Ed Harris
Ed Harris
Edward Allen “Ed” Harris (born November 28, 1950) is an American actor, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for his performances in The Rock, The Abyss, A Beautiful Mind, A History of Violence, Enemy at the Gates, Gone Baby Gone, Radio, and Game Change.
Harris has also narrated commercials for Home Depot and other companies. He is a three-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in Apollo 13, The Truman Show, and The Hours, along with an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination for his role in Pollock.
Early Life
Harris was born in Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey, and was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey,[1] the son of Margaret (née Sholl), a travel agent, and Bob L. Harris, who sang with the Fred Waring chorus and worked at the bookstore of the Art Institute of Chicago.[2][3] He has an older brother, Robert, and a younger brother, Spencer. His parents were originally from Oklahoma.[4] Harris was raised in a middle class Presbyterian family.[5][6][7] He graduated from Tenafly High School in 1969, where he played on the football team, serving as the team’s captain in his senior year.[8][9]
A star athlete in high school,[1] Harris competed in athletics at Columbia University in 1969.[10] When his family moved to New Mexico two years later, Harris followed, having discovered his interest in acting in various theater plays. He enrolled at the University of Oklahoma to study drama.[1] After several successful roles in local theaters, he moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at the California Institute of the Arts, where he spent two years and graduated with a BFA.[1]
Career
Harris’s first film role was in Borderline with Charles Bronson. In Knightriders (1981), he played the king of a motorcycle-riding renaissance-fair troupe in a role modeled after King Arthur. In 1983, Harris became well known after playing astronaut John Glenn in The Right Stuff.[1] Twelve years later, a film with a similar theme led to Harris being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his portrayal of NASA flight director Gene Kranz in Apollo 13.[1]
Further Oscar nominations arrived in 1999, 2001, and 2003, for The Truman Show, Pollock, and The Hours, respectively. Harris also portrayed a German Army sniper, Major Erwin König, in Enemy at the Gates (2001). He appeared as a vengeful mobster in David Cronenberg‘s A History of Violence (2005) and as a police officer alongside Casey Affleck and Morgan Freeman, in Gone Baby Gone (2007), directed by Ben Affleck. Also in 2007, he appeared in National Treasure: Book of Secrets as antagonist Mitch Wilkinson.
Along with theatrical films, he has starred in television adaptations of Riders of the Purple Sage (1996) and Empire Falls (2005). Harris made his cinema directing debut in 2000, with Pollock, in which he starred as the acclaimed American artist Jackson Pollock.[1] To prepare for the role, he built a small studio in which to copy the painter’s techniques. He also threw a chair at Marcia Gay Harden, who played Lee Krasner to get a stronger reaction from her; she later thanked him.[10] (She won an Oscar for her role.)
He has also portrayed such diverse real-life characters as William Walker, a 19th-century American who appointed himself president of Nicaragua, in the film Walker, Watergate figure E. Howard Hunt in the Oliver Stone biopic Nixon, composer Ludwig van Beethoven in the film Copying Beethoven, and Senator John McCain in HBO’s made-for-television drama Game Change.
Harris has directed a number of theater productions as well as having an active stage acting career. Most notably, he starred in the production of Neil LaBute‘s one-man play Wrecks at the Public Theater in New York City and later at the Geffen Theater in Los Angeles. For the LA production, he won the LA Drama Critics Circle Award. Wrecks premiered at the Everyman Theater in Cork, Ireland, and then in the US at the Public Theater in New York. Harris and wife Amy Madigan starred together in Ash Adams‘ indie crime drama Once Fallen, released in 2010. Harris has a reputation for being serious on the set. He told a journalist in 2006, “I don’t like bullshittin’… so, I guess that comes across as serious.”[10]
Personal Life
Harris married actress Amy Madigan on November 21, 1983, while they were filming Places in the Heart together. They have a daughter named Lily Dolores Harris (born May 3, 1993).[11]
On March 20, 2012, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) completed a merger of equals to form a new union SAG-AFTRA. Harris, along with Edward Asner, Martin Sheen, Valerie Harper, Michael Bell, and Wendy Schall (to name a few) are adamantly opposed to such a merger and filed a lawsuit against SAG President Ken Howard and several SAG Vice Presidents, seeking to have the merger overturned and the two unions separated to their pre-merger organizations.[12][13] The lawsuit was dismissed on May 22, 2012.[14]
Harris received an honorary degree from Muhlenberg College on May 17, 2015.
