Tracey Walter (born November 25, 1947) is an American retired character actor, who appeared in more than 170 films and television roles. He is best known for his appearances alongside his real-life friend Jack Nicholson, as well as having been a regular collaborator of directors Jonathan Demme and Danny DeVito. He won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Miller in Repo Man.
Early life Walter was born and grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a truck driver.Profile, FilmReference.com; accessed August 2, 2018. He attended St. Anthony's High School there and played basketball. shockcinemamagazine.com. Issue No. 51 cover He credited the off-Broadway play Scuba Duba with spurring his interest in acting. He studied acting under Jean Stapleton at the Totem Pole Playhouse in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. He made his screen debut in the low-budget exploitation film Ginger.
Career Walter is known for his portrayal of "sidekicks" and "henchmen", such as Bob the Goon in Batman, Cookie in City Slickers, and Malak in Conan the Destroyer. He portrayed Frog Rothchild Jr. on the ABC sitcom Best of the West from 1981 to 1982.
Walter is well-known for his appearances alongside his real-life friend Jack Nicholson. The two appeared in nine films together, beginning with Goin' South in 1978. Walter has acted in six Jonathan Demme films: Something Wild (1986), Married to the Mob (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Philadelphia (1993), Beloved (1998), and The Manchurian Candidate (2004). He has been directed by Danny DeVito in three films: Matilda (1996), Death to Smoochy (2002), and Duplex (2003).
His portrayal of Miller, the philosopher mechanic of Alex Cox's Repo Man, earned Walter a Saturn Award in 1985 for Best Supporting Actor. In the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, Walter played Charles Embry, the PG&E employee who supplied internal paperwork that included a memo that tied an executive at the PG&E corporate headquarters to the knowledge of the Hinkley station water contamination.
Walter's television credits include guest appearances on WKRP in Cincinnati, Taxi, Charlie's Angels, Hill Street Blues, Amazing Stories, Moonlighting, David Lynch's On the Air, Melrose Place, The Division, Veronica Mars, Criminal Minds and Cold Case. He appeared on Nash Bridges as Angel from 1996 to 2001 and on Reno 911! as Sheriff Walter Chechekevitch from 2003 to 2006.
Personal life Walter has two children.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1971GingerGinger's BrotherThe HospitalMan in CrowdUncredited 1973 Badge 373 Delivery Boy Serpico Street Urchin Uncredited 1977 Annie Hall Actor in Rob's T.V. Show Mad Bull Coley Turner 1978 Blue Collar Union Member Goin' South Coogan The Fifth Floor Mental Patient 1979 Hardcore Porn Store Clerk 1980 The Octagon Beatty Uncredited The Hunter Rocco Mason 1981 The Hand Cop Raggedy Man Arnold 1982 Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann Carl Dorsett Honkytonk Man 'Pooch' 1983 Rumble Fish Alley Mugger 1984 Repo Man Miller Conan the Destroyer Malak 1986 At Close Range Patch Whitewood Something Wild The Country Squire 1987 Malone Calvin Bollard 1988 Mortuary Academy Don Dickson Midnight Run Diner Counter Man Married to the Mob Chicken Lickin' Manager 1989 Under the Boardwalk Bum Out of the Dark Lieutenant Frank Meyers Batman Bob Hawkins, The Goon Homer and Eddie Tommy Dearly 1990 Young Guns II Beever Smith The Two Jakes Tyrone Otley Pacific Heights The Exterminator 1991 The Silence of the Lambs Lamar Liquid Dreams Cecil Delusion Bus Ticket Cashier City Slickers 'Cookie' 1992 Guncrazy Elton 1993 Amos & Andrew Bob 'Bloodhound Bob' Cyborg 2 'Wild Card' Philadelphia Librarian 1994 Junior Janitor With Information Uncredited 1995 Fist of the North Star Paul McCarthy Destiny Turns on the Radio 'Pappy' 1996 Larger than Life Wee St. Francis Matilda FBI Agent Bill Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story Joe Bennett Amanda Father Reckinger 1997 Wild America Leon Drive 'Hedgehog' Playing God Jim 1998 Desperate Measures Medical Inmate Beloved Slave Catcher Mighty Joe Young Conservancy Guard 1999 Façade Jake Man on the Moon National Enquirer Editor 2000 Drowning Mona Clarence Erin Brockovich Charles Embry 2001 Jack