed]} Busey to play a "character" on the show who was the self-named actor who is also a famous painter and sculptor.

In 2008, he joined the second season of the reality show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Per his contract and VH1's press release, he was to be part of the mentoring team and not a patient.^[10] Drew Pinsky has expressed a different opinion, saying that he can help by being in group meetings with others and is not part of the staff, but part of the patients of this second season. Busey returned to reality television in Celebrity Apprentice 4, which premiered in March 2011.^[11]

In a series of 2010 YouTube advertisements for Vitamin Water, Busey appears as Norman Tugwater, a lawyer who defends professional athletes' entitlements to a cut from Fantasy Football team owners.^[12]

The following year, a whirlwind of rumors flew around Hollywood that Busey had been fired from horror movie Mansion of Blood from Elusive Entertainment. Rather, according to Busey's publicist, Michael Conley, Busey stars as Zacharia in the indy film from Elusive Entertainment. In fact, Conley says, "The Producers were so happy with Gary's performance that they even called a "press conference" arranged by the movie's unit publicist, Liz Rodriguez, held by her and the "Mansion" producer team from historical Hollywood & Highland to officially exonerate Gary of any allegations that he had been fired and praised Gary's performance in the upcoming movie."^[13]

Personal life[link]

Busey in September 2007

Family[link]

In 1971, Busey's wife Judy Helkenberg gave birth to their son, William Jacob "Jake" Busey. Busey and Judy divorced when Jake was nineteen.

Busey has a daughter named Alectra from a previous relationship.^[14]

On December 9, 2009, it was announced that Gary Busey and girlfriend Steffanie Sampson were expecting their first child in May 2010. On February 23, 2010, their son Luke Sampson Busey was born.^[15]

Religion[link]

Media reports claimed that Busey is a Christian and active minister in Promise Keepers.^[16] Promise Keepers says that this is incorrect, that it was never contacted for verification of this false claim, and stated on its website that "There is a story circulating through the media that Gary Busey is a minister at Promise Keepers... This is false." (It was later discovered that the incorrect report came from a spoof in the satirical website The Onion.)^[17]

Motorcycle accident and brain damage[link]

On December 4, 1988, Busey was severely injured in a motorcycle accident in which he was not wearing a helmet. His skull was fractured, and doctors feared he suffered permanent brain damage.^[18]

At the recommendation of Dr. Drew Pinsky, Busey was seen by psychiatrist Dr. Charles Sophy. Sophy suspected that Busey's brain injury has had a greater effect on him than realized. He described it as essentially weakening his mental "filters" and causing him to speak and act impulsively. Sophy recommended Busey take a medication called Depakote (valproic acid), to which Busey agreed.^[19]

Legal issues[link]

In May 1995, Busey was arrested for cocaine possession after being hospitalized for an overdose of cocaine and GHB.^[20]

On August 20, 1997, Busey was accused of pushing a stewardess who bumped him on a flight to Las Vegas. Upon the flight's landing, he was questioned by police, but no charges were filed.^[20]

On January 25, 1999, Busey was arrested after a fight with his wife. He was released on bail.^[20]

On December 2, 2001, Busey was again arrested for spousal abuse after his ex-wife Tiani Warden called authorities, complaining he left her bruised. Busey was released on $50,000 bail.^[20]

On September 7, 2004, Busey's landlord filed a lawsuit to evict him because Busey had refused to pay his rent for about three months.^[20]

On Sep 23, 2004, Busey was arrested for showing up late to a spousal support court hearing. His lawyer bailed him out two-and-a-half hours later.^[20]

In February 2012, Busey filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, with reported liabilities of $500,000 to $1,000,000.^[21]

Filmography[link]

