Gary Busey
Gary Busey | |
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![]() Busey in 2008 | |
Born | William Gary Busey[1] (1944-06-29) June 29, 1944 Goose Creek, Texas, United States |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1967–present |
Spouse(s) |
|
Children | 3, including Jake Busey |
William Gary Busey (/ˈbjuːsi/; born June 29, 1944)[2] is an American actor. A prolific character actor, Busey has appeared in over 150 films, including Lethal Weapon (1987), Predator 2 (1990), Point Break (1991), Under Siege (1992), The Firm (1993), Carried Away (1996), Black Sheep (1996), Lost Highway (1997), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), The Gingerdead Man (2005), Quigley (2003), and Piranha 3DD (2012). Busey also made guest appearances on television shows such as Gunsmoke, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, Scrubs, Suits, and Entourage.
For portraying Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story (1978), Busey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor.
Contents
1 Early life
2 Career
2.1 Early career
2.2 Rise to prominence
2.3 2000s–present
3 Personal life
4 Filmography
4.1 Film
4.2 Television
4.3 Video games
5 Awards and nominations
6 References
7 External links
Early life
Busey was born in Goose Creek, Texas, the son of Sadie Virginia (née Arnett), a homemaker, and Delmer Lloyd Busey, a construction design manager.[3] He graduated from Nathan Hale High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1962. Busey attended Coffeyville Community college [4] before attending Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas on a football scholarship, where he became interested in acting.[5] He then transferred to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma where he quit school just one class short of graduation.
Career
Early career
Gary Busey (standing), Mark Hamill and Jack Elam from The Texas Wheelers, 1974
Busey began his show business career as a drummer in The Rubber Band.[6] He appears on several Leon Russell recordings, credited as playing drums under the names "Teddy Jack Eddy"[7] 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[7] 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 character needed a name, Sartain replied, "Take three: Teddy, Jack and Eddy."[7]
He played in a band called Carp, which released one album on Epic Records in 1969.[8] 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 third-to-last episode, No. 633 – "The Busters").[9]
Rise to prominence

Gary Busey at the premiere of A Star Is Born in 1976
In 1974, Busey made his major film debut with a supporting role in Michael Cimino's buddy action caper Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, starring Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges.
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 rock legend Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story with Sartain as The Big Bopper. For his performance, Busey received the greatest critical acclaim of his career and the movie earned Busey an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and the National Society of Film Critics' Best Actor award. In the same year he also starred in the small yet acclaimed drama Straight Time and the surfing movie Big Wednesday, which is now a minor cult classic.
In the 1980s, Busey's roles included the critically acclaimed western Barbarosa, the comedies D.C. Cab[10] and Insignificance, and the Stephen King adaptation Silver Bullet. He played one of the primary antagonists opposite Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the action comedy Lethal Weapon.
In the 1990s, he had prominent supporting roles in successful action films such as Predator 2, Point Break and Under Siege. He also appeared in Rookie of the Year, The Firm, Black Sheep, Lost Highway, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Busey sang the song "Stay All Night" on Saturday Night Live in March 1979 (season 4, episode 14), and on the Late Show with David Letterman in the 1990s.[11]
2000s–present
In 2002, Busey voiced the character Phil Cassidy in the video game
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and later reprises the role in the prequel Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories in 2006. He received much praise from critics and fans for his portrayal of the outlandish character.
In 2003, Busey starred in a Comedy Central reality show, I'm with Busey. In 2005, he also voiced himself in an episode of The Simpsons[12] and appeared in the popular miniseries Into the West. Busey controversially appeared in the 2006 Turkish nationalist film Valley of the Wolves: Iraq, (Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak, in Turkish), which was accused of fascism, anti-Americanism[13] and anti-Semitism.[14]
In 2007, he appeared as himself in a prominent recurring role on HBO's Entourage, in which he parodied his eccentric image, ultimately appearing on three episodes of the show.
