Peter Weller
Peter Frederick Weller (born June 24, 1947) is an American film and stage actor, television director, and art historian.
Peter Weller | |
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Weller at Paradise City Comic Con in 2016 | |
Born | Peter Frederick Weller June 24, 1947 Stevens Point, Wisconsin, U.S. |
Education | Alamo Heights High School |
Alma mater | University of North Texas (BA) Syracuse University (MA) University of California, Los Angeles (Ph.D.) |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1973–present |
Spouse(s) | Shari Stowe (m. 2006) |
Children | 1 |
Weller has appeared in more than 70 films and television series, including RoboCop (1987) and its sequel RoboCop 2 (1990), in which he played the title character, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013).[1] He has also appeared in such films as Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995), the Oliver Stone-produced The New Age (1994), and David Cronenberg's adaptation of William Burroughs's novel Naked Lunch (1991).
Aside from a Saturn Award nomination for his RoboCop role, Weller received an Academy Award nomination for his 1993 short Partners, in which he also acted. In television, he hosted the program Engineering an Empire on the History Channel from 2005 to 2007. He also played Christopher Henderson in the fifth season of 24, Stan Liddy in the fifth season of the Showtime original series Dexter, as well as Charles "Charlie" Barosky in 11 episodes in the sixth season of Kurt Sutter's Sons of Anarchy. Since 2012, Weller has been involved in the A&E (now Netflix) series Longmire both as a director and an actor. In 2017, Weller appeared on The Last Ship as Dr. Paul Vellek.
Early life
Weller was born June 24, 1947, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the son of Dorothy Jean (née Davidson; 1924–2002),[2] a homemaker, and Frederick Bradford Weller (1922–1986),[3] a lawyer, federal judge, and career helicopter pilot for the United States Army.[4][5] Weller had a "middle-class Catholic" upbringing.[6] As a result of his father's army work, Weller spent many years abroad during his childhood. His family lived in West Germany for several years before eventually moving to Texas, where he attended Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, graduating in 1965.
Education
While enrolled at North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas), he played trumpet in one of the campus bands. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre[7] and began his acting career after attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (Class of 1972).[8]
In 2004, Weller completed a Master of Arts degree in Roman and Renaissance Art at Syracuse University, and occasionally taught courses in ancient history at the university.
In 2007, Weller began a Ph.D. at UCLA, in Italian Renaissance Art History.[9] In October 2013 he filed his dissertation,[10] entitled "Alberti Before Florence: Early Sources Informing Leon Battista Alberti’s De pictura", and was awarded his doctorate in 2014.[11][12]
Career
Stage
Weller's stage career began in the 1970s with appearances on Broadway in Full Circle, directed by Otto Preminger, and Summer Brave, William Inge's rewrite of his play Picnic. About this time, he became a member of the famed Actors Studio.[13]
In December 2006, Weller starred as architect Frank Lloyd Wright at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in Frank's Home, a new play by Richard Nelson.
Film
Weller appeared in the 1984 film Firstborn with Christopher Collet, where he played the abusive boyfriend of Collet's mother (played by Teri Garr).
Weller has appeared in more than 50 films and television series, including turns as the title characters in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, and blockbuster hits RoboCop and RoboCop 2,[1] he portrayed Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus in Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013. He has also appeared in such critically acclaimed films as Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite, the Oliver Stone-produced The New Age and David Cronenberg's movie of William Burroughs's novel Naked Lunch.
In 1995, he appeared in Screamers, a science-fiction film based on the short story "Second Variety" by Philip K. Dick and directed by Christian Duguay.
Television
In a 1977 episode of the television series Lou Grant, he played Oberster SA-Führer Donald Sterner/Stryker, a tragically disillusioned Jewish-American Neo-Nazi leader who later committed suicide off screen with his Colt .45 near the end of the episode when his heritage was discovered.
On television, he played the shuttle captain in the short-lived series Odyssey 5 and made guest appearances as Terran supremacist John Frederick Paxton in the Star Trek: Enterprise episodes "Demons", "Terra Prime" and in Fringe as the character Alistair Peck.
Weller was a contributor to the History Channel in several productions, credited as "Peter Weller, Syracuse University", where he was an adjunct faculty member. He was later a graduate student in art history at UCLA, focusing on the Italian Renaissance.
