Brad Dourif

Brad Dourif

Dourif in 2002
Born Bradford Claude Dourif
(1950-03-18) March 18, 1950
Huntington, West Virginia, United States
Occupation Actor, voice actor
Years active 1975–present
Spouse(s) Janet Dourif (divorced)
Joni Dourif (divorced)
Children 2, including Fiona

Bradford Claude "Brad" Dourif (/ˈdɔːrᵻf/; born March 18, 1950) is an American stage, film and voice actor who gained early fame for his portrayal of Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which won him a Golden Globe Award and BAFTA Award, as well as a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He portrayed Charles Lee Ray / Chucky (both live-action and voiceover) in the Child's Play franchise, Deputy Clinton Pell in Mississippi Burning, Younger Brother in Ragtime, Piter De Vries in David Lynch's Dune, Gríma Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings, and Doc Cochran in Deadwood, for which he earned an Emmy Award nomination.

Dourif has worked with director Werner Herzog on many occasions, appearing in Scream of Stone, The Wild Blue Yonder, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?. From June to September 2013, he starred in an Off Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Two-Character Play, his first stage appearance in 29 years.[1]

Early life

Dourif was born in Huntington, West Virginia, on March 18, 1950, one of six children born to Jean Henri Dourif, an art collector who owned and operated a dye factory, and Joan Mavis Felton (née Bradford), an actress.[2][3]

His paternal grandparents emigrated from France, and his paternal grandfather co-founded the Standard Ultramarine and Color Company in Huntington.[4] After Dourif's father died in 1953, his mother remarried champion golfer William C. Campbell, who helped raise Dourif and his five siblings (four sisters and one brother). From 1963 to 1965, Dourif attended the private Aiken Preparatory School in Aiken, South Carolina. There, he pursued his interests in art and acting. Although he briefly considered becoming a flower arranger, he was eventually inspired to become an actor by his mother's participation as an actress in a community theater called "Give me Shelter".

After Aiken, he attended Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, graduating in 1968. Dourif attended Marshall University for a time, before quitting college and moving to New York City to study acting on the advice of actress Conchata Ferrell.[5]

Career

Starting in school productions, Dourif progressed to community theater, joining up with the Huntington Community Players while attending Marshall. In New York City, he studied with Sanford Meisner, and worked with Marshall Mason and Lanford Wilson at the Circle Repertory Company. During the early 1970s, Dourif appeared in a number of plays, off-Broadway and at Woodstock, New York, including The Ghost Sonata, The Doctor in Spite of Himself, and When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?, in which he was spotted by director Miloš Forman[5] who cast him in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).

Although One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is frequently cited as his film debut, in fact, Dourif made his first appearance in a low-budget film called Split, which was never released.[6] His first studio film was W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975) but his bit part was cut. Nevertheless, his portrayal of the vulnerable Billy Bibbit in Cuckoo's Nest was his big break, earning him a Golden Globe Award (Best Actor Debut) and a British Academy Award (Supporting Actor); he was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.[5] Skeptical of his instant stardom, Dourif returned to New York, where he continued in theater and taught acting and directing classes at Columbia University until 1988, when he moved to Hollywood.

In 1981, Vincent Canby listed Dourif as one of twelve actors to watch, calling Dourif "one of the most intense, most interesting young film actors of his generation".[7]

Stage

Though Dourif had not been on stage in nearly three decades, he chose to star alongside Amanda Plummer in the Off-Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Two-Character Play that played to critical acclaim at the New World Stages. He explained, in a filmed interview released by the producers, why he broke his 29-year hiatus from acting in live theater: "I hated the stage, did not want to do it. And then somebody said, 'Will you do a play? It's with Amanda Plummer', and I said, 'Oh shit! No. Oh God, I'm gonna have to do this...'".[8] It opened on June 10, 2013 and closed on September 29, 2013.[9] The play was subject to a number of performance cancellations, one relating to Dourif's absence, due to a death in the family. Plummer refused to perform without Dourif, notwithstanding the presence of an understudy.[10]

Film and television

Dourif has often played eccentric or disturbed characters, starting in Eyes of Laura Mars (1978), John Huston's Wise Blood (1979), Forman's Ragtime (1981), and Marc Didden's Istanbul. Dourif then teamed up with director David Lynch for Dune (1984) and Blue Velvet (1986). He also appears in the 1984 music video for the single "Stranger in Town" by Toto.

He appeared in a number of horror films, notably as the voice of Chucky in the Chucky franchise. He portrayed the Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III (1990), Death Machine (1994), but has broken from the horror genre with roles in Fatal Beauty (1987), Mississippi Burning (1988), Hidden Agenda (1990), and London Kills Me (1991). Dourif also played Gríma Wormtongue in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

On television, Dourif appeared in The X-Files episode "Beyond the Sea" as the psychic serial killer Luther Lee Boggs. He also portrayed Lon Suder in a 3-episode story arc on Star Trek: Voyager and has guest starred as a troubled monk haunted by visions in Babylon 5. In 1984, Dourif played a suspected serial killer in the episode "Number Eight" of Tales of the Unexpected.