In 2008, he joined the second season of the reality show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.[15] Busey returned to reality television in Celebrity Apprentice 4, which premiered in March 2011,[16] and appeared again in Celebrity Apprentice 6. There, he briefly reprised his role as Buddy Holly by performing "Not Fade Away".
In a series of 2010 YouTube advertisements for Vitamin Water, Busey appeared as Norman Tugwater, a lawyer who defends professional athletes' entitlements to a cut from Fantasy Football team owners.[17]
In 2014, he became a celebrity spokesperson for Amazon Fire TV. That August, he appeared in, and became the first American winner of the fourteenth series of the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother.
On September 1, 2015, it was announced that he would be competing on the 21st season of Dancing with the Stars. He was paired with professional dancer Anna Trebunskaya.[18] Busey and Trebunskaya made it to Week 4 of competition but were then eliminated and finished in 10th place.[19]
Personal life

Busey in September 2007
In 1971, Busey's wife Judy Helkenberg gave birth to their son, William Jacob "Jake" Busey. Busey and Helkenberg divorced when Jake was 19 years old. Busey has a daughter named Alectra from a previous relationship.[20]
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.[21]
In 1996, Busey publicly announced that he was a Christian, saying: "I am proud to tell Hollywood I am a Christian. For the first time I am now free to be myself."[22][23] Busey cites the motorcycle accident, as well as a 1995 cocaine overdose,[24] as events that strengthened his religious faith.
In 1997, Busey underwent successful surgery to remove a cancerous, plum-sized tumor from his sinus cavity. The growth was found after Busey began suffering nose bleeds.[25]
During the filming of the second season of Celebrity Rehab in 2008, Busey was referred to 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 valproic acid (Depakote), with which Busey agreed.[26]
In February 2010, Busey's fiancée Steffanie Sampson gave birth to their son, Luke Sampson Busey.[27]
In 2015, Busey supported Donald Trump's 2016 presidential bid saying, "For the American people, vote for Donald Trump come election night."[28][29] In late 2015, he again expressed support for Trump's candidacy for president.[30]
Filmography
Film
- 1967: The Love-Ins as Hippie with Loudspeaker (uncredited)
- 1968: Wild in the Streets as Concert Attendee (uncredited)
- 1971: Angels Hard as They Come (also known as Angel Warriors) as Henry
- 1972: The Magnificent Seven Ride! as Hank Allen
- 1972: Dirty Little Billy as Basil Crabtree
- 1973: Lolly-Madonna XXX (also known as The Lolly-Madonna War) as Zeb
- 1973: Hex as Giblets
- 1973: The Last American Hero (also known as Hard Driver) as Wayne Jackson
- 1974: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot Curly
- 1975: You and Me Himself
- 1976: A Star Is Born as Ritchie
- 1976: The Gumball Rally as Gibson - Camaro Team
- 1978: The Buddy Holly Story as Charles Hardin Buddy Holly
- 1978: Straight Time as Willy Darrin
- 1978: Big Wednesday as Leroy Smith
- 1980: Carny as Frankie
- 1980: Foolin' Around as Wes
- 1982: Barbarosa as Karl Westover
- 1983: Didn't You Hear... as James
- 1983: D.C. Cab as Dell
- 1984: The Bear as Paul W. Bryant
- 1985: Insignificance as The Ballplayer
- 1985: Silver Bullet as Uncle Red
- 1986: Eye of the Tiger as Buck Matthews
- 1986: Let's Get Harry as Jack
- 1987: Lethal Weapon as Joshua
- 1988: Bulletproof as Frank McBain
- 1989: Hider in the House as Tom Sykes
- 1990: Act of Piracy as Ted Andrews