In 2005, Weller co-starred as the Captain in a made-for-television remake of The Poseidon Adventure.
In 2006, Weller joined the cast of 24 as terrorist collaborator Christopher Henderson.[14] Weller received a "cheer" in TV Guide's "Cheers & Jeers" section for his performance.
On January 15, 2010, Weller was seen in a teaser trailer for the companion documentary God of War: Unearthing the Legend that was featured in the game God of War III which Weller also hosted.[15]
On April 15, 2010, Weller guest-starred in an episode of the science fiction drama Fringe. He also guest-starred on the Showtime original series Dexter,[16] and had a guest appearance in the December 22, 2010 episode of Psych where he played villain "Yin"[17]
Since 2012, he is appearing in a recurring role as Lucien Connally on the crime drama television series Longmire.
In 2013, he played the part of the villain in the remake of the "Hookman" episode of the original Hawaii Five-O. The part was originally played in 1973 by J. J. Armes. In seasons six and seven of Sons of Anarchy, he plays the ruthless ex-cop Charles Barosky, a boss at the Stockton port and has dealings with the SAMCRO motorcycle club.
In 2017, Weller began appearing as Dr. Paul Vellek, a scientist, on The Last Ship.[18]
Directing
Weller has also directed various projects for television, including episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street, Monk and three episodes of the aforementioned Odyssey 5. He directed a 1997 adaptation of Elmore Leonard's Gold Coast starring David Caruso and Marg Helgenberger after previously starring in a version of Leonard's thriller Cat Chaser. He has directed eleven episodes of the series Sons of Anarchy, two in season 4, titled "Dorylus" (air date 9/20/11) and "Hands", three in season 5, titled "Authority Vested", "Toad's Wild Ride" and "Darthy", three in season 6, titled "One One Six", "Los Fantasmas" and "Aon Rud Pearsanta" and three in season 7, titled "Some Strange Eruption", "What a Piece of Work Is Man" and "Suits of Woe". He has directed one episode each season of Longmire since 2012. Most recently in 2018, Weller has directed few episodes of the revamped CBS drama, Magnum P.I.as he has directed"Guts + Fuel + Hope" of MacGyver,and On January 8th, 2021 Weller has directed "Banh Bao + Sterno + Drill + Burner + Mason" of MacGyver.
Voice acting
Weller voiced the character of Bruce Wayne / Batman in the two-part 2012–13 animated adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns,[19] and the titular character in the video game Wilson's Heart.[20] He returned to voice RoboCop in a series of commercials for KFC in 2019 and Mortal Kombat 11.[21][22][23]
Personal life
On June 24, 2006, on his 59th birthday, Weller married his longtime girlfriend, actress Shari Stowe, at the Santa Maria Assunta church in Positano, Italy. Among the guests attending the wedding were Carrie Fisher and Marg Helgenberger.[24]
Awards and nominations
- (1988) Saturn Award for Best Actor – RoboCop
- (1992) Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role – Naked Lunch
- (1994) Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film – Partners- Nominated
- (2002) Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male – Ivans XTC
Filmography
Feature film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1979 | Butch and Sundance: The Early Days | Joe Le Fors | |
1980 | Just Tell Me What You Want | Steven Routledge | |
1982 | Shoot the Moon | Frank Henderson | |
1983 | Of Unknown Origin | Bart Hughes | Paris Film Festival for Best Actor |
1984 | The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension | Buckaroo Banzai | |
1984 | Firstborn | Sam | |
1986 | A Killing Affair | Baston Morris | |
1987 | RoboCop | Alex Murphy / RoboCop | Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Actor |
1988 | The Tunnel | Juan Pablo Castel | |
1988 | Shakedown | Roland Dalton | |
1989 | Leviathan | Steven Beck | |
1989 | Cat Chaser | George Moran | |
1990 | RoboCop 2 | Alex Murphy / RoboCop | |
1991 | Road to Ruin | Jack Sloan | |
1991 | Naked Lunch | William "Bill" Lee | Nominated – Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role |