Broadway
| Productions | Date of Productions |
|---|---|
| Taking Sides [Play, Original]
|
Oct 17, 1996 - Dec 29, 1996 |
| Precious Sons [Play, Original]
|
Mar 20, 1986 - May 10, 1986 |
Off Broadway
| Show(s) (listed chronologically, most recent first) |
Position(s) | Role(s) | Theater Name | Award Nominations | Award(s) Won |
| The Jacksonian | Actor | Bill Perch | Acorn Theater | ||
| Wrecks | Actor | Edward Carr | Joseph Papp Public Theater/Anspacher Theater | 2007 Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination, Outstanding Solo Performance
2007 Drama Desk Award Nomination, Outstanding Solo Performance |
|
| Trumbo: Red White and Blacklisted | Actor | Dalton Trumbo | Westside Theatre (Downstairs) | ||
| Simpatico | Actor | Carter | Joseph Papp Public Theater/Newman Theater | 1995 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Actor | |
| Fool for Love | Actor | Eddie | Douglas Fairbanks Theater | 1984 Obie Award, Performance |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | In Dubious Battle | Joy | Filming |
| 1976 | Gibbsville | Steve | TV series; Episode: “Trapped” |
| 1978 | The Rockford Files | Officer Rudy Kempner | |
| 1978 | Coma | Pathology resident | |
| 1979 | Lou Grant | Warren / Mechanic | TV series |
| 1980 | Borderline | Hotchkiss | |
| 1980 | The Aliens Are Coming | Chuck Polcheck | |
| 1981 | CHiPs | Lonny | TV series; Episode: “Vegabonds” |
| 1981 | Knightriders | Billy | |
| 1981 | Hart to Hart | Harmon | |
| 1981 | Dream On! | ||
| 1982 | Creepshow | Hank Blaine | |
| 1983 | The Right Stuff | John Glenn | |
| 1983 | Under Fire | Oates | |
| 1984 | Swing Shift | Jack Walsh | |
| 1984 | Places in the Heart | Wayne Lomax | |
| 1984 | A Flash of Green | Jimmy Wing | |
| 1985 | Code Name: Emerald | Gus Lang | |
| 1985 | Alamo Bay | Shang | |
| 1985 | Sweet Dreams | Charlie Dick | |
| 1987 | Walker | William Walker | |
| 1987 | The Last Innocent Man | Harry Nash | |
| 1988 | To Kill a Priest | Stefan | |
| 1989 | Jacknife | David “High School” Flannigan | Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture |
| 1989 | The Abyss | Virgil “Bud” Brigman | Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Actor |
| 1990 | State of Grace | Frankie Flannery | |
| 1991 | Paris Trout | Harry Seagraves | |
| 1992 | Glengarry Glen Ross | Dave Moss | Valladolid International Film Festival Award for Best Actor[15] |
| 1992 | Running Mates | Hugh Hathaway | |
| 1993 | The Firm | Wayne Tarrance | |
| 1993 | Needful Things | Sheriff Alan Pangborn | |
| 1994 | Milk Money | Tom Wheeler | |
| 1994 | China Moon | Kyle Bodine | |
| 1994 | The Stand | General Starkey | TV miniseries |
| 1995 | Nixon | E. Howard Hunt | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (with Apollo 13 and Just Cause) |
| 1995 | Apollo 13 | Gene Kranz | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (with Just Cause and Nixon) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture |
| 1995 | Just Cause | Blair Sullivan | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (with Apollo 13 and Nixon) |
| 1996 | The Rock | Brigadier General Francis X. Hummel | |
| 1996 | Eye for an Eye | Mack McCann | |
| 1996 | Riders of the Purple Sage | Jim Lassiter | |
| 1997 | Absolute Power | Seth Frank | |
| 1998 | Physical Graffiti | ||
| 1998 | Stepmom | Luke Harrison | |
| 1998 | The Truman Show | Christof | Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor — Drama Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated – Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1999 | The Third Miracle | Frank Shore | |
| 2000 | Pollock | Jackson Pollock | Director Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama |
| 2000 | The Prime Gig | Kelly Grant | |
| 2000 | Waking the Dead | Jerry Charmichael | |
| 2001 | A Beautiful Mind | William Parcher | Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2001 | Buffalo Soldiers | Colonel Berman | |
