---
name: "Gary Busey"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/gary-busey"
fi1m_id: "gary-busey"
imdb_id: "nm0000997"
tmdb_id: 2048
wikidata_id: "Q312081"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "29 June 1944"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 10
average_fi1m_score: 75
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-04T23:01:33.405942+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Gary Busey

## Identity

Gary Busey

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/gary-busey
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** gary-busey
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000997
- **TMDB ID:** 2048
- **Wikidata ID:** Q312081
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Busey, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312081, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000997/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2048

Actor. Born 29 June 1944 in Goose Creek, Texas, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 29 June 1944, Goose Creek, Texas, USA
- **Active:** 1975–2004
- **Also known as:** Garey Busey, William Gary Busey, گری بیوسی, گَری بیوسی, Уильям Гарет Якоб, Гэри Бьюзи
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 10: 9 acting, 1 crew
- **Frequently works with:** [Danny Glover](https://film.one/person/danny-glover.md), [Joel Silver](https://film.one/person/joel-silver.md), [John Davis](https://film.one/person/john-davis.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 9 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 89 (1), 1980s 80 (1), 1990s 75 (7), 2000s 63 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 75 to 71 across 8 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 7 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Thriller 7, Drama 5, Action 4, Crime 4, Mystery 4, Comedy 2
- **Screen time:** 14 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $713m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Busey, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312081, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000997/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2048

## Streaming the US now

- **AMC+:** [*Point Break*](https://film.one/film/point-break.md) (82)
- **HBO Max:** [*The Firm*](https://film.one/film/the-firm.md) (71)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Gary Busey

> Gary Busey brings a useful unruliness to an action film: he can make dialogue funny without treating it as a joke. We like him best when that energy serves a character, as it does in *Point Break*.

In *Point Break* (1991), Gary Busey's Agent Angelo Pappas talks with enough force to make dialogue feel like another action scene. Kathryn Bigelow's thriller makes surfing and bank robbery seductive, and his performance adds a less graceful sort of pleasure. We laughed because his conversations seem to cost him so much physical effort. He pushes the scenes along, keeping the comedy within the action rather than asking for a pause to admire it.

That supporting presence can obscure the earlier leading actor. *The Buddy Holly Story* (1978), his breakthrough as Buddy Holly, put his musical abilities to work in a physically demanding performance. The move into action-film supporting parts through the 1980s and 1990s gave him other uses for that commitment, including Mr. Joshua in *Lethal Weapon* (1987) and Commander Krill in *Under Siege* (1992). Those menacing characters suit an actor whose forcefulness is often the first thing we notice. The danger is that it becomes the only thing.

It matters that *Point Break* is already so willing to get carried away. Its dialogue sometimes overreaches, but the chases justify our enthusiasm, and Busey's appetite for a scene belongs in that company. Lori Petty's Tyler Endicott offers welcome directness; his Pappas brings the agitation, giving Bigelow two ways to keep Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze from dominating every exchange. We would not want him made more restrained here, though we would hesitate to prescribe the same performance for a quieter film.

His later character work includes Bill Dayton in David Lynch's *Lost Highway* (1997), though we would not choose that film as the place to begin with Busey. Our broader reservation concerns roles that ask for eccentricity and little else: his intensity can become distracting when the character offers nothing beyond it. Repeated oddball casting gives us less reason to pay attention, however much effort he puts in. For an introduction, take *Point Break* and allow the dialogue its excesses.

## Biography

Gary Busey is an American actor. Born in Goose Creek, Texas, he made his film debut in 1971 and gained prominence with his lead performance as Buddy Holly in *The Buddy Holly Story* (1978).