1992 | Fifty/Fifty | Jake Wyer | |
1993 | Sunset Grill | Ryder Hart | |
1994 | The New Age | Peter Witner | |
1995 | Beyond the Clouds | Husband | |
1995 | Screamers | Joe Hendricksson | |
1995 | Mighty Aphrodite | Jerry Bender | |
1995 | Decoy | Baxter | |
1998 | Top of the World | Ray Mercer | |
1999 | Diplomatic Siege | Steve Mitchell | |
2000 | Shadow Hours | Stuart Chappell | |
2000 | Falling Through | Lou | |
2000 | Contaminated Man | Joseph Müller | |
2000 | Ivans Xtc | Don West | Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male |
2001 | Styx | Nelson | |
2003 | The Order | Driscoll | |
2005 | Man of God | Rabbi | |
2005 | Undiscovered | Wick Treadway | |
2006 | The Hard Easy | Ed Koster | |
2007 | Prey | Tom Newman | |
2007 | Dating Vietnam | Jack Newton | |
2010 | Once Fallen | Eddie | |
2011 | Forced to Fight | Danny G. | |
2012 | Dragon Eyes | Mr. V | |
2012–2013 | Batman: The Dark Knight Returns | Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice) |
Direct-to-video |
2013 | Star Trek Into Darkness | Alexander Marcus | |
2015 | Skin Trade | Captain Costello | |
2017 | Yamasong: March of the Hollows | Brujt |
Television film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1973 | The Man Without a Country | Lt. Fellows | |
1975 | The Silence | Red Sash | |
1983 | Kentucky Woman | Deke Cullover | |
1983 | Two Kinds of Love | Joe Farley | |
1986 | Apology | Rad Hungate | |
1990 | Women & Men: Stories of Seduction | Hobie | |
1990 | Rainbow Drive | Mike Gallagher | |
1994 | Partners | Doctor | Short film Nominated – Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film |
1994 | The Substitute Wife | Martin Hightower | |
1994 | Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee | Uncredited | |
1995 | Present Tense, Past Perfect | Charles | |
1997 | End of Summer | Theo Remmington | |
1997 | Gold Coast | — | Director and executive producer |
1998 | Tower of the Firstborn | John Shannon | |
2000 | Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula | Father Stefan | |
2005 | The Poseidon Adventure | Captain Paul Gallico |
Television series
Year | Title | Role(s) | Channel | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | Lou Grant | Donald Stryker | CBS | Episode: "Nazi" |
1995–1996 | Homicide: Life on the Street | — | NBC | Director Episodes: "Hate Crimes" "White Lies" |
1997 | Michael Hayes | — | CBS | Director Episode: "The Doctor's Tale" |
2002–2003 | Odyssey 5 | Chuck Taggart | Space | 19 (20) episodes |
2005 | Star Trek: Enterprise | John Frederick Paxton | UPN | Episodes:
|
2005–2007 | Engineering an Empire | - | History Channel | Host (14 episodes) |
2006 | Monk | – | USA Network | Director Episode: "Mr. Monk, Private Eye" |
2006 | Monk | Actor playing Stottlemeyer | USA Network | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Actor" |
2006 | 24 | Christopher Henderson | Fox | 11 episodes |
2007 | Las Vegas | — | NBC | Director Episode: "A Cannon Carol" |
2010 | Fringe | Scientist Alistair Peck | Fox | Episode: "White Tulip" |
2010 | Psych | Mr. Yin | USA Network | Episode: "Yang 3 in 2D" |
2010 | Dexter | Stan Liddy | Showtime | 8 episodes |
2013–2014 | Sons of Anarchy | Charles Barosky | FX | 10 episodes |
2012 | House | Dr. Penza | Fox | Episode: "Post Mortem" Also director |
2012 | The Mob Doctor | — | Fox | Director Episode: "Confessions" |
2012–2017 | Longmire | Lucian Connally | A&E Netflix |
Also director 4 episodes |
2013 | Hawaii Five-0 | Curt Stoner | CBS | Episode: "Hookman" |
2013–2018 | Hawaii Five-0 | — | CBS | Director 15 episodes |
2014 | The Strain | — | FX | Director 3 episodes |
2014–2015 | Under the Dome | — | CBS | Director Episode: "The Red Door" (2014) Episode: "But I'm Not" (2015) |
2015–2018 | The Last Ship | — | TNT | 8 episodes as director Recurring role in season 4 |
2015–2016 | Tyrant | — | FX | Director Episode: "Zanjir" Episode: "Bedfellows" Episode: "How to Live" |
2015 | Sleepy Hollow | — | Fox | Director Episode: "I, Witness" |
2015–2016 | Salem | — | WGN America | Director Episode: "The Dark Wine Sea" Episode: "Wednesday's Child" |