Dourif was cast as the Scarecrow in Batman Forever while Tim Burton was attached to the project. However, Joel Schumacher eventually took over the project and instead cast Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face and Jim Carrey as the Riddler. Other roles Dourif has played are Doc Cochran in Deadwood, receiving a 2004 Emmy Award nomination for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series." He also appeared in Sinner and portrayed Sheriff Lee Brackett in Halloween and Halloween II. In 2013, Dourif reprised his voice role as Chucky in Curse of Chucky, which has been released to DVD. His daughter Fiona Dourif starred with him in the 6th installment of the Child's Play franchise. He guest starred in the third-season finale of Fringe.[11]

He also had a brief scene in one episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.[12]

Personal life

Dourif has been married twice. He has one daughter, Fiona, with his former wife Joni, and adopted Joni's daughter, Kristina Dourif Tanoue.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1975 W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings N/A Uncredited
1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Billy Bibbit BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor
Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
1977 Group Portrait with Lady Boris Koltowski
1978 Eyes of Laura Mars Tommy Ludlow
1979 Studs Lonigan Danny O'Neill
1979 Wise Blood Hazel Motes
1980 Heaven's Gate Mr. Eggleston
1981 Ragtime Younger Brother
1984 Dune The Mentat Piter De Vries
1985 Istanbul Martin Klamski
1986 Blue Velvet Raymond
1986 Impure Thoughts Kevin Harrington
1987 Fatal Beauty Leo Nova
1988 Child's Play Chucky (voice)/Charles Lee Ray
1988 Mississippi Burning Deputy Clinton Pell Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
1989 Sonny Boy Weasel
1990 Child's Play 2 Chucky (voice)
1990 Spontaneous Combustion Sam
1990 Horseplayer Bud Cowan
1990 Graveyard Shift Tucker Cleveland
1990 The Exorcist III James Venamun Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
1990 Hidden Agenda Paul Sullivan
1990 Chaindance Johnny Reynolds Nominated—Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
1990 Grim Prairie Tales Farley
1991 Murder Blues John Barnes
1991 Child's Play 3 Chucky (voice)
1991 Jungle Fever Leslie
1991 Body Parts Remo Lacey Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actor
1991 Scream of Stone Fingerless
1991 London Kills Me Hemingway
1992 Final Judgement Father Tyrone
1992 Critters 4 Al Bert
1993 Trauma Dr. Lloyd
1993 Amos & Andrew Officer Donnie Donaldson
1994 Color of Night Clark
1995 Babylon 5: Passing Through Gethsemane (S3E4) Brother Edward
1995 Death Machine Dante
1995 Murder in the First Byron Stamphill
1995 Phoenix Reiger
1996 Sworn to Justice Teddy
1996 Star Trek Voyager, Seasons 2–3 Lon Suder, Betazoid
1996 A Step Toward Tomorrow Kirby
1997 Jamaica Beat Tom Peterson
1997 Nightwatch Duty Doctor
1997 Best Men The Vet
1997 Alien: Resurrection Dr. Gediman
1998 Brown's Requiem Edwards
1998 Senseless Dr. Wheedon
1998 Progeny Dr. Bert Clavell
1998 Urban Legend Michael McDonnell Uncredited
1998 Bride of Chucky Chucky (voice)
1999 The Diary of the Hurdy-Gurdy Man Gabriel
1999 Cypress Edge Colin McCammon
1999 Interceptors David M. Webber
1999 Silicon Towers Alton
2000 Shadow Hours Roland Montague
2000 The Prophecy 3: The Ascent Zealot
2001 The Ghost Lt. Garland
2001 Soulkeeper Mr. Pascal
2002 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Gríma Wormtongue
2003 The Box Stan
2003 Vlad Radescu
2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Gríma Wormtongue Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (Extended Edition only)
2004 Seed of Chucky Chucky (voice)
2004 The Devil's Due at Midnight The Dark One
2004 The Hazing Professor Kapps
2004 El Padrino Cyrus
2005 Drop Dead Sexy Herman
2005 The Wild Blue Yonder The Alien
2005 Man of Faith B. B. Gallen
2006 Pulse Thin Bookish Guy
2007 Sinner Caddie
2007 The List Johan Gabini
2007 The Wizard of Gore Dr. Chong
2007 Halloween Sheriff Lee Brackett
2008 Touching Home Clyde Winston
2008 Humboldt County Jack
2009 Born of Earth Mayor
2009 Lock and Roll Forever Zee
2009 The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Ned Schoenholtz
2009 Halloween II Sheriff Lee Brackett
2009 My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? Uncle Ted
2010 Chain Letter Mr. Smirker
2010 Junkyard Dog Sheriff Holk
2011 Fading of the Cries Mathias
2011 Priest Salesman
2011 Catch .44 Sheriff Connors
2011 Death and Cremation Stan
2012 Last Kind Words Wylon
2012 Black Box Tom
2013 Santa Monica Stan Short film
2013 Gingerclown Worm Creature (voice)
2013 Blood Shot Bob
2013 Curse of Chucky Chucky (voice)/Charles Lee Ray
2013 Malignant The Man
2014 The Control Group Dr. Broward
2015 Rosemont Abe
2017 Chucky 7 Chucky (voice) / Charles Lee Ray
2017 Wildling Daddy / Gabriel Hanson