Busey received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for that role. He is also known for appearances in *Lethal Weapon* (1987), *Predator 2* (1990), *Point Break* (1991), *Under Siege* (1992), *The Firm* (1993) and *Lost Highway* (1997), as well as voice work on *The Simpsons*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (10)

### Performed in (9) — the average rests on these

- *Entourage* (2004), Fi1m 63, as Gary Busey — [page](https://film.one/tv/entourage.md)
- *Lost Highway* (1997), Fi1m 78, as Bill Dayton — [page](https://film.one/film/lost-highway.md)
- *Fallen Angels* (1993), Fi1m 72, as 'Buzz' Meeks — [page](https://film.one/tv/fallen-angels-1993.md)
- *The Firm* (1993), Fi1m 71, as Eddie Lomax — [page](https://film.one/film/the-firm.md)
- *The Player* (1992), Fi1m 85, as Gary Busey — [page](https://film.one/film/the-player.md)
- *Under Siege* (1992), Fi1m 77, as Commander Krill — [page](https://film.one/film/under-siege.md)
- *Point Break* (1991), Fi1m 82, as Agent Angelo Pappas — [page](https://film.one/film/point-break.md)
- *Predator 2* (1990), Fi1m 63, as Peter Keyes — [page](https://film.one/film/predator-2.md)
- *Lethal Weapon* (1987), Fi1m 80, as Mr. Joshua — [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon.md)

### Crew (1)

- *Nashville* (1975), Fi1m 89, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/nashville.md)

