Mitch Pileggi /pɪˈlɛi/ (born April 5, 1952)[1] is an American actor. He played Horace Pinker in Shocker, Walter Skinner on The X-Files, Colonel Steven Caldwell on Stargate Atlantis, Ernest Darby in Sons of Anarchy, and Harris Ryland in the TNT revival of Dallas (2012–2014).

Mitch Pileggi
Pileggi in 2013
Born (1952-04-05) April 5, 1952 (age 72)
Years active1982–present
Spouse
Arlene Warren
(m. 1997)
Children1

Early life and education

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Pileggi was born in Portland, Oregon, the son of Maxine, a homemaker, and Vito Pileggi, a defense contractor.[2] Pileggi's family moved frequently because of his father's occupation, and Pileggi lived in Oregon, California, and Texas before spending most of his adolescence in Turkey.[3]

Career

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Pileggi began acting while he was a high school student in Turkey, playing musical theater.[4] After returning to Austin from Iran, he performed in local theaters and continued his acting career with small roles in B-movies and guest roles in television series, such as Dallas, China Beach, Code of Vengeance, and Walker, Texas Ranger.

In the 1980s, Pileggi starred in several films, including Three O'Clock High, as Duke "The Duker" Herman, an overzealous tough-as-nails high school parking lot security guard. In 1988, he starred in "Brothers In Arms" as one of the villains (Caleb) and in Shocker as body-possessing serial killer Horace Pinker. The latter was directed by horror icon Wes Craven. Pileggi played the villain in the 1991 television film, Knight Rider 2000, a sequel to the original television series Knight Rider. He also appeared briefly in the 1992 film Basic Instinct as an investigating police officer in the interrogation scene of Michael Douglas. He also appeared in the 1995 vampire film Vampire in Brooklyn (also directed by Craven) starring Eddie Murphy as an Italian mobster.

His most notable role was as the FBI's Assistant Director Walter Skinner on The X-Files. The role was originally recurring, but the part expanded, and in 2001 he became a regular member of the cast. The character gradually became the most integral character besides the two leads. He remained with the series until its end in 2002. Pileggi played the character in the 1998 The X-Files film and in the 2008 film The X-Files: I Want to Believe.[5] He also reprised the role in the 2016 miniseries.[6]

Pileggi's later work has included starring in the short-lived series Tarzan and co-starring with Barbara Hershey and Oliver Hudson in the short-lived series The Mountain. He played the recurring role of character Colonel Steven Caldwell, Commander of the Earth Battlecruiser, Daedalus, in the second (2005) and subsequent seasons of the television series Stargate Atlantis. He also appeared in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and in 2006 had a regular guest role on Day Break as Robbery/Homicide Detective Spivak. Pileggi also appeared on the Cold Case episode "Offender", as a father accused of molesting and murdering his own son, who then threatens to murder one child sex offender per day until the case is reopened and solved. Pileggi also played the role of Larry Jennings, chairman of the board of the hospital, in Grey's Anatomy. In a first-season episode of That '70s Show he played Red Forman's swinger, navy buddy, Bull, alongside his real life wife, Arlene.

Pileggi appeared in two episodes of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit as DEA agent Jack Hammond. Since 2008, Pileggi has played Ernest Darby, the head of a white supremacist gang called the "Nordics", in the FX drama Sons of Anarchy . He also played spree killer Norman Hill (AKA The Road Warrior) on a season four episode of Criminal Minds, titled "Normal". Pileggi has also done some voice acting. His voice was featured as the githzerai Dak'kon in the video game Planescape: Torment. He voices Commissioner James Gordon on the Kids' WB series The Batman. Pileggi also hosted the controversial FOX specials Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed and Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?. He also played the recurring role of Sam and Dean Winchester's maternal grandfather, Samuel Campbell, in the TV series Supernatural.

