Michael Bowen is an american character actor best known for his works with Tarantino in films and his roles in TV series like Self-Medicated and Lost.
Biography[]
This intense, often imposing performer got his start when he became a part of the Carradine acting dynasty through the marriage of his mother, actress Sonia Sorel, to John Carradine (a legendary character actor himself). Prolific and versatile, actor Michael Bowen joined the casts of some of the most critically respected and lucrative pictures of the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, nearly always enlisted as an unremarkable everyman.
Bowen launched his career with bit parts in such pictures as Valley Girl (1983), Iron Eagle (1985), Echo Park (1986) and Less Than Zero (1987); steady work throughout the decade yielded roles that provided a greater showcase for his range and then graduated him to supporting roles by the late '90s. It was in the late '90s early 2000s when he enjoyed several terrific character parts - twice for Tarantino in Jackie Brown (memorable as Mark Dargus, the LAPD counterpart of ATF agent Ray Nicolette Michael Keaton's) and the neo-martial arts opus Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (as the venal orderly, Buck), and as the father of a young quiz show contestant in Paul Thomas Anderson's mosaic of contemporary L.A. life,Magnolia (1999). In the following decade, Bowen delivered an intense performance as a cruel and vile counselor at a rehab center in first-time director Monty Lapica's psychodrama, Self-Medicated (2005). In 2006, he shared a Copper Wing Award from the Phoenix Film Festival with the cast of this medical drama.
He also took on a recurring role on the hit TV drama Lost as Danny Pickett, a hotheaded, tough member of the Others, during the second and third seasons of the series (2006-2007), besides maintaining a steady an dependable presence in features (Walking Tall) and guest roles on network TV (CSI, Bones, Dark Blue, Criminal Minds,...)
CSI[]
He played Marty Cooperman in the 2003 episode Jackpot.
Filmography[]
- Soda Springs (2010) - Larry
- Apart (2010) - Teddy Berg
- Criminal Minds - Haunted (2009) TV episode - Tommy Anderson
- Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever (2009) - Principal Sinclair
- Dark Blue - Ice (2009) TV episode - Dan Kemp
- The Last House on the Left (2009) - Morton
- The Hessen Affair (2009) - Ben Cassidy
- Camouflage (2009) - The Intruder
- Deadgirl (2008) - Clint
- Autopsy (2008) - Travis
- The Box Collector (2008) - Burt
- Dear Me (2008) - Andre Marceau
- Permanent Vacation (2007) - Hollerenshaw
- The Death and Life of Bobby Z (2007) - Duke
- Drive - Let the Games Begin (2007) TV episode - Officer Poole
- Lost - 7 episodes (2006-2007) TV episodes - Danny Pickett
- The Work and the Glory III: A House Divided (2006) - Robert Johnson
- The Lost (2006) - Detective Charlie Schilling
- Bones - The Man on the Fairway (2006) TV episode - Ray Sparks
- The Work and the Glory II: American Zion (2005) - Robert Johnson
- Chandler Hall (2005) - Richard
- Self Medicated (2005) - Dan Jones
- The Inside - Old Wounds (2005) TV episode - Bill Strong
- Lethal Eviction (2005) - Lewis
- After the Sunset (2004) - FBI Driver
- Dr. Vegas - Pilot (2004) TV episode - Mr. Pendry
- Walking Tall (2004) - Sheriff Stan Watkins
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Jackpot (2003) TV episode - Marty Cooperman
- Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) - Buck
- The Pennsylvania Miners' Story (2002) (TV) - Robert 'Boogie' Pugh
- The Division - Remembrance (2002) TV episode - Ray
- The Guardian - Lawyers, Guns and Money (2002) TV episode
- Final Payback (2001) - Steve Ghallagher
- The X Files - Sure kill (2001) TV episode - Dwight Cooper
- Hostage Negotiator (2001) - Frank Foley
- How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale (2000) (TV) - Franklyn
- The Huntress - Pilot (2000) TV episode - Henry Fowler
