---
name: "Jon Gries"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jon-gries"
fi1m_id: "jon-gries"
imdb_id: "nm0340973"
tmdb_id: 9629
wikidata_id: "Q1319770"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 June 1957"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 10
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 10
updated: "2026-10-05T12:35:13.582804+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."
---

# Jon Gries

## Identity

Jon Gries

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jon-gries
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jon-gries
- **IMDb ID:** nm0340973
- **TMDB ID:** 9629
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1319770
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Gries, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1319770, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9629

Actor. Born 17 June 1957 in Glendale, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 June 1957, Glendale, California, USA
- **Active:** 1990–present
- **Also known as:** Jonathan Francis Gries, Jon Francis, Johnathan Gries, John Gries, Jonathan Gries, Jonathon Gries, Jonathan Francis "Jon" Gries
- **Frequently works with:** [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://film.one/person/barry-sonnenfeld.md), [Famke Janssen](https://film.one/person/famke-janssen.md), [Liam Neeson](https://film.one/person/liam-neeson.md), [Luc Besson](https://film.one/person/luc-besson.md), [Maggie Grace](https://film.one/person/maggie-grace.md), [Robert Mark Kamen](https://film.one/person/robert-mark-kamen.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as actor, over 10 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 83 (3), 2000s 74 (4), 2010s 65 (1), 2020s 82 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 73 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 6, Crime 5, Comedy 4, Thriller 3, Action 2, Action & Adventure 2
- **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $991m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Gries, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1319770, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9629

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*Men in Black*](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md) (82)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Get Shorty*](https://film.one/film/get-shorty.md) (82)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Napoleon Dynamite*](https://film.one/film/napoleon-dynamite.md) (74)

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

## Biography

Jon Gries is an American actor and music video director. Born Jonathan Francis Gries on 17 June 1957 in Glendale, California, he is the son of writer, director and producer Tom Gries. His first film role was at the age of 11 as the Boy Horace in *Will Penny* (1968), which was written and directed by his father.

Gries is best known for his role as Uncle Rico in *Napoleon Dynamite* (2004), for which he received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Male. Other notable credits include Ronnie Wingate in *Get Shorty* (1995), the van driver in *Men in Black* (1997), Mark Casey in the *Taken* films (2008–2014), Roger Linus in *Lost* (2004–2010), Broots in *The Pretender* (1996–2000), and Greg Hunt in *The White Lotus* (2021–present). He has also appeared in *Real Genius* (1985) and *The Monster Squad* (1987).

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

## On Fi1m (10)

- *Carolina Caroline* (2026), Fi1m 79, as Hank Daniels — [page](https://film.one/film/carolina-caroline.md)
- *The White Lotus* (2021), Fi1m 85, as Greg Hunt — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-white-lotus.md)
- *Hawaii Five-0* (2010), Fi1m 65, as Liam Miller — [page](https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0.md)
- *Taken* (2008), Fi1m 66, as Mark Casey — [page](https://film.one/film/taken.md)
- *Napoleon Dynamite* (2004), Fi1m 74, as Uncle Rico — [page](https://film.one/film/napoleon-dynamite.md)
- *Carnivàle* (2003), Fi1m 76, as Texas Ranger — [page](https://film.one/tv/carnivale.md)
- *24* (2001), Fi1m 78, as Joseph Wald — [page](https://film.one/tv/24.md)
- *Men in Black* (1997), Fi1m 82, as Van Driver — [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md)
- *Get Shorty* (1995), Fi1m 82, as Ronnie Wingate — [page](https://film.one/film/get-shorty.md)
- *The Grifters* (1990), Fi1m 84, as Drunk's Friend — [page](https://film.one/film/the-grifters.md)