Pileggi starred in the TNT drama series Dallas as Harris Ryland. He was promoted to series regular in the second season.[7]

As of 2014, Pileggi is on the advisory board of Sci-Fest, the first annual Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival, held in May 2014.[8]

Since 2021, Pileggi has played Bonham Walker, the father of the titular Cordell Walker, in The CW crime drama series Walker reboot.[9]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 Mongrel Woody
1987 Three O'Clock High Duke Herman
1987 Death Wish 4: The Crackdown Cannery Lab Foreman
1988 Return of the Living Dead Part II Sergeant
1989 Shocker Horace Pinker
1991 Guilty as Charged Dominique
1992 Basic Instinct Internal Affairs Investigator
1994 Dangerous Touch Vince
1994 It's Pat Concert Guard #2
1995 Vampire in Brooklyn Tony 'The Hitman' Uncredited
1998 The X-Files Walter Skinner
1998 Legion of Fire: Killer Ants! Police Chief Jeff Croy
2000 Gun Shy DEA Agent Dexter Helvenshaw
2007 Man in the Chair Floyd
2008 The X-Files: I Want to Believe Walter Skinner
2008 Flash of Genius Macklin Tyler
2010 Woodshop Miller
2015 The Girl in the Photographs Sheriff Porter
2017 Transformers: The Last Knight TRF Group Leader
2019 Polaroid Sheriff Pembroke
2021 American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally John Kelley [10]
2022 Desert Shadows Professor Charles M. Ridley

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1990 Dallas Morrisey 4 episodes
1984 The Sky's No Limit Jerry Morrow Television film
1985 The A-Team Paul Winkle Episode: "The Road to Hope"
1987 Falcon Crest Saunder's Henchman #2 2 episodes
1987 Downtown Nick Episode: "1.13"
1987 Hooperman Large Biker Episode: "Baby Talk"
1987 Ohara Webster Episode: "Hot Rocks"
1989 Dragnet Bridgewater Hamilton Episode: "Where's Sadie?"
1989 Alien Nation John Paul Sartre Episode: "The Night of the Screams"
1989 China Beach E.O.D. Sergeant Episode: "With a Little Help from My Friends"
1989 Falcon Crest Eddie Episode: "God of the Grape"
1990 Mancuso, FBI Prisoner Episode: "Death and Taxes"
1990 Hunter Chuck Danko Episode: "The Incident"
1990 Doctor Doctor Coach Episode: "Ice Follies"
1991 Knight Rider 2000 Thomas Watts Television film
1991 Paradise Rafe Episode: "The Valley of Death"
1991 The Antagonists Detective Haley Episode: "Full Disclosure"
1991 Drexell's Class Ex-Boyfriend Episode: "Bully for Otis"
1992 Get a Life Nax Episode: "Chris' Brain Starts Working"
1992 Roc White Officer Episode: "Roc Works for Joey"
1994–2002, 2016–2018 The X-Files Walter Skinner 91 episodes
1995 Pointman Benny Dirkson Episode: "My Momma's Back"
1995 Models Inc. The Hit Man Episode: "Sometimes a Great Commotion"
1997 Players Jake Morgan Episode: "Contact Sport"
1997–1998 Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed Host all episodes
1998 Walker, Texas Ranger Paul Grady Episode: "Money Talks"
1999 That '70s Show 'Bull' Episode: "The Good Son"
2000 ER Terry Waters Episode: "Viable Options"
2000 Batman Beyond Dr. Stanton Voice, episode: "Payback"[11]
2001 The Lone Gunmen Walter Skinner 2 episodes
2002 Dharma & Greg Himself Episode: "The Tooth Is Out There"
2002 In Search Of... Himself 8 episodes
2002 Birds of Prey Al Hawke Episode: "Nature of the Beast"
2003 Tarzan Richard Clayton 9 episodes
2003–2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit DEA Agent Jack Hammond 2 episodes
2004–2005 The Mountain Colin Dowling 13 episodes
2005 Eyes Robert Sutherland Episode: "Whereabouts"
2005 The West Wing Senator Dresden Episode: "Mr. Frost"
2005 Nip/Tuck Dr. Russell Marcus Episode: "Sal Perri"
2005–2007 The Batman Commissioner James Gordon Voice, 13 episodes[11]
2005–2009 Stargate Atlantis Colonel Steven Caldwell 22 episodes
2006 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Harry 'Happy Harry' Desmond Episode: "Daddy's Little Girl"
2006–2007 Day Break Detective Spivak 12 episodes[12]
2007 Cold Case Mitch Hathaway Episode: "Offender"
2007 Boston Legal U.S. Attorney Mark Freestone Episode: "Guantanamo by the Bay"
2007 Reaper Detective Dan Stafford Episode: "The Cop"
2007–2010 Grey's Anatomy Larry Jennings 9 episodes
2008 Brothers & Sisters Browne Carter 3 episodes
2008 Criminal Minds Norman Hill Episode: "Normal"
2008 Recount Bill Daley Television film
2008–2013 Sons of Anarchy Ernest Darby 14 episodes
2008–2011 Supernatural Samuel Campbell / Azazel 8 episodes
2008–2009 Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed Narrator 13 episodes
2009 In Plain Sight Al Dennison Episode: "Rubble with a Cause"
2009–2010 Medium Dan Burroughs 4 episodes
2010 Human Target Leonard Kreese Episode: "Lockdown"
2010 Castle Hans Brauer Episode: "A Deadly Game"
2011 Leverage Colin Saunders Episode: "The Hot Potato Job"
2012 The Finder Eddie Ross Episode: "Bullets"
2012–2014 Dallas Harris Ryland 35 episodes
2015 Blue Bloods Donald DeCarlo Episode: "Sins Of The Father"
2019 NCIS Wynn Crawford 2 episodes[13]
2019 American Horror Story: 1984 Art 2 episodes
2019 Supergirl Rama Khan Recurring role[14]
2019 The Rookie Rex Episode "The Night General"
2020 Helstrom Papa Episode: "Hell Storm"
2021–2024 Walker Bonham Walker Main role[15]