- 1990: Predator 2 as Peter Keyes
- 1991: Point Break as F.B.I. Special Agent Angelo Pappas
- 1991: My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys as Clint
- 1992: Canvas as Ozzy Decker
- 1992: Under Siege as Commander Krill
- 1992: The Player as Himself
- 1993: The Firm as Eddie Lomax
- 1993: Rookie of the Year as Chet Steadman
- 1993: South Beach as Lenny
- 1994: Breaking Point as Dwight Meadows
- 1994: Surviving the Game as Doc Hawkins
- 1994: Drop Zone as Ty Moncrief
- 1994: Warriors as Frank Vail
- 1994: Chasers as Sergeant Vince Banger
- 1995: Man with a Gun as Jack Rushton
- 1996: Livers Ain't Cheap (also known as The Real Thing) as Foreman
- 1996: One Clean Move as Connie
- 1996: Black Sheep as Drake
- 1996: Carried Away (also known as Acts of Love) as Major Nathan Wheeler
- 1996: Sticks & Stones as Book's Dad
- 1996: The Chain as Frank Morrisey
- 1997: Steel Sharks as Cmdr. Bill McKay
- 1997: Suspicious Minds as Vic Mulvey
- 1997: The Rage as Art Dacy
- 1997: Lost Highway as Bill Dayton
- 1997: Lethal Tender as Mr. Turner
- 1997: Plato's Run as Plato
- 1998: Rough Draft as Nelson Keece
- 1998: Soldier as Church
- 1998: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Highway Patrolman
- 1998: Detour (also known as Too Hard to Die) as Otto Mazur
- 1999: Two Shades of Blue as Jack Reynolds
- 1999: Hot Boyz (also known as Gang Law) as Tully
- 1999: The Girl Next Door as Sheriff Larson
- 1999: No Tomorrow as Noah
- 1999: Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang as The Hodded Fang
- 2000: A Crack in the Floor as Tyler Trout
- 2000: Tribulation as Tom Canboro
- 2000: Glory Glory (also known as Hooded Angels)
- 2000: G-Men from Hell
- 2001: A Crack in the Floor
- 2001: Down 'n Dirty
- 2002: Sam and Janet
- 2002: On the Edge
- 2002: Welcome 2 Ibiza
- 2002: Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice
- 2003: Frost: Portrait of a Vampire
- 2003: The Prize Fighter
- 2003: Quigley (also known as Daddy Dog Day)
- 2003: Scorched
- 2003: The Shadowlands
- 2003: Ghost Rock
- 2004: Shade of Pale
- 2004: Motocross Kids
- 2004: Fallacy
- 2004: Lexie
- 2004: El Padrino
- 2004: Border Blues
- 2004: Latin Dragon
- 2005: The Hand Job
- 2005: Souled Out
- 2005: No Rules
- 2005: Chasing Ghosts
- 2005: A Sight for Sore Eyes (Short)
- 2005: The Baker's Dozen
- 2005: Buckaroo: The Movie
- 2005: The Gingerdead Man
- 2006: The Hard Easy
- 2006: Descansos
- 2006: Valley of the Wolves: Iraq
- 2006: Dr. Dolittle 3 (voice)
- 2006: Shut Up and Shoot!
- 2006: Soft Target
- 2006: Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film (Documentary)
- 2007: Lady Samurai
- 2007: Homo Erectus (also known as National Lampoon's The Stoned Age and Dawn of Sex)
- 2007: Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter
- 2007: Succubus: Hell-Bent
- 2008: Beyond the Ring
- 2009: Hallettsville
- 2009: Down and Distance
- 2010: Freaky Saturday Night Fever
- 2011: Guido
- 2011: Jenny
- 2012: Change of Heart
- 2012: Piranha 3DD
- 2012: Lizzie
- 2013: Matt's Chance
- 2013: Bounty Killer
- 2014: Confessions of a Womanizer
- 2014: Behaving Badly
- 2015: Entourage
Television
- 1970: The High Chaparral; episode: "The Badge"
- 1971: Dan August; episode: "The Manufactured Man"
- 1972: Bonanza; episode: "The Hidden Enemy"
- 1973: Kung Fu; episode: "The Ancient Warrior"
- 1974: The Execution of Private Slovik (movie)
- 1974: The Law (movie)
- 1974–1975: The Texas Wheelers (all 8 episodes)
- 1975: Gunsmoke; episode: "The Busters"
- 1975: Baretta; episode: "On the Road"
- 1979: Saturday Night Live (March 10) (as himself / host)
- 1985: The Hitchhiker; episode: "W.G.O.D."