## Complete filmography (132)

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

- *Carolina Caroline* (2026), as Hank Daniels — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/carolina-caroline.md)
- *Tuesday's Flu* (2025), Actor
- *Devil May Cry* (2025), series, as Pres. Hopper / Late Night Host (voice), Pres. Hopper / Soldier (voice), Hopper / Protester (voice), Hopper / Demon 1 (voice)
- *It's Florida, Man.* (2024), series, as Denver
- *Solvent* (2024), as Gunner S. Holbrook
- *Fallout* (2024), series, as Biff — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/fallout.md)
- *Bits* (2024), Actor
- *Only the Good Survive* (2023), as Cult Leader
- *The White Lotus* (2021), series, as Greg Hunt — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-white-lotus.md)
- *Wish Upon a Unicorn* (2020), as Bud
- *3 Days with Dad* (2019), as Tim
- *Glass Jaw* (2018), as Sam Austin
- *All About the Money* (2017), as Jon Waters
- *The Axe Murders of Villisca* (2017), as Greg
- *Dream Corp LLC* (2016), series, as Dr. Roberts
- *Operation Chromite* (2016), as Hoyt Vandenberg
- *Falsely Accused* (2016), as Gus
- *Durant's Never Closes* (2016), as Dizzy Dean
- *Endgame* (2015), as Principal Thomas
- *Pass the Light* (2015), as Franklin
- *Americons* (2015), as Billy
- *Taken 3* (2014), as Mark Casey
- *Bad Turn Worse* (2014), as Sheriff Shep
- *The Last Survivors* (2014), as Carson
- *Locker 13* (2014), as Archie
- *Eternity: The Movie* (2014), as Barry Goldfield, Jr.
- *Faults* (2014), as Terry
- *Skinwalker Ranch* (2013), as Hoyt
- *Byron's Theme* (2013), Actor
- *A True Story* (2013), as Richard Simpkins
- *The Bridge* (2013), series, as Bob
- *Noobz* (2013), as Greg Lipstein
- *Taken 2* (2012), as Mark Casey
- *Unicorn City* (2012), as Shadow Hawk
- *Five Time Champion* (2012), as Melvin Glee
- *Napoleon Dynamite* (2012), series, as Uncle Rico (voice)
- *Deep in the Heart* (2012), as Dick Wallrath
- *Redemption: For Robbing the Dead* (2011), as Tom Sutter
- *The Smell of Success* (2011), as Early Dunchamp
- *Natural Selection* (2011), as Peter
- *Hawaii Five-0* (2010), series, as Liam Miller — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0.md)
- *Nikita* (2010), series, as The Engineer
- *Pickin' and Grinnin'* (2010), Director
- *Good Intentions* (2010), as Sheriff Ernie
- *Crazy on the Outside* (2010), as Edgar
- *Elsewhere* (2009), as Mr. Tod
- *Around June* (2008), as Murry
- *So Long Jimmy* (2008), as Levi Franklin
- *South of Heaven* (2008), as Hood 1
- *Sons of Anarchy* (2008), series, as Magoo — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/tv/sons-of-anarchy.md)
- *Bar Starz* (2008), as Ricky Fabulous
- *Taken* (2008), as Mark Casey — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/taken.md)
- *Frank* (2007), as Colin York
- *The Comebacks* (2007), as Barber
- *Fathom* (2007), Actor
- *September Dawn* (2007), as John D. Lee
- *American Pastime* (2007), as Ed Tully
- *The Astronaut Farmer* (2007), as FBI Agent Killbourne
- *Car Babes* (2006), as Gary
- *Psych* (2006), series, as Strabinsky
- *Stick It* (2006), as Brice Graham
- *The Sasquatch Gang* (2006), as Chilcutt
- *Supernatural* (2005), series, as Martin Creaser — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/supernatural.md)
- *Waterborne* (2005), as Ritter
- *Confessions of an Action Star* (2005), as Donald Buckheim
- *Last Best Chance* (2005), as Bernard Wheeler
- *Lost* (2004), series, as Roger Linus — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/lost.md)
- *CSI: NY* (2004), series, as Jim Warren
- *Napoleon Dynamite* (2004), as Uncle Rico — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/napoleon-dynamite.md)
- *Cold Case* (2003), series, as Bill Shepard
- *The Rundown* (2003), as Harvey
- *Las Vegas* (2003), series, as Greg Walker
- *Carnivàle* (2003), series, as Texas Ranger — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/carnivale.md)
- *The Snow Walker* (2003), as Pierce
- *Northfork* (2003), as Arnold
- *The Big Empty* (2003), as Elron
- *The Beatnicks* (2002), as B Cool
- *The Pretender: Island of the Haunted* (2001), as Broots
- *24* (2001), series, as Joseph Wald — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/24.md)
- *Jackpot* (2001), as Sunny Holiday / Glen Allen Johnson
- *The Pretender 2001* (2001), as Broots
- *Twin Falls Idaho* (1999), as Lawyer Jay Harrison · Associate Producer
- *Men in Black* (1997), as Van Driver — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md)
- *Casualties* (1997), as Bill Summers
- *The Maze* (1997), as Dr. Holmes
- *The Pretender* (1996), series, as Broots · Director
- *Race Against Time: The Search for Sarah* (1996), as Steve
- *Get Shorty* (1995), as Ronnie Wingate — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/get-shorty.md)
- *Strange Luck* (1995), series, as Henry Bloom
- *ER* (1994), series, as Marty Nesmith — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Chicago Hope* (1994), series, as Jack Kimball
- *Bakersfield P.D.* (1993), series, as Ray Coombs
- *The X-Files* (1993), series, as Salvatore Matola — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)
- *Ed and His Dead Mother* (1993), as Rob Sundheimer
- *Four Eyes and Six-Guns* (1992), as Deputy Elmo (as Jonathan Gries)
- *Martin* (1992), series, as Shawn McDermott, Shawn McDermott /Innkeeper
- *Fever* (1991), as Bobby
- *Beverly Hills, 90210* (1990), series, as Dope Dealer — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/beverly-hills-90210.md)
- *The Grifters* (1990), as Drunk's Friend — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-grifters.md)
- *Rainbow Drive* (1990), as Azzolini
- *Pucker Up and Bark Like a Dog* (1989), as Max (as Jonathan Gries)
- *Kill Me Again* (1989), as Alan Swayzie
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Homeless Man — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Quantum Leap* (1989), series, as Flash McGrath
- *Tattingers* (1988), series, Actor
- *Fright Night Part 2* (1988), as Louie
- *Jake and the Fatman* (1987), series, Actor
- *Tour of Duty* (1987), series, Actor
- *The Monster Squad* (1987), as Desperate Man
- *Number One with a Bullet* (1987), as Bobby Sweet
- *L.A. Law* (1986), series, as Hotel Desk Clerk
- *Running Scared* (1986), as Det. Tony Montoya
- *TerrorVision* (1986), as O.D.
- *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as (segment "Shelter Skelter")
- *Real Genius* (1985), as Lazlo Hollyfeld
- *High School U.S.A.* (1984), as Leo Bandini
- *High School U.S.A.* (1983), as Dirty Curt
- *September Gun* (1983), as Brian Brian
- *Joysticks* (1983), as King Vidiot
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, Actor — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *Falcon Crest* (1981), series, as Stone
- *Swap Meet* (1979), as Doug
- *240-Robert* (1979), series, as Brad
- *More American Graffiti* (1979), as Ron
- *Sunnyside* (1979), as Wild Child
- *Mulligan's Stew* (1977), series, Actor
- *The Chicken Chronicles* (1977), as Tom
- *Helter Skelter* (1976), as William Garretson
- *The Jeffersons* (1975), series, Actor
- *Will Penny* (1967), as Horace
- *The Knife Thrower*, as Lew Schätze
- *Bicentennial Curious*, as Mick Jones

