Rusty DeWees (born November 15, 1960) is an American actor, producer and writer. He works regionally in Vermont, Off-Broadway, in television, and films. He is best known for his one-man comedy show, The Logger.
Early life Rusty DeWees was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Marilyn Mason DeWees, a homemaker and newspaper business manager, and William Wallace DeWees, a Greyhound bus driver. He is the younger brother of Holly DeWees. DeWees is Dutch, meaning "the orphan". He attended Stowe High School, where he played basketball, and percussion in the school band. He also performed in high school theater productions. After graduating high school DeWees, worked as a school bus driver, basketball coach, stonemason, and logger. During a town team basketball game, Champlain College coach Robert Tipson noticed him and recruited him to play basketball on the team. After graduating, he worked as a gas jockey in Burlington, Vermont.
Career DeWees acted in Burlington with Vermont Repertory Theater under the direction of Robert R. Ringer before moving to New York City in 1989 to pursue an acting career.
In New York, DeWees worked as an assistant to William J. Doyle of William Doyle Galleries, while doing commercials and movies on the side.
Known for his authentic rural appearance, DeWees appeared in the films: Black Dog, A Stranger in the Kingdom, Pieces of April, Radical Jack, Mud Season, Where the Rivers Flow North, and The Devil's Own. DeWees also appeared in Law and Order, The Cosby Mysteries, and various soap operas.
While working on the Patrick Swayze movie, Black Dog, he met the singer Meat Loaf, who gave DeWees advice on how to produce his one-man play, The Logger, a comedy in Two Ax, for which he is best known in and around New England.
DeWees has also written two books, Scrawlins, and Scrawlins Too compilations of short essays.
He was also the host of several episodes of the series Little Hardhats, a program explaining how different machines work.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1993 Ethan Frome Man At Post Office Where the Rivers Flow North The Champ 1996 Diamond Run Reece 1997 Pressure Point Local1998 Black Dog Junior My Mother's Early Lovers Tom / Strage and Beautiful Soldier1999 Mud Season Jerry A Stranger in the Kingdom Harlan Kittredge2000 Icebreaker Timmy The Newcomers Dennis Brownbear2001 New Port South Janitor Ordinary Sinner Bill Parish 2002 The Year That Trembled Local Cop 2003 Pieces of April Joy's Biker Guy2004 Mending Wall "Red" Senses of Place Ethan Reed Nothing Like Dreaming "Red" Morisette 2006 Disappearances "Frog" LaMundy 2008 Shout It Out Jessie's Dad 2010 The Sparrow and The Tigress Jake2013 Northern Borders "Bumper" Stevens Before I Sleep Nurse
Television Year Title Role Notes1991Little HardhatsHostTV program; ended 19971994The Cosby MysteriesBailiffSeason 1 Episode 8: Expert Witness 1995Law & Order Leon Trapp Season 6 Episode 5: Hot Pursuit1997Dave RandallSeason 7 Episode 11: Menace2004Windy AcresLucian LaFlammeMain Role; 7 Episodes
References
External links Personal website