- 1993: Fallen Angels; episode: "Since I Don't Have You"
- 1997: Hawaii Five-O (unaired pilot)
- 1988: A Dangerous Life (miniseries)
- 1989: The Neon Empire (movie)
- 1991: Wild Texas Wind (TV movie)
- 1992: Chrome Soldiers (TV movie)
- 1997: Hawaii Five-O (movie)
- 1997: Rough Riders (miniseries)
- 1998: Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms (movie)
- 1998: The Girl Next Door (movie)
- 1999: Walker, Texas Ranger; episode: "Special Witness"
- 1999: Shasta McNasty; episode: "The Thanksgiving Show"
- 2000: The Outer Limits; episode: "Revival"
- 2000: The Huntress; episode: "What Ralph Left Behind"
- 2001: Law & Order; episode: "Formerly Famous"
- 2001: King of the Hill; episode: "Soldier of Misfortune" (voice)
- 2002: The Man Show; episode: "The Juggbournes" (as himself)
- 2003: Russians in the City of Angels (3 episodes)
- 2003: I'm with Busey (all 13 episodes) (as himself)
- 2004: Penn & Teller: Bulls***!; episode: "12 Stepping" (as himself)
- 2004–2005, 2007: Entourage; episodes: 1.6, 2.1, 4.8 (as himself)
- 2005: Yesenin (miniseries)
- 2005: The Simpsons; episode: "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister" (as himself) (voice)
- 2005: Into the West (miniseries)
- 2005: Celebrity Fit Club (USA) (season 2) (as himself / team member)
- 2006: Tom Goes to the Mayor; episode: "Wrestling") (voice of Coach Harris)
- 2006: Scrubs; episode: "My Missed Perception" (as Gary Busey lookalike)
- 2006: Celebrity Paranormal Project (all 9 episodes) (as himself)
- 2007: Maneater (movie)
- 2008: The Cho Show; episode: "Off the Grid") (as himself)
- 2008: Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew (season 2) (as himself/participant)
- 2009: Nite Tales: The Series; episode: "Trapped"
- 2009: The Comedy Central Roast of Larry the Cable Guy (as himself)
- 2011: Celebrity Apprentice 4 (as himself/contestant)
- 2011: Two and a Half Men; episode: "Frodo's Headshots" (as himself)[31]
- 2012: truTV Presents: World's Dumbest... (as himself)
- 2012: Rove LA (4 episodes) (as himself)
- 2012: Celebrity Wife Swap (1 episode) (as himself)
- 2012–2013: Mr. Box Office (4 episodes)
- 2013: Celebrity Apprentice 6 (contestant)
- 2014: American Dad!; episode: "She Swill Survive" (as himself) (voice)
- 2014: Celebrity Big Brother 14 (contestant and winner)
- 2015: Dancing with the Stars (contestant)
- 2016: Sharknado: The 4th Awakens
- 2017: Impractical Jokers; episode: "Lady And The Tramp" (as himself)
- 2017: Impractical Jokers After Party; episode: "Dover And Out" (as himself)
- 2018: The Last Sharknado: It's About Time
- 2018: Impractical Jokers; episode: "The Marathon Man" (as himself)
Video games
- 2002: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (voice)
- 2006: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (voice)
- 2008: Saints Row 2 (voice)
- 2016: Hitman (voice and likeness) (uncredited)[32][33]
- 2018: Killing Floor 2 (voice)[34]
Awards and nominations
Year |
Association |
Category |
Work |
Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1978 |
Los Angeles Film Critics Association |
Best Actor |
The Buddy Holly Story |
3rd place |
New Generation Award[citation needed] |
Won |
|||
New York Film Critics Circle |
Best Actor |
2nd place |
||
1979 |
Academy Awards |
Best Actor in a Leading Role |
Nominated |
|
Golden Globe Awards |
Best Motion Picture Actor – Musical/Comedy |
Nominated |
||
National Society of Film Critics |
Best Actor |
Won |
||
1980 |
British Academy of Film and Television Arts |
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles |
Nominated |
|
1987 |
CableACE Awards |
Actor in a Dramatic Series[citation needed] |
The Hitchhiker |
Won |
1994 |
Fallen Angels |
Nominated |
References
^ "William Gary Busey : Texas Birth Index". Familysearch.org. Retrieved 2017-08-18..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ "Texas Births, 1926–1995". familytreelegends.com. Retrieved December 19, 2010.
