Bob Gunton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Gunton
|
|
---|---|
![]() Gunton in 1963
|
|
Born |
Robert Patrick Gunton Jr.
November 15, 1945 Santa Monica, California, U.S.
|
Alma mater | Paulist Seminary St Peter's College University of California, Irvine |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1965–present |
Robert Patrick Gunton Jr. (born November 15, 1945) is an American actor. He is known for playing characters who are often in charge or have a lot of authority. Some of his famous roles include Warden Samuel Norton in the movie The Shawshank Redemption and Chief George Earle in Demolition Man. He also played Dr. Walcott in Patch Adams and Secretary of State Cyrus Vance in Argo.
On television, he played Leland Owlsley in the Daredevil series. He was also Secretary of Defense Ethan Kanin in 24 and Noah Taylor in Desperate Housewives. Besides movies and TV, Bob Gunton has had a long career in theater. He played Juan Perón in the first Broadway show of Evita. He also played the main character in the 1989 show Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. For these roles, he was nominated for Tony Awards. He has also won other awards like the Drama Desk Award and the Obie Award.
Contents
Early Life and Service
Where did Bob Gunton grow up?
Bob Gunton was born in Santa Monica, California. His mother was Rose Marie, and his father was Robert Patrick Gunton Sr., who was a leader in a workers' group. Bob went to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. He also studied at Paulist Seminary St Peter's College and the University of California, Irvine. Bob is a lifelong Catholic and first thought about becoming a priest.
What did Bob Gunton do in the Vietnam War?
Bob Gunton served in the United States Army from 1969 to 1971. He was a radio operator with the 101st Airborne Division. He was part of the Battle of Fire Support Base Ripcord in South Vietnam. This battle was a tough 23-day fight.
He and a friend were given the Bronze Star Medal for being very brave. They went back to the base to get important radios during the final moments of evacuation. This made sure the radios did not fall into enemy hands. Because of this, he was one of the last people to leave the base. During the battle, he lost one of his dog tags, which are like ID tags for soldiers. It was returned to him more than 40 years later in 2018.
Acting Career Highlights
What are Bob Gunton's famous theater roles?
Bob Gunton played Juan Perón in the first Broadway show of Evita in 1980. This role earned him a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He also starred as the main character in a 1989 Broadway show of Sweeney Todd. He received another Tony Award nomination for this performance. He has also been in other plays like Working and Big River.
What are Bob Gunton's notable film and TV roles?
Bob Gunton is well-known for playing Warden Samuel Norton in the 1994 movie The Shawshank Redemption. In this film, he played the head of Shawshank State Prison. He also played President Richard Nixon in a TV special about the Watergate tapes.
He was also in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded" as Captain Benjamin Maxwell. Bob Gunton played President Woodrow Wilson in the 2004 film Iron Jawed Angels. He also appeared as Cecil Dobbs in the 2011 movie The Lincoln Lawyer.
On television, he was a guest star in Desperate Housewives. He also played United States Secretary of Defense Ethan Kanin in the sixth season of 24. He later became a regular cast member, playing Kanin as the White House Chief of Staff and then as the United States Secretary of State. In 2015, Gunton played Leland Owlsley in the TV series Daredevil. In 2021, he helped bring back the character Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters: Afterlife using special effects.
