Mark Metcalf (born March 11, 1946) is an American television and film actor often playing the role of an antagonistic and aggrieved authority figure.
He is best known for his role as sadistic ROTC officer Douglas C. Neidermeyer in the 1978 American comedy film Animal House, a character he later emulated in the 1984 music videos for the songs "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock" by the heavy metal band Twisted Sister.
He is also known for playing the role of The Maestro on two episodes of the sitcom Seinfeld as well as for his recurring role as The Master on the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel.
Early life Metcalf was born in Findlay, Ohio. His father Charles Mayo Metcalf was a civil engineer. Metcalf was raised in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis. In 1959, he moved with his family to New Jersey where he attended Westfield High School, graduating in 1964.Weather Vane 1964, p. 62. Accessed August 23, 2018.
Metcalf enrolled in the engineering program at the University of Michigan. It was at university that he performed in his first stage play, which was a production of Shakespeare's Henry VI. His first professional acting job was with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in 1971. In the early 1970s, he moved to New York City performing in both classical and modern theater, eventually moving westward to work in film.
Career Metcalf's first major Hollywood film role was that of ROTC cadet officer Douglas Neidermeyer in the 1978 comedy Animal House. In 1984, Metcalf played characters similar to Neidermeyer in the Twisted Sister music videos for the songs "We're Not Gonna Take It", where he played an authoritarian father, and "I Wanna Rock", where he played an authoritarian high school teacher.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Metcalf landed guest roles on multiple television shows including Miami Vice, Walker, Texas Ranger and Party of Five. He also played recurring roles on shows such as Hill Street Blues, Teen Angel, Star Trek: Voyager, Ally McBeal and JAG. In 1993 he moved to Hollywood.
One of Metcalf's more memorable television characters was his role in an episode during the seventh season of Seinfeld titled "The Maestro". In the episode he played a self-absorbed conductor who was dating character Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and who insisted on being referred to as "Maestro". Metcalf reprised the role in an episode later that same season titled "The Doll".
From 1997 to 2002, Metcalf played the vampire known as The Master on several episodes of the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel.
In 2000, Metcalf left Los Angeles and moved to Bayside, Wisconsin with his then wife, Elizabeth "Libby" Wick and their son, Julius. Metcalf had moved to Wisconsin to start a restaurant with his wife and with no intent on continuing with acting, due to raising a child with special needs. However, Metcalf was approached by the director of First Stage Children's Theater in Milwaukee to act in one of their plays and Metcalf went on to act in several of their productions.
In conjunction with the Milwaukee Film Festival, Metcalf produced a short film each year based on a screenplay written by a high school student enrolled in the Student Screenwriting Competition, a program developed by Metcalf to teach the craft of screenwriting to young people. Metcalf also contributed articles about film as a correspondent for the online magazine OnMilwaukee.
In 2009, Metcalf played the role of Mayor Johnson on an episode of the third season of Mad Men titled "Souvenir".
After moving to Missoula, Montana in 2013, Metcalf once again became involved in local theatre, playing the role of Scrooge in a production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol presented by the University of Montana School of Theatre and Dance.
In 2019, Metcalf played the role of Sheriff Roy in Tate Bunker's film The Field alongside Barry Bostwick and Veronica Cartwright. Metcalf was the subject of Vera Brunner-Sung's documentary short Character that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020. Metcalf met Brunner-Sung through a mutual friend after moving to Columbus, Ohio.
Personal life Metcalf has one son Julius with Elizabeth "Libby" Wick. The couple moved from Los Angeles, California to Bayside, Wisconsin in 2000. They owned and operated a restaurant in nearby Mequon, Wisconsin called Libby Montana. Metcalf filed for divorce in 2003; starting in 2006, Wick was the sole owner of the restaurant. In late 2024, the restaurant closed permanently.
In 2013, Metcalf moved to Missoula, Montana, to be closer to Julius, who was a student at the University of Montana.
Metcalf is a longtime advocate for Alzheimer’s research and awareness raising.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1977JuliaPratt1978Animal HouseDoug Neidermeyer1979Chilly Scenes of WinterOx1980Where the Buffalo RoamDooley1983The Final TerrorMike1984Almost YouAndrews1985The Heavenly KidJoe Barnes1986One Crazy SummerAguilla Beckersted1988Mr. NorthMr. Skeel1989The OasisEric1991OscarMilhous1992I'm Your ManRichard HewettInteractive film1995A Reason to BelieveDean Kirby1995RageLt. Gov. Dalquist1996The StupidsColonel Neidermeyer1997Hijacking HollywoodMichael Lawrence1997Loose WomenDirector Marsh1999Drive Me CrazyMr. Rope2000The Million Dollar KidOfficer Bob2002Britney, Baby, One More TimeBarfly2002Sorority BoysJohn Kloss2002Lone HeroMarshall Harris2006The Legend TripCharles Knotting2007The SleeperRichmond2009Modus OperandiCopper Gore2011Fort McCoyMr. Gerkey2011We Will Rock YouMajor Emile Hickory2012PlaybackChris Safford2012Little RedLou2012The Smart OnesProfessor Faron2013Billy ClubThe Umpire2014Hamlet A.D.D.Speedy McSpitty2017ManlifeAlfred LawsonVoice2018A Futile and Stupid GestureSecond Publisher2019The FieldSheriff Roy
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1975KarenJess WalkerEpisode: "I Gave at the Office"1978Julie Farr, M.D.BuddyEpisode: "Careers"1979Barnaby JonesTed Parker2 episodes1981Breaking AwayThe RacerEpisode: "La Strada"1981Hill Street BluesOfficer Harris4 episodes1982Teachers OnlyDavidEpisode: "Diana, Substitute Mother"1983For Love and HonorMajor CamdenEpisode: "Rite of Passage"1983HotelChuckEpisode: "Confrontations"1986One Life to LiveStick3 episodes1988Miami ViceAgent BrodyEpisode: "Baseballs of Death"1989A Man Called HawkMr. KirkpatrickEpisode: "The Divided Child"1991L.A. LawGreg MorrisonEpisode: "As God Is My Co-Defendant"1991Dream OnThe CreatureEpisode: "The Second Greatest Story Ever Told"1991Guilty Until Proven InnocentRon D'AngeloTelevision film1991A Woman Named JackieGeorge Smathers2 episodes1992Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez DisasterDennis KelsoTelevision film1993RenegadeRussellEpisode: "The Champ"1994Silk StalkingsScott FinnEpisode: "The Last Campaign"1994Walker, Texas RangerNorval HayesEpisode: "Deadly Vision"1994Dead at 21Sheriff SullivanEpisode: "Love Minus Zero"1994Touched by an AngelNick MorrowEpisode: "The Southbound Bus"1995Melrose PlaceDet. Bob Wilkens2 episodes1995, 1996SeinfeldBob Cobb2 episodes1996Party of FiveMr. ReevesEpisode: "Unfair Advantage"1997–1998Teen AngelRoderick Nitzke7 episodes1997, 1998Ally McBealAttorney Walden2 episodes1997–2002Buffy the Vampire SlayerThe Master8 episodes1998Star Trek: VoyagerHirogen Medic2 episodes1999JAGCaptain Pike3 episodes2000AngelThe MasterEpisode: "Darla"2001Warden of Red RockCarl McValeTelevision film2006Video on TrialAbusive FatherEpisode #2.62009Mad MenMayor JohnsonEpisode: "Souvenir"
References
External links