^ "Gary Busey Biography (1923)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
^ https://www.coffeyville.com/338/Coffeyville-Celebrities
^ "Gary Busey". eBiog. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2007.
^ Johnny Carson Show August 23, 1985
^ abc Tulsa TV Memories.com, Gary Busey reference as Teddy Jack Eddy in Tulsa, OK.
^ Carp at AllMusic
^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0594408/
^ People May 15, 1989, pp. 65–68
^ Gary Busey - Stay All Night on YouTube
^ "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister". The Simpsons. Season 16. Episode 11. 2005-06-03. Fox.
^ "Turkish rush to embrace anti-US film". BBC News. February 10, 2006. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
^ "Turkish Film Uproar: Attacking the American Enemy on Screen – International – Spiegel Online – News". Der Spiegel. February 22, 2006. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
^ Archive of ""Celebs Check Into Rehab 2 With Dr. Drew"". Archived from the original on June 13, 2008. Retrieved March 22, 2010.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) , VH! press release, June 10, 2008
^ Wright, Adam (November 18, 2010). "Celebrity Apprentice Season Four Cast Revealed". TVDoneWright.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2010.
^ Cassens Weiss, Debra (August 30, 2010). "'Lawyer Norman Tugwater' Ready to Sue for Pro Athletes' Fantasy Rights". ABA Journal. American Bar Association.
^ "Dancing with the Stars Season 21 Cast Announcement". ABC. September 2, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
^ "'Dancing with the Stars' Recap: Most Memorable Years for the Top 10". buddytv.com. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
^ James Peragine. "First Photos: Gary Busey Introduces Son Luke". Retrieved August 15, 2017.
^ Moran, W. Reed (July 5, 2001). "Gary Busey ministers to brain injury community". USA Today. Retrieved August 5, 2007.
^ Cramberg, Joanne. "Tulsa's 'Bad Boy' Gary Busey Accepts Jesus". Retrieved April 29, 2013.
^ Virtue, David. "Rescued From The Present Evil Age". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
^ "Gary Busey On His Life-Changing Cocaine Overdose And Motorcycle Accident (VIDEO)". Huffington Post/Oprah Winfrey Network. January 21, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
^ "Gary Busey Heads for Cancer Surgery".
^ "Celebrity Rehab 2 with Dr. Drew (Episode 2)". Retrieved March 26, 2009.
^ Kate Stanhope. "Gary Busey and Girlfriend Are Expecting". TVGuide.com. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
^ Gary Busey Endorses Donald Trump for President. People Video. April 29, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
^ Powers, Lindsay (April 18, 2011). "Gary Busey Endorses Donald Trump for President". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
^ Glines, Carole (September 15, 2015). "Donald Trump gets coveted Gary Busey endorsement ahead of big debate". Fox News. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
^ "'Two and a Half Men': Gary Busey joins as a mental patient – From Inside the Box – Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. November 4, 2011. Archived from the original on November 6, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
^ "Hitman Promo Asks You to Kill Gary Busey or Gary Cole". Gamespot. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
^ "HITMAN Elusive Target #7 - The WildCard (Gary Busey)". YouTube.
^ Tripwire Interactive (2018-11-08), Killing Floor 2 Twisted Christmas: Season's Beatings - Gary Busey Badass Santa Announcement Trailer, retrieved 2018-11-08
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gary Busey. |
Gary Busey on IMDb
Gary Busey at AllMovie
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