Tim Thomerson

Tim Thomerson
Born Joseph Timothy Thomerson
(1946-04-08) April 8, 1946
Coronado, California, U.S.
Occupation Actor, comedian
Years active 1975present
Spouse(s) Teri Blythe

Joseph Timothy "Tim" Thomerson (born April 8, 1946) is an American actor and comedian.[1]

Thomerson is most famous for his role as Jack Deth in the Trancers[2] film series and is renowned for his work in numerous low-budget movies and his comedic television roles.[3]

Early life

Tim Thomerson was born in Coronado, California. He was brought up in Hawaii and in San Diego. Following a stint in the National Guard, Thomerson chose to become an actor, while taking a job as a set builder and prop man at the Old Globe Theatre, which is famous for its Shakespearean productions. After meeting character actor Anthony Zerbe, he took Anthony's advice and studied acting, at the Herpolscheimer School of Performing Arts, with Stella Adler in New York City.

After his college tenure had ended, Thomerson began a career as a stand-up comedian, honing his skills. He appeared in clubs that included The Bitter End in Greenwich Village, The Improv in Los Angeles, Catch a Rising Star, and the Catskills.

Career

When Thomerson moved into comedy, he found himself in a boom alongside the likes of David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Freddie Prinze. In L.A., he became a regular at the Comedy Store and the Improv as well as making numerous appearances on television variety shows, and in Las Vegas.

Thomerson has had a very long career in television and in film, appearing in scores of films since the 1970s. He had a memorable minor role in Car Wash. He played criminal psychologist Jerry Moriarity in the 1980 slasher film Fade to Black.

In 1985, Thomerson starred as the time-traveling future cop Jack Deth in the low budget science fiction film Trancers which was produced by Charles Band and Empire Pictures. The role made him an icon of the B-movie genre, and led to Thomerson building a working relationship with the Bands. He was supposed to appear in Pulse Pounders which was ultimately never completed.

In 1986, Thomerson would reunite with a few of his Trancers co-stars for Zone Troopers, and he appeared in the vampire film Near Dark. He also appeared as a villain opposite Melanie Griffith's heroine in Cherry 2000 and as Major Dan Hackett in the Disney made-for-TV movie, The B.R.A.T. Patrol starring opposite Sean Astin, Nia Long and Brian Keith.

When Charles Band started up Full Moon Features in the late 1980s, one of his first projects was Trancers II (released in 1991), in which he reunited Thomerson with much of the cast from the first film. Thomerson would appear in every sequel thereafter, with the exception of Trancers 6, which instead starred Zette Sullivan in her only lead role, and used archive footage of Thomerson to enhance the story. Thomerson is considering returning in another Trancers sequel.

He appeared in NBC's 1988 television film The Incredible Hulk Returns as The Hulk's opponent, Jack LeBeau.

Another movie role that made Thomerson popular with fans of science-fiction was that of Brick Bardo in the 1991 film Dollman, a Dirty Harry-like alien cop who is 13 inches tall, and uses his blaster gun to take on gangsters and devil-possessed toys in two obscure feature films. The character also appeared very briefly in Bad Channels.

Thomerson has had many memorable roles in feature films, including Uncommon Valor, Air America, Volunteers, Who's Harry Crumb?, Iron Eagle, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, just to name a few, as well as numerous television roles such as Tour of Duty and 21 Jump Street. He also played Colonel Savage of the Missouri Militia on The Young Riders in 1989. In the '90s he was a series regular on the television police drama Sirens followed by a regular, co-starring role on the series Land's End starring Fred Dryer.

Thomerson has been fortunate enough to have worked with some of his favorite actors, which include Gene Hackman, Clint Eastwood, Wilford Brimley, and Richard Farnsworth. His personal comic hero is Richard Pryor.