Stage Performances
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1965 | Tennessee, U.S.A. | Johnny Timberlake | |
1972 | The Kid | Cowpoke | |
1975 | Oklahoma! | Curly | |
1977 | Happy End | Ben Owens / Bill Cracker (understudy) | |
1978 | Working | Bud Jonas / Frank Decker | |
King of Hearts | Raoul | Nominated - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | |
1979 | Tip-Toes | Rollo Metcalf | |
1979–83 | Evita | President Juan Perón | Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Nominated - Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical |
1980 | How I Got That Story | The Historical Event | Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Male Performer Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actor Nominated - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play |
1981 | Isn't It Romantic? | Paul Stuart | |
1982 | The Death of Von Richtofen as Witnessed From Earth | Hermann Göring | |
Hamlet | King Claudius | ||
1983 | Passion Play | James | |
An American Comedy | George Reilly | ||
1984 | Amadeus | Antonio Salieri | |
1985–87 | Big River | The King | Nominated - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical |
1987 | Roza | Lola | |
1988 | The Music Man | Harold Hill | New York City Opera |
Phaedra Britannica | Governor | ||
1989–90 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Sweeney Todd | Nominated - Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical Nominated - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical Nominated - Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical |
2000 | The Poison Tree | The Hon. Ronald S. Rogers | |
2002 | Follies | Benjamin Stone | |
2003 | On the Twentieth Century | Oscar Jaffee | |
2004 | The Great Ostrovsky | David Ostrovsky | Nominated - Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theater |
Filmography
Film Roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Rollover | Sal Naftari | |
1985 | Static | Frank | |
1987 | Matewan | C.E. Lively | |
The Pick-up Artist | Fernando Portacarrero | ||
1989 | Cookie | Richie Segretto | |
Glory | General Charles Harker | ||
Born on the Fourth of July | Doctor | ||
1990 | Sesame Street Home Video Visits the Firehouse | Chief Kirby | Short |
1991 | JFK | TV Newsman | |
Missing Pieces | Mr. Gabor | ||
1992 | Patriot Games | Interviewer | |
The Public Eye | Older Agent | ||
Jennifer 8 | Director Goodridge | ||
1993 | Father Hood | Lazzaro | |
Demolition Man | Chief George Earle | ||
1994 | The Shawshank Redemption | Warden Sam Norton | |
1995 | Dolores Claiborne | Mr. Pease | |
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls | Burton Quinn | ||
1996 | Broken Arrow | Mr. Pritchett | |
The Glimmer Man | Frank Deverell | ||
1997 | A Thousand Acres | Judge | Uncredited |
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | Finley Largent | Uncredited | |
Buffalo Soldiers | Col. Benjamin Grierson | ||
1998 | Patch Adams | Dean Walcott | |
1999 | Bats | Dr. Alexander McCabe | |
2000 | The Perfect Storm | Alexander McAnally III | |
2001 | Scenes of the Crime | Steven, Jimmy's Partner | |
2002 | Boat Trip | Boat Captain | |
2003 | Dallas 362 | Joe | |
2004 | I Heart Huckabees | Mr. Silver | |
2006 | Believe in Me | Hugh Moreland | |
2007 | Dead Silence | Edward Ashen | |
Fracture | Judge Gardner | ||
Numb | Dr. Townsend | ||
Rendition | Lars Whitman | ||
2008 | Player 5150 | Nick Villa | |
The Lazarus Project | Father Ezra | ||
2008 | The Least of These | Father Thomas Peters | |
2009 | Tenure | William Thurber | |
2010 | The Trial | Joe Whetstone | |
2011 | The Lincoln Lawyer | Cecil Dobbs | |
Kill the Irishman | Jerry Merke | ||
2012 | Get the Gringo | Thomas Kaufmann | |
Argo | Secretary of State Cyrus Vance | Hollywood Film Awards for Best Ensemble Cast | |
Trouble with the Curve | Watson | ||
2013 | Highland Park | Bert | |
Decoding Annie Parker | Dr. Benton | ||
Jimmy | Sheriff Brinson | ||
Runner Runner | Dean Alex Monroe | ||
Live at the Foxes Den | Tony O'Hara | ||
2014 | Mountain Top | Mr Forest | |
2015 | Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant | Flight School Instructor | |
The 33 | President Sebastián Piñera | ||
2017 | Alex & the List | Mr. Stern | |
2018 | Unbroken: Path to Redemption | Major Zeigler | |
2021 | Ghostbusters: Afterlife | Egon Spengler | Motion capture role, with Harold Ramis' likeness superimposed |
2024 | The Inheritance | Charles Abernathy |
Television Roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | Finnegan Begin Again | Christian Jamison | Television film |
The Equalizer | Cronin | Episode: "Mama's Boy" | |
1988 | Hothouse | Dr. Leonard Schrader | 7 episodes |
Miami Vice | Rivas | Episode: "Heart of Night" | |
1989 | Unconquered | Governor George Wallace | Television film |