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 The X-Files Game Walter Skinner
1999 Planescape: Torment Dak'kon

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Nominated work Result
1997 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series The X-Files Nominated
1997 Viewers for Quality Television Best Recurring Player Nominated
1998 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
1999 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Editors of Chase's (24 September 2019). Chase's Calendar of Events 2020: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-64143-316-7.
  2. ^ "Pileggi, Mitch 1952– | Encyclopedia.com".
  3. ^ "Mitch Pileggi Biography". Tvguide.com. 2012-11-28. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  4. ^ "Mitch Pileggi - SCIFIPEDIA". Archived from the original on 2006-10-21. Retrieved 2007-03-01.
  5. ^ "Supernatural to See the Return of Mitch Pileggi?". Dread Central. 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  6. ^ Connolly, Kelly (April 20, 2015). "Mitch Pileggi to reprise role as Walter Skinner in X-Files revival". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  7. ^ Published Friday, Sep 7 2012, 09:53 BST (2012-09-07). "'X-Files' star Mitch Pileggi made 'Dallas' series regular – Dallas News – US TV". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2013-11-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Sci-Fest Team". Archived from the original on 4 December 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  9. ^ Petski, Denise (February 21, 2020). "Mitch Pileggi To Co-Star In 'Walker, Texas Ranger' 'CW Reboot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  10. ^ "'American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally' Review: Thin, Costumey Account of a Wartime Collaborator's Postwar Fate". variety.com. 27 May 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Mitch Pileggi (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 6, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  12. ^ "'Daybreak' Aims for Viewers Through Deja Vu". www.kosu.org. 15 November 2006.
  13. ^ "'NCIS' Is Introducing a Controversial Guest Star Who's Trying to Arrest Torres and McGee". www.countryliving.com. 8 January 2019.
  14. ^ Boucher, Geoff (September 19, 2019). "'Supergirl': Mitch Pileggi And Cara Buono Join Season 5 Cast". Deadline.
  15. ^ "Walker's Mitch Pileggi On One Last Run, Jared Padalecki, And Memories Of Supernatural - Exclusive Interview". www.looper.com. 14 April 2022.
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