the Dog The Mortician The Man from Elysian Fields The Bartender How High Professor Wood Impostor Mr. Siegel 2002 Death to Smoochy Ben Franks Ted Bundy Randy Myers 2003 Masked and Anonymous Desk Clerk Manhood Attorney Duplex Pharmacy Customer 2004 One Last Ride Nicky The Manchurian Candidate Night Clerk 2005 Berkeley Draft Board Doctor 2006 Relative Strangers Toupee Salesman 2007 Man in the Chair Mr. Klein Nobel Son Simon Ahrens Wasting Away Mr. Whicks 2008 Trailer Park of Terror Ancient Trucker Just Add Water Clem Dark Reel Roy White 2009 The Perfect Game Captain Slater 2010 I Spit on Your Grave Earl 2011 Midnight Son The Janitor Politics of Love Glen Alyce Kills The Landlord 2013 Savannah Mathias 2014 Swelter Henry Johnson 2016 31 Leo 'Lucky Leo' Middle Man Father Ricky, Lil J Wakefield Homeless Man
Television Year Title Role Notes 1978 LucanJunior HallEpisode: "The Lost Boy" Starsky & Hutch LeoEpisode: "Dandruff" 1979 WKRP in Cincinnati Don Pesola #2Episode: "The Contest Nobody Could Win" Vega$Jimmy PotterEpisode: "Mixed Blessing" 1980 Charlie's Angels Clint Mason Episode: "An Angel's Trail" High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane Harlan Tyler Television film 1981–82 Best of the West 'Frog' Rothchild Jr.21 episodes 1982 The Fall Guy Skip Episode: "The Silent Partner" Seven Brides for Seven BrothersLuckyEpisode: "Gold Fever" 1982, 1983 Hill Street Blues Willie Laporter, Sammy2 episodes 1982–83 Filthy RichAlvin Essary2 episodes 1983 Cagney & Lacey BooneEpisode: "The Gang's All Here" Taxi PanhandlerEpisode: "A Grand Gesture" Bill: On His OwnKennyTelevision film 1984 Hunter Archie Episode: "Pen Pals" 1985, 1986 Amazing Stories Blaze, Ezra2 episodes 1986 AirwolfAlvinEpisode: "Wildfire" 1987 OharaCandyEpisode: "Louie" TimestalkersSamTelevision film Designing Women Malcolm BoxEpisode: "Seams from a Marriage" Moonlighting Arnie Steckler2 episodes 1987–88 ALF Gus 'Gravel Gus'2 episodes 1987, 1992 Star Trek: The Next Generation Berik, Kayron2 episodes 1988 The Bronx ZooMr. Woshinsky3 episodes The French as Seen by...Dusty2 episodes 1989 Alien Nation Tom Mulden Episode: "The Takeover" 1989–90 Freddy's Nightmares Eugene Moss / The Gravedigger2 episodes 1990 Get a Life The Ride Operator 2 episodes 1991 Monsters Ed, The Janitor Episode: "Hostile Takeover" She-Wolf of London BorisEpisode: "Bride of the Wolfman" 1992 On the Air 'Blinky' Watts7 episodes Wings TuckerEpisode: "Two Jerks and a Jill" 1993 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Phil Swill2 episodes The MommiesClerkEpisode: "Christmas" Ultraman: The Ultimate HeroSecurity GuardEpisode: "Dino Might (Gomora)" 1994 Melrose Place Man At 'Dreamy Pines'Episode: "Love, Mancini Style" Ride with the Wind FrancisTelevision film L.A. Law John RostenEpisode: "Whistle Stop" Empty NestMr. MalloyEpisode: "Best Friends" 1995 Kidnapped: In the Line of Duty Oliver TracyTelevision film Buffalo Girls Jim RaggMiniseries 1996–2001 Nash Bridges Peter Spielman, Angel 8 episodes 1997 Tell Me No Secrets Sean FergusonTelevision film The Devil's ChildEzraTelevision film, uncredited 1998 BrimstoneKnapsackEpisode: "Repentance" L.A. DoctorsDrug Store GuyEpisode: "Endless Bummer" 2002 The Division Tom JohnsonEpisode: "Forgive Me, Father" Boomtown DwayneEpisode: "Reelin' in the Years" 2003 Teen Titans Puppet King (voice)Episode: "Switched" A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. Justice League Mophir (voice)Episode: "Eclipsed" 2003–06 Reno 911! Sheriff Walter Chechekevitch4 episodes 2005 Family PlanLouTelevision film Veronica Mars ManagerEpisode: "Rat Saw God" 2006 The Year Without a Santa ClausAbominable SnowmanTelevision film, uncredited 2007 Raines William JonesEpisode: "Pilot" It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Bum Episode: "Bums: Making a Mess All Over the City" 2008 Criminal MindsIke StratmanEpisode: "Elephant's Memory" Monk The Professor Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Miracle" 2009 Prison BreakJanitorEpisode: "Rate of Exchange"; uncredited Cold CaseCotter Doyle '09Episode: "The Crossing" 2010 MediumWalter DurantEpisode: "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day" 2012 Southland Tom Smith Episode: "Identity" Fred 3: Camp Fred Gary 'Scary Gary'Television film
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