## Gallery

- ![Jon Gries](https://film.one/media/person/86389/gallery-12db10b54d7e.jpg) Jon Gries — Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Jon_Gries_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/1280px-Jon_Gries_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jon Gries and Tina Majorino at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.](https://film.one/media/person/86389/gallery-345fb2a91d41.jpg) Jon Gries and Tina Majorino at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere. — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Jon_Gries_%26_Tina_Majorino_%285966460814%29.jpg/1280px-Jon_Gries_%26_Tina_Majorino_%285966460814%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jon Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.](https://film.one/media/person/86389/gallery-5f4828456b3c.jpg) Jon Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere. — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Jon_Gries_%285965896711%29.jpg/1280px-Jon_Gries_%285965896711%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jon Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.](https://film.one/media/person/86389/gallery-6ab4a0ead33a.jpg) Jon Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere. — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Jon_Gries_%285966463802%29.jpg/1280px-Jon_Gries_%285966463802%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jon Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.](https://film.one/media/person/86389/gallery-23dea64b67ff.jpg) Jon Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere. — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Jon_Gries_%285966467556%29.jpg/1280px-Jon_Gries_%285966467556%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jon Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California.](https://film.one/media/person/86389/gallery-2c8673589520.jpg) Jon Gries at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. — Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Jon_Gries_at_the_2011_San_Diego_Comic-Con_%282%29.jpg/1280px-Jon_Gries_at_the_2011_San_Diego_Comic-Con_%282%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© 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/jon-gries