Initial success

One of Thomerson's early acting breaks came from director Robert Altman who, after seeing Thomerson's stand-up act, cast him in the film A Wedding. At this early stage of Thomerson's movie career he found himself surrounded by the likes of Vittorio Gassman, Carol Burnett, Geraldine Chaplin, and a very young Dennis Franz.

Thomerson first came to prominence in the short-lived comedy science-fiction TV series Quark in 1977–78, as Gene/Jean, a character of dual gender who randomly switched from a macho to a feminine personality.

Movie actor

Thomerson's most famous role is that of Jack Deth, the hero of Charles Band's Trancers series. Playing against his comedic roots, Thomerson played Deth as a hard-nosed epitome of machismo, like the science fiction equivalent of Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry series. The character continued in four more sequels throughout the 1990s. A fifth sequel, Trancers 6, was released in 2002 but Thomerson was not involved.

Other career highlights include Babo in the adventure film Air America with Mel Gibson and Robert Downey, Jr., grimy mercenary Rhodes in Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn, demented cult leader Lester in Cherry 2000, Loy in the horror classic Near Dark, diminutive lawman Brick Bardo in Dollman and Dollman vs. Demonic Toys, and a scruffy motorcyclist in Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Thomerson is a stock player in the films of actor/director Michael Worth (DUAL, Devil on the Mountain, God's Ears) and a favorite of director Albert Pyun (Dollman, Knights, Nemesis).

In addition, Thomerson has made guest appearances on TV shows such as The Golden Girls, Walker, Texas Ranger, The Young Riders, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Xena, Warrior Princess, Viper, The District, and Silk Stalkings.

Most recently he had voiced the Voice of Freedom for the John Milius-written video game Homefront and Cyrus Temple in Saints Row: The Third.

Personal life

Thomerson's wife Teri Blythe has worked extensively in Hollywood as a script supervisor, make-up artist, casting director, and producer.

Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
1975 A Shadow in the Streets Chick Television movie
1976 Car Wash Kenny As Timmothy Tomerson
1977 Benny And Barney: Las Vegas Undercover Barney Tuscom Television movie
All That Glitters Sonny Packer TV series
Terraces Steve Television movie
Which Way Is Up? Tour Guide As Timothy Thomerson
1977-1978 Quark Gene/Jean TV series
1978 Remember My Name Jeff As Timothy Thomerson
Record City Marty
A Wedding Russell Bean
1979 Mork & Mindy (ep. 13) Sergie Guest in TV series
The Associates Johnny Danko TV series
Angie Gianni TV series
1980 Getting There Lester Television movie
Carny Doubles
Fade to Black Jerry Moriarty
1981 Take This Job and Shove It Ray Binkowski
In Trouble Mr. DamrushTelevision movie
Golden Gate Frank Nightingale Television movie
St. Helens Sheriff Dwayne Temple
1981-1982 The Two of Us Reggie Cavanaugh TV series
1982 Some Kind of Hero Cal
Bare Essence Billy Television movie
Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again Dr. Knute Lanyon
Honkytonk Man Highway Patrolman
1983 Likely Stories, Vol. 2 TV series
Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn Rhodes
The Osterman Weekend Motorcycle cop
Uncommon Valor Charts
Gun Shy Theodore Ogilvie TV series
1984 Rhinestone Barnett Kale
His Mistress Tom Goodman Television movie
1985 Trancers Jack Deth
Volunteers John Reynolds
1985 Murder, She Wrote Lt. Clyde Pitts
1986 Iron Eagle Col. Ted Masters
Zone Troopers The Sarge
The B.R.A.T. Patrol Maj. Dan Hackett Television movie
1987 Glory Years Jack Sanders Television movie
Near Dark Loy Colton
Tour of Duty Sgt. Aubrey Decker. 1 episode. The Good, the Bad, and the Dead
Cherry 2000 Lester
Down and Out in Beverly Hills Jerry Baskin TV series
1988 A Tiger's Tale Lonny
The Wrong Guys
The Incredible Hulk Returns Jack LeBeau Television movie
1989 Who's Harry Crumb? Vince Barnes
1990 Vietnam, Texas Max Heron
Air America Babo
The Flash Jay Allen Television movie
1990 Murder, She Wrote Bert Rogers TV series
1990 Midnight Caller Perry Fine TV series
1991 Trancers II Jack Deth
Dollman Brick Bardo
1992 Eddie Presley Shock Comic
Stringer Jack Mitchett
Intimate Stranger Malcolm Henthoff Television movie
Bad Channels Brick Bardo
Trancers III Jack Deth
1993 Die Watching Detective Lewis
Nemesis Farnsworth
Dollman vs. Demonic Toys Brick Bardo
The Harvest Steve Mobley
Knights Farmer Uncredited
Brainsmasher... A Love Story Black
1994 Fleshtone Buddy Fields
Natural Causes The Westerner
Trancers 4: Jack of Swords Jack Deth
The Cisco Kid Lundquist Television movie
Hong Kong 97 Jack McGraw
Trancers 5: Sudden Deth Jack Deth
1995 Malevolence Mr. Williams
Dominion Fitz
Spitfire Rex Beechum
Sirens Sgt. James "Buddy" Zunder TV series
Heatseeker Oldest Elder
1996 Back to Back Thomas
Nemesis III: Prey Harder Farnsworth 2
Land's End Dave "Thunder" Thornton TV series
Kid Cop Arnold Downey
1997 Blast Police Commissioner
Xena: Warrior Princess Meleager the Mighty TV series
When Time Expires Rifkin Koss Television movie
The Angry Beavers Leonard Beaver (voice) TV series
1998 Crossfire Crane
Together & Alone Daddy
Escape from Atlantis Liam Gallagher Television movie
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Hoodlum
Border to Border Poet
1999 Red Team William Heywood
Dirt Merchant Jack
Suckers Det. Laughlin
Unseen Evil Ranger Chuck Macneil
The Magnificent Seven Guy Royal TV series
Last Chance Sam
Detour Mel Kiner
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Mr. Alcerro TV series
2000 Gangland Dr. Adams
Submerged Owen Cantrell
Highway 395
The Princess & the Barrio Boy Monsignor O'Dell Television movie
2001 They Crawl Exterminator
Devil's Prey Sheriff Harry
2002 Gale Force Phillip Edwards
Shoot or Be Shot Uncle Bill
The Killing Point Mr. Banyon
Ocean Point Mike
Project Viper Sheriff Morgan Television movie
Con Express Bill Barnes
The District Colonel Carl TV series
Days of Our Lives Oliver Wentworth TV series
2003 Cliché Chief Jackson
Air Marshal Sen. Chambers
2004 Paparazzi Uniformed Officer
A Lousy Ten Grand Judge
2005 The Nowhere Man
Dual Deston, Jared
Swarmed Phineas Washburn Television movie
Hell to Pay Reverend
Junior Pilot Captain Noonan also known as Final Approach
2006 The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Arnie Swift
To Kill a Mockumentary Will
Sasquatch Mountain Eli
Forget About It Arizona Al
A.I. Assault Admiral Harrison Television movie
Bottoms Up A.J. Mancini
Left in Darkness Joe
Evil Bong Jack Deth
Christmas Do-Over Arthur Television movie
2007 God's Ears Uncle Steve
Urban Decay Det. Thompson
Blue Lake Massacre Marshall Lex
Good God Bad Dog Bill Monahan
Live Evil The Priest
2008 Wicked Lake Jake
2009 War Wolves Frank Bergman
2011 Shameless A.B. FisherShowtime series

Video games

Year Video game Role
2011 Homefront Voice of Freedom
Saints Row: The Third Cyrus Temple
2013 Saints Row IV

References

  1. "New York Times". Movies.nytimes.com. 2007-01-18. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  2. "Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1985-09-24. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  3. "New York Times". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2014-01-26.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/20/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.