## Complete filmography (167)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Dead Janitors Club* (2026), as George
- *The Gettysburg Address* (2025), as John C. Calhoun (voice)
- *Trick and Treats* (2025), as Pastor Joseph
- *Gingerdead Man: Murder-Thon* (2025), as Millard Findlemeyer
- *Holy Cash* (2024), as Actor
- *Reggie: A Millennial Depression Comedy* (2021), as Trainer
- *Butcher's Bake Off: Hell's Kitchen* (2019), as Millard Findlemeyer (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *The Last Sharknado: It's About Time* (2018), as Wilford Wexler
- *Camp Manna* (2018), as Jack Cujo Parrish
- *Mamaboy* (2016), as Coach Dombrowski
- *Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens* (2016), as Wilford Wexler
- *Candiland* (2016), as Arnie/God
- *The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show* (2015), series, as Alternate Universe Peabody ​(voice)
- *Bikini Model Academy* (2015), as Uncle Seymore
- *Mansion of Blood* (2015), as Zacharia
- *Entourage* (2015), as Gary Busey
- *Confessions of a Womanizer* (2014), as Gary
- *Behaving Badly* (2014), as Chief Clark
- *Guido* (2014), as Steve Kaufman
- *Bounty Killer* (2013), as Van Sterling
- *Matt's Chance* (2013), as Bill
- *Piranha 3DD* (2012), as Clayton
- *2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift* (2010), as (archive footage)
- *Nite Tales: The Series* (2009), series, as Army Man
- *Hallettsville* (2009), as Sheriff David Ketchum
- *Beyond The Ring* (2008), as Tony De Luca
- *Maneater* (2007), as Grady Barnes
- *Homo Erectus* (2007), as Krutz
- *The Ultimate Fighter* (2007), as Wizard
- *Succubus: Hell-Bent* (2007), as Sentinel
- *The Hard Easy* (2006), as Vinnie
- *Shut Up and Shoot!* (2006), as Bob Katz
- *Dr. Dolittle 3* (2006), as Butch (voice)
- *Valley of the Wolves: Iraq* (2006), as Doctor
- *Descansos* (2006), as The Keeper
- *Cloud 9* (2006), as Gary Busey
- *Crooked* (2006), as John Rouse
- *The Gingerdead Man* (2005), as Millard Findlemeyer
- *Making of: The Gingerdead Man* (2005), Actor
- *Yesenin* (2005), series, as Зингер (бывший муж Дункан)
- *Buckaroo* (2005), as Dr. Brawn
- *Into the West* (2005), series, as Johnny Fox
- *Shade of Pale* (2005), as Billings
- *Chasing Ghosts* (2005), as Marcos Alfiri
- *American Dad!* (2005), series, as Gary Busey (voice)
- *No Rules* (2005), as Leroy Little
- *Motocross Kids* (2004), as Viper
- *Tom Goes to the Mayor* (2004), series, as Coach Red Harris (voice)
- *El padrino: The Latin Godfather* (2004), as Lars
- *Latin Dragon* (2004), as Thorn
- *Entourage* (2004), series, as Gary Busey — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/entourage.md)
- *Ghost Rock* (2004), as Jack Pickett
- *If Love Hadn't Left Me Lonely* (2004), as Mesdeg
- *Fallacy* (2004), Actor
- *Border Blues* (2004), as LAPD medium Michael March
- *Two and a Half Men* (2003), series, as Gary Busey — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/tv/two-and-a-half-men.md)
- *Frost: Portrait of a Vampire* (2003), as Micah
- *I'm with Busey* (2003), series, Actor
- *The Brendan Leonard Show* (2003), series, Actor
- *Quigley* (2003), as Archie Channing
- *Welcome 2 Ibiza* (2003), as Cortez
- *Penn & Teller: Bull!* (2003), series, Actor
- *Russians in the City of Angels* (2003), series, as March
- *The Prize Fighter* (2003), as Whitey Ferguson
- *On the Edge* (2002), as Felix
- *Hooded Angels* (2002), as Sheriff
- *Sam & Janet* (2002), as Bartender
- *Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice* (2002), as Richmond Claremont
- *Down 'n Dirty* (2001), as D. A. Mickey Casey
- *Scrubs* (2001), series, as Gary Busey
- *A Crack in the Floor* (2001), as Tyler Trout
- *G-Men from Hell* (2000), as Lt. Langdon
- *The Huntress* (2000), series, Actor
- *Two Shades of Blue* (2000), as Jack Reynolds
- *Hot Boyz* (2000), as Tully
- *Tribulation* (2000), as Tom Canboro
- *No Tomorrow* (1999), as Noah
- *Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang* (1999), as The Hooded Fang
- *The Girl Next Door* (1999), as Sheriff Larson
- *Soldier* (1998), as Church
- *Detour* (1998), as Mo Ginsburg
- *Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms* (1998), as Otto Mazur
- *Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas* (1998), as Highway Patrolman
- *Rough Draft* (1998), as Nelson Keece
- *Steel Sharks* (1997), as Cmdr. Bill McKay
- *The Rage* (1997), as Art Dacy
- *Rough Riders* (1997), series, as Gen. Joseph Wheeler
- *Plato's Run* (1997), as Plato
- *Suspicious Minds* (1997), as Vic Mulvey
- *Lethal Tender* (1997), as Mr. Turner
- *Lost Highway* (1997), as Bill Dayton — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/lost-highway.md)
- *King of the Hill* (1997), series, as Mad Dog (voice) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/king-of-the-hill-1997.md)
- *The Chain* (1996), as Frank Morrisey
- *Sticks & Stones* (1996), as Book's Dad
- *E! True Hollywood Story* (1996), series, Actor
- *Black Sheep* (1996), as Drake Sabitch
- *Carried Away* (1996), as Major Nathan Wheeler
- *The Real Thing* (1996), as Foreman
- *Man with a Gun* (1995), as Jack Rushton
- *The Outer Limits* (1995), series, as Ezra Burnham
- *The History of Rock 'n' Roll* (1995), series, as Narrator
- *Drop Zone* (1994), as Ty Moncrief
- *Warriors* (1994), as Frank Vail
- *Chasers* (1994), as Sergeant Vince Banger
- *Surviving the Game* (1994), as Hawkins
- *Breaking Point* (1994), as Dwight
- *South Beach* (1993), as Lenny
- *Fallen Angels* (1993), series, as 'Buzz' Meeks — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/fallen-angels-1993.md)
- *Rookie of the Year* (1993), as Chet Steadman
- *The Firm* (1993), as Eddie Lomax — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/the-firm.md)
- *Walker, Texas Ranger* (1993), series, as Donovan Riggs
- *Under Siege* (1992), as Commander Krill — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/under-siege.md)
- *Canvas* (1992), as Ozzy Decker
- *The Player* (1992), as Gary Busey — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/the-player.md)
- *Chrome Soldiers* (1992), as Jim 'Flash' Gordon
- *Wild Texas Wind* (1991), as Justice Parker
- *Point Break* (1991), as Agent Angelo Pappas — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/point-break.md)
- *My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys* (1991), as Clint Hornby
- *Predator 2* (1990), as Peter Keyes — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/predator-2.md)
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Tommy Vega — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Gary Busey (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *The Neon Empire* (1989), as Frank Weston
- *The Neon Empire* (1989), series, as Frank Weston
- *Hider in the House* (1989), as Tom Sykes
- *A Dangerous Life* (1988), series, as Tony O'Neil
- *Act of Piracy* (1988), as Ted Andrews
- *Bulletproof* (1988), as Frank 'Bulletproof' McBain
- *Lethal Weapon* (1987), as Mr. Joshua — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon.md)
- *Let's Get Harry* (1986), as Jack
- *Half a Lifetime* (1986), as Bart
- *Eye of the Tiger* (1986), as Buck Matthews
- *Silver Bullet* (1985), as Uncle Red
- *Insignificance* (1985), as The Ballplayer
- *The Bear* (1984), as Paul W. Bryant
- *D.C. Cab* (1983), as Dell
- *The Hitchhiker* (1983), series, as Rev. Nolan Powers
- *Barbarosa* (1982), as Karl Westover
- *Foolin' Around* (1980), as Wes
- *Carny* (1980), as Frankie
- *The Set-Up* (1978), Actor
- *Big Wednesday* (1978), as Leroy "The Masochist" Smith
- *The Buddy Holly Story* (1978), as Buddy Holly
- *Straight Time* (1978), as Willy Darin
- *A Star Is Born* (1976), as Bobbie Ritchie
- *The Gumball Rally* (1976), as Gibson (Camaro Team)
- *Nashville* (1975), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/nashville.md)
- *You and Me* (1975), Actor
- *Baretta* (1975), series, Actor
- *The Law* (1974), as William Bright
- *Thunderbolt and Lightfoot* (1974), as Curly
- *The Execution of Private Slovik* (1974), as Jimmy Feedek
- *Blood Sport* (1973), as David Lee Birdsong
- *Hex* (1973), as Giblets
- *The Last American Hero* (1973), as Wayne Jackson
- *Lolly-Madonna XXX* (1973), as Zeb Gutshall
- *Dirty Little Billy* (1972), as Basil Crabtree
- *Kung Fu* (1972), series, as Josh
- *The Magnificent Seven Ride!* (1972), as Hank Allan
- *Angels Hard as They Come* (1971), as Henry
- *Didn’t You Hear?* (1970), as James
- *Wild in the Streets* (1968), as Concert Attendee (uncredited)
- *The High Chaparral* (1967), series, as Rafe
- *The Love-Ins* (1967), as Hippie with Loudspeaker (uncredited)
- *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Henry Johnson
- *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Harve Daley
- *The Hand Job*, as Blind Master
- *Downtown Bus*, as Gruce Gissler

