Duane Davis facts for kids

Duane Davis is an American actor who has appeared in many films and television shows. He is known for his roles in movies like Under Siege, The Program, and Ghosts of Mars. Duane Davis often plays athletes in his acting roles.

Early Life and Sports

Duane Davis was born in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, Willie Davis, was a famous NFL football player who is in the Hall of Fame. When Duane was two years old, his family moved to Wisconsin.

Duane also loved football and played in college at the University of Missouri. However, he had some tough luck with injuries. He hurt his knee during both his second and fourth years of college football.

Acting Career Highlights

Duane Davis has had a long career playing many different characters. He often plays athletes, which makes sense because of his own sports background!

Playing Athletes on Screen

In 1988, Duane played an athlete in the movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. A few years later, in 1991, he starred as Featherstone, a wide receiver, in the movie Necessary Roughness. He once said that playing a wide receiver who couldn't catch passes felt very natural to him! Even though he pulled a hamstring during filming, he said it was one of his favorite roles.

One of his most famous roles was as Alvin Mack, a football star, in the 1993 film The Program. During the filming of this movie, he broke a bone in his hand. He even refused to film a scene where his character broke his leg because it was too similar to his own college football injuries. Fans still remember his lines from that movie!

Other Notable Roles

Duane Davis has also appeared in many other films. He was in the 1992 Stephen Seagal movie Under Siege. In 1994, he was in the TV movie Past Tense. The next year, he played the famous boxer Buster Douglas in the HBO movie Tyson. He also played another famous boxer, Joe Louis, in a 1999 TV movie about Rocky Marciano.

In 2001, Duane played the character Uno in the movie Ghosts of Mars. He also appeared in the 2004 film Paparazzi as Reggie.

Television Appearances

Duane Davis has been in many TV shows too. He played Duke DePalma, a former boxer who became a crime fighter, in Team Knight Rider. This show was a spin-off from the popular Knight Rider TV series.

He also had a recurring role in the TV show Sisters. You might have seen him in other shows like M.A.N.T.I.S., L.A. Law, A Different World, What's Happening Now, and Head of the Class. He even had a small part in the 1987 comedy movie Summer School.

Family Life

Duane Davis lives in California. His youngest son, Wyatt Davis, followed in the family's footsteps and played college football at Ohio State. Wyatt was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2021 National Football League draft. Duane's oldest son, David Davis, also played college football.

Selected Filmography

• Summer School (1987) as Jerome Watkins (Bathroom Guy)