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1976 The Mound Builders Chad Jasker Television film
1977 The Gardener's Son Robert McEvoy Television film
1978 Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force Sgt. Leonard Matlovich Television film
1980 Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones David Langtree Television film
1982 Desire, the Vampire Paul Television film
1986 The Equalizer Fenn Episode: "Out of the Past"
1986 Spenser: For Hire Maxie Lyons Episode: "Rage"
1986 Rage of Angels Seymour Bourne Television film
1986 Vengeance: The Story of Tony Cimo Lamar Sands Television film
1987 Moonlighting Father McDonovan Episode: "All Creatures Great...and Not So Great"
1987 Miami Vice Joey Wyatt Episode: "Theresa"
1989 Murder, She Wrote Dr. Warren Overman Episode: "Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble"
1989 Desperado: The Outlaw Wars Camillus Fly Television film
1989 Terror on Highway 91 Keith Evans Television film
1993 Wild Palms Chickie Levitt 3 episodes
1993 Tales from the Crypt Virgil Episode: "People Who Live in Brass Hearses"
1994 The X-Files Luther Lee Boggs Episode: "Beyond the Sea"
1994 A Worn Path Hunter Television film
1995 Babylon 5 Charles Dexter/Brother Edward Episode: "Passing Through Gethsemane"
1995 Escape from Terror: The Teresa Stamper Story Sheriff Bill Douglass Television film
1995 Escape to Witch Mountain Luther/Bruno Television film
1996 Star Trek: Voyager Lon Suder 3 episodes
1996 Blackout Thomas Payne Television film
1996 If Looks Could Kill M. Eugene 'Gene' Hanson Television film
1997 Millennium Dennis Hoffman Episode: "Force Majeure"
2001–2002 Ponderosa Maurice Deveraux 8 episodes
2004–2006 Deadwood Dr. Amos 'Doc' Cochran 33 episodes
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2008 Law & Order Dr. David Lingard Episode: "Called Home"
2010 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Iggy Drexel Episode: "Torch"
2011 Fringe Moreau Episode: "The Day We Died"
2011 Psych Bernie Bethel Episode: "Shawn, Interrupted"
2011 Miami Magma Jacob Capilla Television film
2012 Wilfred P.T. Episode: "Questions"
2012–2014 Once Upon a Time Zoso 2 episodes
2012 Criminal Minds Adam Rain Episode: "The Lesson"
2013 End of the World Dr. Walter Brown Television film
2014 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Thomas Nash Episode: "End of the Beginning"

Video games

Year Title Role
2001 Myst III: Exile Saavedro
2002 Run Like Hell Fred (voice)
2005 GUN Reverend Josiah Reed (voice)
2012 Dishonored Piero Joplin (voice)

Discography

He released an LP called Misery Together in 2012. Dourif contributed spoken words to three songs on this album by the Norwegian duo Thinguma*jigSaw. He was also featured in the video to "Drinking from the Bottle" by Calvin Harris. [13]

References

  1. ↑ Dourif (on camera interview), Brad (May 7, 2013). "Video: Press" (Video). Amanda Plummer & Brad Dourif in Tennessee Williams' The Two Character Play. TwoCharacterPlayNYC. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  2. ↑ Brad Dourif profile, filmreference.com; accessed February 18, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Bradford-Dourif". The New York Times. 1944-06-11. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  4. ↑ Baptista, Robert J. (2006-09-22). "Henry Dourif Biography". Colorants Industry History. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  5. 1 2 3 Roberts, Jerry (1990-10-26). "CRAZED - With two Hollywood films opening today and seven more in the can, Brad Dourif may just be Hollywood's busiest actor". Daily Breeze. p. E3.
  6. ↑ Taylor, Brett (Summer 2004). "From Cuckoo Patient to Deadwood Doc: An Interview with Brad Dourif". Shock Cinema (25): 32–34, 47.
  7. ↑ Canby, Vincent (1981-01-18). "Film View - Speculating on Talent: 12 Actors to Watch in 1981". New York Times. p. D19. Retrieved 2010-04-29.
  8. ↑ Dourif (on camera interview), Brad; Two Character Play LLC (7 May 2013). "Amanda Plummer & Brad Dourif in Tennessee Williams' Two Character Play" (Video). Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  9. ↑ 'Two Character Play, starring Amanda Plummer and Brad Dourif, will end run in September', Playbill, 28 August 2013, Andrew Gans. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  10. ↑ Michael Riedel, Diva Amanda Plummer ‘a nightmare’ backstage. New York Post, September 5, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  11. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Kevin (2011-04-05). "Fringe's Latest Casting Told You To Take The Wizard's Staff". UGO Networks. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  12. ↑ Ocampo, Shane. /episode-16-end-of-the-beginning-guide "Agents of SHIELD Episode 16" Check |url= value (help). Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  13. ↑ Profile, desertedvillage.bandcamp.com; accessed February 18, 2015.

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