• Angels Hard as They Come (1971)
• The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972)
• Dirty Little Billy (1972)
• Lolly-Madonna XXX (1973)
• Hex (1973)
• Blood Sport (1973)
• The Execution of Private Slovik (1974)
• The Last American Hero (1973)
• Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)
• The Law (1974)
• A Star Is Born (1976)
• The Gumball Rally (1976)
• The Buddy Holly Story (1978)
• Straight Time (1978)
• Big Wednesday (1978)
• Carny (1980)
• Foolin' Around (1980)
• Barbarosa (1982)
• Didn't You Hear... (1983)
• D.C. Cab (1983)
• The Bear (1984)
• Insignificance (1985)
• Silver Bullet (1985)
• Half a Lifetime (1986)
• Eye of the Tiger (1986)
• Let's Get Harry (1986)
• Lethal Weapon (1987)
• Bulletproof (1988)
• A Dangerous Life (1988)
• The Neon Empire (1989)
• Hider in the House (1989)
• Act of Piracy (1990)
• Predator 2 (1990)
• Point Break (1991)
• My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991)
• Wild Texas Wind (1991)
• Canvas (1992)
• Chrome Soldiers (1992)
• Under Siege (1992)
• Breaking Point (1993)
• The Firm (1993)
• Rookie of the Year (1993)
• South Beach (1993)
• Warriors (1994)
• Surviving the Game (1994)
• Drop Zone (1994)
• Chasers (1994)
• Man with a Gun (1995)
• Steel Sharks (1996)
• One Clean Move (1996)
• Livers Ain't Cheap (1996) (a.k.a. The Real Thing)
• Black Sheep (1996)
• Carried Away (1996)
• Sticks & Stones (1996)
• The Chain (1996)
• Suspicious Minds (1997)
• The Rage (1997)
• Lost Highway (1997)
• Lethal Tender (1997)
• Plato's Run (1997)
• Rough Riders (1997)
• Rough Draft (1998) (a.k.a. Diary of a Serial Killer)
• Soldier (1998)
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
• Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms (1998)
• Detour (1998) (a.k.a. Too Hard to Die)
• Hot Boyz (1999)
• The Girl Next Door (1999)
• No Tomorrow (1999)
• Two Shades of Blue (1999)
• Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang (1999)
• A Crack in the Floor (2000)
• Tribulation (2000)
• Glory Glory (2000) (a.k.a. Hooded Angels)
• Inside The Metal Box (2000)
• Down 'n Dirty (2000)
• G-Men from Hell (2000)
• Frost: Portrait of a Vampire (2001)
• On the Edge (2002)
• Welcome 2 Ibiza (2002)
• Sam & Janet (2002)
• Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice (2002)
• The Prize Fighter (2003)
• Scorched (2003)
• Shadowlands (2003)
• Shade of Pale (2004)
• Motocross Kids (2004)
• Lexie (2004)
• El Padrino (2004)
• Border Blues (2004)
• Latin Dragon (2004)
• Ghost Rock (2004)
• American Dictators: Documenting the Staged Election of 2004 (2004)
• The Hand Job (2005)
• Souled Out (2005)
• No Rules (2005)
• Chasing Ghosts (2005)
• The Baker's Dozen (2005)
• Into the West (2005)
• Buckaroo: The Movie (2005)
• A Sight for Sore Eyes (2005)
• The Gingerdead Man (2005)
• The Hard Easy (2005)
• Descansos (2006)
• Valley of the Wolves Iraq (2006)
• Dr. Dolittle 3 (2006) (voice)
• Shut Up and Shoot! (2006)
• Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride (2006)
• Soft Target (2006) (a.k.a. Crooked)
• Quigley (2006)
• Lady Samurai (2007)
• Homo Erectus (2007) (a.k.a. National Lampoon's The Stoned Age)
• Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter (2007)
• Succubus: Hell Bent (2007)
• Maneater (2007)
• Beyond the Ring (2008)
• Nite Tales: The Movie (2008)
• Hallettsville (2009)
• Down and Distance (2009)
• DaZe: Vol. Too (sic) – NonSeNse (2009)
• Piranha 3DD (2012)
• Matt's Chance (2012)

Television[link]

• Kung Fu (Season 1, Episode 15 ("The Ancient Warrior")) (1973)
• Gunsmoke (1975)
• The Texas Wheelers (ABC-TV 8-episode sitcom, 1974–75)
• Saturday Night Live (1979) (himself – host)
• Hawaii Five-O (1997 unaired pilot)
• Walker, Texas Ranger (1999)
• The Outer Limits (2000), Episode: "Revival"
• Law & Order (2001)
• King of the Hill (2001) (voice)
• Entourage ("Busey and the Beach", Season 1, Episode 6; "The Boys Are Back In Town", Season 2, Episode 1; "Gary's Desk", Season 4, Episode 8) (2004, 2005, 2007) (as himself)
• The Man Show (2002) (as himself)
• I'm with Busey (Comedy Central, 2003) (as himself)
• Penn & Teller: Bullshit! ("12 Stepping", 2004) (as himself)
• High Chaparall (2004) (as himself)
• The Simpsons (On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister, season 16, episode 11) (2005) (as himself)
• Celebrity Fit Club 2 (VH1, 2005) (as himself)
• Esenin (2005, Russia) (Zinger, Isedora Dunkan's ex-husbund )
• Tom Goes to the Mayor (2006) (voice)
• Scrubs ("My Missed Perception", 2006) (as Gary Busey look-a-like)
• Celebrity Paranormal Project (VH1, 2006) (as himself)
• The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest... (truTV, 2008) (as himself)
• The Cho Show (VH1, 2008) (as himself)
• Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew (VH1, 2008) (as himself)
• The Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy (Comedy Central, 2009) (as himself)
• Conan (TBS, 2010) (as himself)
• Celebrity Apprentice (2011) (as himself)
• Two and a Half Men (Season 9, Episode 9 ("Frodo's Headshots")) (2011) (as himself)^[22]