| 2001 | Enemy at the Gates | Major König | |
| 2002 | The Hours | Richard Brown | Italian Online Movie Award for Best Cast Italian Online Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble Nominated – Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated – London Film Critics Circle Award for Actor of the Year Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role |
| 2003 | Masked and Anonymous | Oscar Vogel | |
| 2003 | Radio | Coach Jones | |
| 2003 | The Human Stain | Lester Farley | |
| 2005 | Empire Falls | Miles Roby | Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
| 2005 | Winter Passing | Don Holden | |
| 2005 | A History of Violence | Carl Fogarty | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2006 | Two Tickets to Paradise | Melville | |
| 2006 | Copying Beethoven | Ludwig van Beethoven | |
| 2006 | The Armenian Genocide | US Consul Leslie Davis | Documentary |
| 2007 | Gone Baby Gone | Remy Bressant | |
| 2007 | Cleaner | Eddie Lorenzo | |
| 2007 | National Treasure: Book of Secrets | Mitch Wilkinson | |
| 2008 | Touching Home | Charlie Winston | |
| 2008 | Appaloosa | Virgil Cole | Writer, director Boston Film Festival Prize for Best Screenplay Adaptation (with Robert Knott) |
| 2009 | Once Fallen | Liam | |
| 2010 | The Way Back | Mr. Smith | |
| 2010 | Virginia | Sheriff Tipton | |
| 2011 | That’s What I Am | Mr. Simon | |
| 2011 | Salvation Boulevard | Dr. Paul Blaylock | |
| 2012 | Man on a Ledge | David Englander | |
| 2012 | Game Change | John McCain | Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
| 2013 | Phantom | Demi | |
| 2013 | Pain & Gain | Ed Du Bois | |
| 2013 | Snowpiercer | Wilford | |
| 2013 | Sweetwater | Sheriff Jackson | |
| 2013 | The Face of Love | Tom | |
| 2013 | Gravity | Mission Control | Voice |
| 2014 | Planes: Fire & Rescue | Blade Ranger | Voice |
| 2014 | Frontera | Roy | |
| 2015 | Cymbeline | Cymbeline | |
| 2015 | Run All Night | Shawn Maguire | |
| 2015 | Westworld | The Man in Black | TV series |
| 2015 | The Adderall Diaries | Filming | |
| 2016 | Geostorm | Filming |
References
- “Ed Harris“. Inside the Actors Studio. Bravo.
- Ed Harris Biography – Yahoo! Movies
- http://www.normantranscript.com/obituaries/x1196440494/Bob-L-Harris
- Koenenn, Joseph C. (March 16, 1986). “Ed Harris: Inhabiting his characters”. Newsday.
- Stein, Ruthe (January 9, 2000). “Ed Harris Has the Righteous Stuff, Too: Actor plays a particularly convincing priest in `The Third Miracle'”. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 10, 2007.
- Pearlman, Cindy (February 6, 2000). “Love the sinner: Harris repents for `money’ roles”. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 10, 2007.
- Ed Harris Biography
- Rohan, Virginia. “North Jersey-bred and talented too”, The Record (Bergen County), June 18, 2007. Accessed June 25, 2007. “Ed Harris: Class of 1969, Tenafly High School”
- Stein, Ruthe. They’re Ready For Their Close-Ups: Camped out at Oscars, the starstruck wait to sneak a peek, San Francisco Chronicle, March 25, 2001. Accessed May 31, 2007. “She’s hoping to score a seat near the front and catch the eye of Oscar nominee Ed Harris, who went to Tenafly High School in New Jersey with her mother.”
- Kachka, Boris (Oct 9, 2006). “Man, Oh, Man Ed Harris is not a control freak. Got that?”. New York.
- The Lily Dolores Harris picture
- Hollywood Reporter - SAG/AFTRA Anti Merger Lawsuit Drops Demands.
- Actor Ed Harris speaks out against the SAG-AFTRA merger on YouTube.
- Dismissal Formalized in SAG-AFTRA Merger Lawsuit (Exclusive)
- “Ed Harris-Awards”. IMDB. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
External Links
- Ed Harris at the Internet Movie Database
- Ed Harris at the TCM Movie Database
- Ed Harris at the Internet Broadway Database
- Ed Harris at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
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Category: People