1990 | Judgment | Monsignor Beauvais | Television film |
The Bride in Black | Sydney | Television film | |
Law & Order | Gil Himes | Episode: "Happily Ever After" | |
L.A. Law | Bob Weston | Episode: "New Kidney on the Block" | |
1991 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Captain Benjamin Maxwell | Episode: "The Wounded" |
Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin | Assistant District Attorney Scott Willard | Television film | |
A Woman Named Jackie | Hugh Auchincloss | 3 episodes | |
1992 | Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life | Texas Preacher | Television film |
Sinatra | Tommy Dorsey | 2 episodes | |
Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster | Larry Dietrick, State of Alaska | Television film | |
1993 | Wild Palms | Dr. Tobias Schenkl | 5 episodes |
Murder in the Heartland | Governor Anderson | 2 episodes | |
1994 | Roswell | Frank Joyce | Television film |
Cosmic Slop | President Ellis (Space Traders segment) | Television film | |
1995 | In Pursuit of Honor | Colonel John Hardesty | Television film |
Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long | Franklin D. Roosevelt | Television film | |
1995 | Courthouse | Judge Homer Conklin | 11 episodes |
1996 | The Siege at Ruby Ridge | Bo Gritz | Television film |
1997 | Elvis Meets Nixon | President Richard Nixon | Television film |
Buffalo Soldiers | Colonel Benjamin Grierson | Television film | |
1998 | Nothing Sacred | Bishop Corey | Episode: "Signs and Words" |
The Outer Limits | Clute Nichols | Episode: "The Hunt" | |
Ally McBeal | Michaelson | Episode: "These Are the Days" | |
2000 | Running Mates | Terrence Randall | Television film |
Family Law | Judge Mason | Episode: "Telling Lies, Conclusion" | |
2001 | When Billie Beat Bobby | Jerry Perenchio | Television film |
61* | Dan Topping | Television film | |
2002 | The Court | Casey | Episode: "Back in the Bottle" |
Spin City | Governor Riley | Episode: "A Friend in Need" | |
Touched by an Angel | Sidney Alcott | Episode: "A Feather on the Breath of God" | |
2002–2004 | Greg the Bunny | Jack 'Junction Jack' Mars | Main role; 13 episodes |
2003 | Mister Sterling | California Governor Marino | 4 episodes |
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Director Robert Carvallo | Episode: "Play with Fire" | |
Peacemakers | Mayor Malcolm Smith | Main role; 9 episodes | |
2003–2004 | Judging Amy | Dr. Alan Foster | 3 episodes |
2004 | Iron Jawed Angels | President Woodrow Wilson | Television film |
Judas | High Priest Caiaphas | Television film | |
Monk | Dwight Ellison | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Game Show" | |
2004–2006 | Desperate Housewives | Noah Taylor | Recurring role; 10 episodes |
2005 | Nip/Tuck | Agent Sagamore | 3 episodes |
2006 | Pepper Dennis | Dick Dinkle | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
Numbers | Boyd Resnick | Episode: "Waste Not" | |
E-Ring | General Hughes | 3 episodes | |
2007 | Pandemic | Dr. Max Sorkosky | Miniseries |
The Batman | Gorman | Voice, Episode: "Riddler's Revenge" | |
Women's Murder Club | Arthur Lazar | Episode: "Train In Vain" | |
2007–2010 | 24 | Ethan Kanin | Main role; 31 episodes |
2008 | Boston Legal | Attorney William Connolly | Episode: "The Court Supreme" |
24: Redemption | Ethan Kanin | Television film | |
World War II: Behind Closed Doors | President Franklin D. Roosevelt | BBC documentary with historical reconstructions | |
2010 | The Mentalist | Alexander Harrington | Episode: "Red All Over" |
Warren the Ape | Unknown | Episode: "Out with the Old" | |
2010–2016 | Royal Pains | General William Collins | Recurring role; 12 episodes |
2011 | Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior | Marshall Phelps | Episode: "Strays" |
Family Guy | Warden | Voice, Episode: "Cool Hand Peter" | |
2012 | Wilfred | Warner | Episode: "Now" |
Up All Night | Tom | Episode: "The Wedding" | |
2014 | New Girl | Ed | Episode: "Basketsball" |
Trophy Wife | Francis Harrison | Episode: "The Wedding: Part Two" | |
2015 | Daredevil | Leland Owlsley | Main cast (season 1); 9 episodes |
Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street | Grandpa | 2 episodes | |
2016 | The Last Tycoon | Vanderbilt Riddle | Episode: "Pilot" |
2017 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Lawrence Hendricks Sr. | Episode: "Decline and Fall" |
Trial & Error | Jeremiah Jefferson Davis | 6 episodes | |
2018 | The Blacklist | Nicholas Moore | 2 episodes |
2019 | The Cool Kids | Colonel Christianson | Episode: "Funeral Crashers" |
Project Blue Book | President Harry S. Truman | Episode: "The Washington Merry-Go Round" | |
Elementary | Frederick Wentz | Episode: "Reichenbach Falls" |
See also
In Spanish: Bob Gunton para niños