2016 | Rush Hour | — | CBS | Director Episode: "Two Days or The Number of Hours Within the Time Frame" |
2016 | Outsiders | — | WGN America | Director Episode: "Long Live the Bre'lin" |
2016 | Game of Silence | — | NBC | Director Episode: "Road Trip" |
2017 | Shades of Blue | — | NBC | Director Episode: "Fracture" Episode: "House Divided" |
2018–2021 | MacGyver | Elliot Mason | CBS | Director — 3 episodes Actor — 3 episodes |
2018 | Forever | The Traveler | Amazon Prime | 2 episodes |
2018 | Mr. Mercedes | — | Audience | Director Episode: "Andale" |
2018–2019 | Mayans MC | — | FX | Director Episode: "Rata/Ch'o" Episode: "Tohil" |
2018–2020 | Magnum P.I. | — | CBS | Director 3 episodes |
2020 | JJ Villard's Fairy Tales | Sergeant Hardcop | Adult Swim | 2 episodes |
Video games
Year | Title | Voice role | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff | RoboCop | |
2016 | Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | Caleb Thies | |
2017 | Wilson's Heart | Robert Wilson | |
2020 | Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath | RoboCop |
References
- "TV: 'RoboCop' Heads to Miami for 'Dexter'!".
- "Dorothy Jean Davidson". bigalke.biz. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- "Frederick Bradford Weller". bigalke.biz. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- "Peter Weller Biography (1947–)". Filmreference.com. 1947-06-24. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
- "Obituaries". pcgazette.com. Archived from the original on 2003-03-20. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
- "People Profile | Peter Weller". Cigar Aficionado. 1996-03-01. Archived from the original on 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
- "2014 Emerald Eagle Honors Honorees". University of North Texas. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
- PETER WELLER, AADA, Class of 1972
- "An interview with Peter Weller". Theflorentine.net. 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
- Ebiri, Bilge (20 May 2013). "Peter Weller on Star Trek, Getting His Ph.D., and Defending J.J. Abrams". vulture.com. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
When is your dissertation due? 'I file it in October.'
- "Ph.D. Recipients". 2014. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
- "STLV: Pegg: Scotty Not A 'Clown' – Talks Accent & Star Trek 2016 + Weller: Marcus Not 'Villain' + more". TrekMovie.com. 3 August 2014.
Yes you read that sentence right: Dr. Peter Weller, who recently completed a PhD in Italian history. And he didn’t let you forget it, including correcting one fan who addressed him as “Mister Weller.”
- "Movies & TV: Peter Weller". The New York Times. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
- "Peter Weller Joins Showtime's 'Dexter'".
- Chester, Nick. "Awesome: RoboCop to Host God of War Documentary".
- "Peter Weller Joins Showtime's Dexter".
- "'Psych' Season Finale Recap: Who Was Yin?".
- "The Last Ship Exclusive: Peter Weller Gets Tom Ready to Fight". 25 August 2017.
- "Animated THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS Cast Announced". Archived from the original on 2012-05-27. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- "Wilson's Heart is a bold VR mash-up of game styles and film genres".
- "Meet Colonel RoboCop, KFC's Latest Colonel Sanders - Extended Feature". YouTube. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
- "Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath – Official Reveal Trailer". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
- Boon, Ed [@noobde] (May 6, 2020). "Also FYI: That IS Peter Weller's voice as Robocop. :) #MortalKombat11Aftermath" (Tweet). Retrieved May 6, 2020 – via Twitter.
- "'Robocop' Star Weds in Italy". Zap2It. June 29, 2006. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
External links
- Peter Weller at IMDb
- Peter Weller at the Internet Broadway Database
- Peter Weller at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Peter Weller at the TCM Movie Database
- Peter Weller at AllMovie
- History Channel's Engineering an Empire site
- "RoboCop in Rome!" New York Daily News
- "RoboCop, PhD" Wired News
- "RoboCop speaks to Detroit" Funny Or Die