## Gallery

- ![Composite image containing: "GaryBuseyOct07" by Andrey Lunin — licensed CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/). Source: https://commons. (2025)](https://film.one/media/person/78460/gallery-55d557bf7bea.jpg) Composite image containing: "GaryBuseyOct07" by Andrey Lunin — licensed CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/). Source: https://commons. (2025) — Fred Gandt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Busey_Cat.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Gary Busey](https://film.one/media/person/78460/gallery-92874145348f.jpg) Gary Busey — Photographer JessicaPinney, portfolio, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/CUN2008_Oscar_party_Gary_Busey.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Gary Busey](https://film.one/media/person/78460/gallery-ec7ca0f59ac9.jpg) Gary Busey — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Dan_Danknick_and_Gary_Busey.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Photo of Gary Busey (standing), Mark Hamill and Jack Elam from the television program The Texas Wheelers.](https://film.one/media/person/78460/gallery-006c1a325e1e.jpg) Photo of Gary Busey (standing), Mark Hamill and Jack Elam from the television program The Texas Wheelers. — ABC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Texas_Wheelers_cast.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Gary Busey](https://film.one/media/person/78460/gallery-06650be6fadf.jpg) Gary Busey — Image via TMDB
- ![Gary Busey](https://film.one/media/person/78460/gallery-6cbbe835e748.jpg) Gary Busey — Image via TMDB
- ![Gary Busey](https://film.one/media/person/78460/gallery-fc2e69d6a857.jpg) Gary Busey — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1979: Best Actor (nominated), for *The Buddy Holly Story*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/gary-busey