Jon Gries

Jon Gries

Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con
Born Jonathan Francis Gries
June 17, 1957
Glendale, California, U.S.
Other names Jon Francis
Jonathan Gries
Occupation Actor, writer, director
Years active 1968–present

Jonathan Francis "Jon" Gries (born June 17, 1957) is an American actor, writer and director. He is also credited under the names Jon Francis and Jonathan Gries. He is best known for his role in Napoleon Dynamite as Uncle Rico, and also more recently as recurring character Roger Linus on Lost. He is also known for his roles in Martin, The Pretender, and Running Scared.

Life and career

Gries was born in Glendale, California, the son of Mary Eleanor Munday, an actress, and Thomas Stephen "Tom" Gries, a writer, director, and producer.[1][2][3] His first film role came at the age of 11, when he played the Boy Horace in the Charlton Heston film Will Penny. Some of his signature roles have come in cult classics. He played Lazlo Hollyfeld in Real Genius (1985), Azzolini in Rainbow Drive, Shawn McDermott in the TV series Martin (1992-1994), Ronnie Wingate in Get Shorty (1995), Harvey in The Rundown, and Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite (2004). Gries has played a werewolf on several occasions, such as Fright Night Part II and The Monster Squad. In the historical Western film September Dawn, he played executed murderer John D. Lee, in a performance praised by critics who otherwise panned the film.[4][5][6] He played Casey in the films Taken (2008), Taken 2 (2012), and Taken 3 (2015), and was also in TerrorVision, as O.D. He also lent his voice for the video game Hitman: Absolution.

Among his television roles are that of a terrorist in season two of the hit show 24 and as Broots on the NBC series The Pretender. He had a guest role on The X-Files in the episode "Sleepless". He played Dylan McKay's drug dealer in season 5 of Beverly Hills, 90210. He played Ben Linus' father Roger in a recurring role on the TV series Lost. He played Shawn on the Fox sitcom Martin during the first two seasons. He appeared as a band member in the Quantum Leap episode "Glitter Rock". He appeared as Rusty the Bum in two episodes of Seinfeld. In "The Beard", when Elaine rips George's toupee off and tosses it out the window, Rusty finds it and puts it on. In "The Bookstore". Kramer and Newman start a rickshaw business powered by bums, but on its maiden run, Rusty takes off with the conveyance. In 2007 he played the menacing dad to Samaire Armstrong in Around June. In 2008, he appeared in the CSI: NY episode "The Box" as the father of that episode's victim. In 2010 Jon wrapped production on A True Story. Based on Things that Never Actually Happened. ...and Some that Did and appeared in one episode of Nikita. He also played Martin in the TV Show Supernatural in the episodes "Sam, Interrupted" (2010) and "Citizen Fang" (2012). He played Bob, a former drug addict who operates a safe haven for abused Mexican women, in The Bridge (2013 TV series).

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1968 Will Penny Horace (Button) As Jon Francis
1985 Real Genius Lazlo Hollyfeld
1986 Terrorvision OD
1987 The Monster Squad The Wolfman
1988 Fright Night II Louie
1995 Get Shorty Ronnie Wingate
2003 The Rundown Harvey
2004 Napoleon Dynamite Uncle Rico
2009 Taken Casey
2011 Unicorn City Shadow Hawk
2012 Taken 2 Casey
2013 Bad Turn Worse Sheriff Shep
2015 Taken 3 Casey

References

  1. ↑ "Jon Gries Biography ((?)-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2011-01-14.
  2. ↑ http://www.tcmuk.tv/movie_database_results.php?action=participant&id=76706&afiId=0
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ The movie's one emotionally honest performance is handed in by Jon Gries (Uncle Rico from “Napoleon Dynamite”), who brings some weight and a sense of guilt to his portrayal of John D. Lee.
  5. ↑ The Hollywood Reporter
  6. ↑ Fry, Ted. "Movies | Mormon massacre story "September Dawn" mixes fact, fiction | Seattle Times Newspaper". Seattletimes.nwsource.com. Retrieved 2011-01-14.

External links