- Magnolia (1999) - Rick Spector
- Me and Will (1999) - George
- Natural Selection (1999) - Willie Dickenson
- Gideon (1999) - Billy Ray Turner
- Brimstone - (1998) TV episode - Lee Varner
- Walker, Texas Ranger - The Wedding: Part 2 (1998) - J.C. Beal and Stolen Lullaby (1994) TV episodes - Roy
- Letters from a Killer (1998) - Parker
- Brooklyn South - Violet Inviolate (1998) TV episode - Detective Paul Taglia
- Jackie Brown (1997) - Mark Dargus
- Nash Bridges - Found Money (1997) TV episode - Alex Munson
- Don King: Only in America (1997) (TV) - Boxing Spectator
- Excess Baggage (1997) - Gus
- Cupid (1997) - Mike Logan
- JAG - Full Engagement (1997) TV episode - Denny
- Pacific Blue - Déjà Vu (1996) TV episode - Simpson
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues - Special Forces (1996) TV episode - Macklin
- True Crime (1996) - Earl Parkins
- NYPD Blue - A Trustful of Dollars (1996) TV episode - David Tierney
- Trial by Fire (1995) (TV) - Roger Gill
- Christy - The Hostage (1995) TV episode - Jarvis Tatum
- ER - The Gift (1994) TV episode - Boy's father
- New Eden (1994) (TV) - Kyne
- Love and a .45 (1994) - Ranger X
- Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) - Fletch
- The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. - Showdown (1993) TV episode - Bishop Brackman
- Visions of Murder (1993) (TV) - Policeman #2
- Poisoned by Love: The Kern County Murders (1993) (TV) - Detective Culbertson
- Casualties of Love: The Long Island Lolita Story (1993) (TV) - Paul Makely
- Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story (1992) (TV) - Buck Barrow
- Matlock - The Assassination: Part 1 (1992) and The Assassination: Part 2 (1992) TV episodes - Jay Reynolds
- The Waterdance (1992) - Biker #1
- Adventures in Spying (1992) - Slater
- Jake and the Fatman Two Different Worlds (1991) TV episode
- Perfect Crimes (1991) (TV) - Jack O'Neill
- The Taking of Beverly Hills (1991) - L.A. Cop at Roadblock
- Shoot First: A Cop's Vengeance (1991) (TV)
- The Godfather: Part III (1990) - Mask #2
- China Beach - One Small Step (1990) TV episode - Stepakoff
- Bar Girls (1990) (TV) - Troy Cavendish
- Kid (1990) - Harlan
- Mortal Passions (1989) - Berke
- Shannon's Deal (1989) (TV) - Scotty Powell
- Season of Fear (1989) - Mick Drummond
- 21 Jump Street - High High (1989) TV episode - Charlie Sharp
- The Ryan White Story (1989) (TV) - Harley
- CBS Summer Playhouse - Roughhouse (1988) TV episode - Brannigan
- Less Than Zero (1987) - Hop
- Amazing Grace and Chuck (1987) - Hot Dog
- The Abduction of Kari Swenson (1987) (TV) - Dan Nichols
- On Fire (1987) (TV) - Joe Leary Jr.
- Echo Park (1986) - August
- The Check Is in the Mail - (1986) - Gary Jackson
- The A-Team - The Duke of Whispering Pines (1986) TV episode - Rusty
- Iron Eagle (1986) - Knotcher
- Private Resort (1985) - Scott
- Highway to Heaven - Plane Death (1985) TV episode - Jack Harn
- Night of the Comet (1984) - Larry
- On the Line (1984) - Customs officer
- The Wild Life (1984) - Vince
- Knight Rider - Return to Cadiz (1983) TV episode - Bobby Shell
- Valley Girl (1983) - Tommy
- Forbidden World (1982) - Jimmy Swift
- Falcon Crest - Heir Apparent (1982) TV episode - Bill Reed
- CHiPs - Flare Up (1982) TV episode - Dennis
- Knots Landing - Mistaken Motives (1982) TV episode - Roy Thompson
LINKS[]
- For an up-to-date Filmography: imdb.com/Michael Bowen
Notes[]
- He said about being a character actor: You know, a character actor doesn't want to jump out at the audience. You'd rather have a critic not notice you - that to me is the best criticism. Let's put it this way: I can go out to the market without some cretin jumping out from behind a bush to take a picture of my bald spot.
- About his character of August in Echo Park: There's a funny story there, too - someone told me that some studio executives took a $1,000 bet that I wasn't the same guy in that picture who played the kid in Valley Girl.