--- name: "Rip Torn" canonical: "https://film.one/person/rip-torn" fi1m_id: "rip-torn" imdb_id: "nm0001800" tmdb_id: 9626 wikidata_id: "Q313522" roles: ["Actor"] born: "6 February 1931" died: "9 July 2019" reviewed_on_fi1m: 11 average_fi1m_score: 75 average_as: "actor" average_over: 9 updated: "2026-10-22T02:46:00.075146+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." --- # Rip Torn ## Identity Rip Torn - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/rip-torn - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** rip-torn - **IMDb ID:** nm0001800 - **TMDB ID:** 9626 - **Wikidata ID:** Q313522 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Torn, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q313522, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001800/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9626 Actor. Born 6 February 1931 in Temple, Texas, USA. Died 9 July 2019. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 6 February 1931, Temple, Texas, USA - **Died:** 9 July 2019 - **Active:** 1976–2007 - **Also known as:** Elmore Rual Torn Jr., Elmore Rual "Rip" Torn Jr., Elmor Torn, ریپ تورن - **Titles on Fi1m:** 11: 9 acting, 2 other - **Frequently works with:** [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://film.one/person/barry-sonnenfeld.md), [Jason Schwartzman](https://film.one/person/jason-schwartzman.md), [Kirsten Dunst](https://film.one/person/kirsten-dunst.md), [Laurie MacDonald](https://film.one/person/laurie-macdonald.md), [Sofia Coppola](https://film.one/person/sofia-coppola.md), [Tommy Lee Jones](https://film.one/person/tommy-lee-jones.md), [Walter F. Parkes](https://film.one/person/walter-f-parkes.md), [Will Smith](https://film.one/person/will-smith-2888.md) - **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 9 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 85 (2), 1990s 84 (4), 2000s 65 (4), 2020s 78 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 75 to 73 across 9 titles - **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 2 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 1 of 7 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 6, Drama 4, Adventure 3, Science Fiction 3, Action 2, Animation 2 - **Screen time:** 15 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $1,729m across 7 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Torn, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q313522, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001800/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9626 ## Streaming the US now - **HBO Max:** [*The Larry Sanders Show*](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md) (91) - **Tubi:** [*Men in Black*](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md) (82) - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Man Who Fell to Earth*](https://film.one/film/the-man-who-fell-to-earth.md) (82) - **Disney+:** [*Hercules*](https://film.one/film/hercules.md) (75) - **Netflix:** [*Marie Antoinette*](https://film.one/film/marie-antoinette.md) (74) - **The Roku Channel:** [*Men in Black II*](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-ii.md) (48) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Rip Torn > Rip Torn is especially good at playing men who expect to be obeyed. We like him most in comedy, where his gruff producers and officials have other people's problems to deal with. Rip Torn looks at home in charge of the secret agency in *Men in Black* (1997). As Zed, he gives Barry Sonnenfeld's brisk alien comedy the gruff authority of a man who expects the business to get done. We like him in that supporting position, while Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith do the essential comic work. The story is thin, but the film has a good use for him and knows to keep moving. That comic authority followed decades of character work in film, television and theatre. *Sweet Bird of Youth* took him from the 1959 Broadway production to the 1962 film adaptation, while Martin Ritt's *Cross Creek* (1983) gave him the rural character Marsh Turner. Officials, producers and mentors became recurring parts, with little patience for anyone else's nonsense. The important turn came with Artie, the producer in *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992–1998), created by Garry Shandling. The programme brought wider recognition and made sustained use of his strength in an ensemble. Torn's account of the collaboration is instructive: “Garry Shandling always said to me, 'Don’t get mad, get funny.' It changed my life.” We prefer the anger when it has that discipline. *Wonder Boys* (2000) makes a gentler use of the difference between men who are managing and men who are not. Torn's Q is a successful novelist, set against Michael Douglas's novelist who cannot get on with things. We felt real affection for Douglas's struggling novelist; his performance never seems to demand it. Curtis Hanson's comedy gives Torn a place in a sharply acted ensemble without asking him to become its centre. The leisurely pace sometimes becomes a liability, but this is a setting in which his supporting work makes sense. For a single evening, we would start with *Men in Black*. *Wonder Boys* needs more patience with its novelist and its pace. For a longer acquaintance, turn to *The Larry Sanders Show*. ## Biography Rip Torn was an American actor whose career in film, television and theatre spanned more than six decades. Born Elmore Rual Torn Jr. in Temple, Texas, he studied drama at the University of Texas and trained at the Actors Studio in New York. He was known for his role as Zed in the *Men in Black* films (1997 and 2002), Patches O'Houlihan in *Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story* (2004) and the voice of Zeus in *Hercules* (1997). On television he played Artie the producer in *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992–1998), for which he received six Emmy nominations and won in 1996. Torn received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for *Cross Creek* (1983). *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (11) ### Performed in (9) — the average rests on these - *Bee Movie* (2007), Fi1m 55, as Lou Lo Duca (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/bee-movie.md) - *Marie Antoinette* (2006), Fi1m 74, as Louis XV — [page](https://film.one/film/marie-antoinette.md) - *Men in Black II* (2002), Fi1m 48, as Zed — [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-ii.md) - *Wonder Boys* (2000), Fi1m 82, as Q — [page](https://film.one/film/wonder-boys.md) - *The Insider* (1999), Fi1m 89, as John Scanlon — [page](https://film.one/film/the-insider.md) - *Hercules* (1997), Fi1m 75, as Zeus (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/hercules.md) - *Men in Black* (1997), Fi1m 82, as Zed — [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md) - *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), Fi1m 91, as Arthur — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md) - *The Man Who Fell to Earth* (1976), Fi1m 82, as Nathan Bryce — [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-who-fell-to-earth.md) ### Also credited (2) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Making Marie Antoinette* (2026), Fi1m 78, as Self — [page](https://film.one/film/making-marie-antoinette.md) - *Harlan County U.S.A.* (1976), Fi1m 88, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/harlan-county-u-s-a.md) ## Complete filmography (173) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Bridge of Names* (2012), as Tom - *Men in Black 3* (2012), as Large-Headed Alien at Funeral (uncredited) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-3.md) - *3 Weeks to Daytona* (2011), as Sal - *National Lampoon's The Legend of Awesomest Maximus* (2011), as King Looney - *Happy Tears* (2009), as Joe - *The Afterlight* (2009), as Carl - *American Cowslip* (2009), as Trevor O'Hart - *The Golden Boys* (2008), as Capt. Jeremiah Burgess - *August* (2008), as David Sterling - *Turn the River* (2008), as Quinette - *Lucky Days* (2008), as Bobo · Executive Producer - *Bee Movie* (2007), as Lou Lo Duca (voice) — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/bee-movie.md) - *The Making Of 'The Larry Sanders Show'* (2007), as Arthur - *Three Days to Vegas* (2007), as Joe Wallace - *30 Rock* (2006), series, as Don Geiss — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/30-rock.md) - *Zoom* (2006), as Larraby - *Marie Antoinette* (2006), as Louis XV — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/marie-antoinette.md) - *Forty Shades of Blue* (2005), as Alan James - *Yours, Mine & Ours* (2005), as Commandant Sherman - *The Sisters* (2005), as Dr. Chebrin - *Eulogy* (2004), as Edmund Collins - *DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story* (2004), as Patches O'Houlihan - *Extreme Dodgeball* (2004), series, Actor - *Welcome to Mooseport* (2004), as Bert Langdon - *Love Object* (2004), as Novak - *The Lyon's Den* (2003), series, Actor - *Maniac Magee* (2003), as George McNab - *Rolling Kansas* (2003), as Oldman - *Men in Black II* (2002), as Zed — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black-ii.md) - *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Jules Copeland - *Freddy Got Fingered* (2001), as Jim Brody - *Soul Food* (2000), series, as Peter Redmond - *Wonder Boys* (2000), as Q — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/wonder-boys.md) - *A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle* (2000), as Detective Manny Garett - *The Insider* (1999), as John Scanlon — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/the-insider.md) - *The Almost Perfect Bank Robbery* (1999), as Royce - *Seasons of Love* (1999), series, as Spence - *Balloon Farm* (1999), as Harvey Potter - *Passing Glory* (1999), as Father Robert Grant - *Will & Grace* (1998), series, as Lionel Banks - *Senseless* (1998), as Randall Tyson - *The Mouse* (1997), as Trucker 'God' - *Ghost Stories* (1997), series, as The Narrator - *Men in Black* (1997), as Zed — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/men-in-black.md) - *Hercules* (1997), as Zeus (voice) — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/hercules.md) - *Trial and Error* (1997), as Benny Gibbs - *The Hindenburg* (1996), as Narrator - *Down Periscope* (1996), as Admiral Winslow - *How to Make an American Quilt* (1995), as Arthur - *Letter to My Killer* (1995), Actor - *Canadian Bacon* (1995), as General Dick Panzer - *She Stood Alone: The Tailhook Scandal* (1995), as Adm. Snyder - *For Better or Worse* (1995), as Capt. Cole - *Chicago Hope* (1994), series, as Warren Shutt - *Heart of a Child* (1994), as Dr. Leonard Bailey - *The John Larroquette Show* (1993), series, as Bernard Galvin - *Where the Rivers Flow North* (1993), as Noel Lord - *Beyond the Law* (1993), as Deputy Prescott - *RoboCop 3* (1993), as The CEO - *A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story* (1992), as Bill Morgan - *T Bone N Weasel* (1992), as Happy Sam - *Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster* (1992), as Admiral Paul Yost - *The Larry Sanders Show* (1992), series, as Arthur — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-larry-sanders-show.md) - *Fires of Kuwait* (1992), as Narrator (voice) - *My Son Johnny* (1991), as Brian Stansbury - *Dolly Dearest* (1991), as Karl Resnick - *Another Pair of Aces: Three of a Kind* (1991), as Captain Jack Parsons - *Defending Your Life* (1991), as Bob Diamond - *Death Falls* (1991), as Dub Farley - *Beautiful Dreamers* (1990), as Walt Whitman - *By Dawn's Early Light* (1990), as Colonel Fargo - *Kojak: None So Blind* (1990), as Gideon Hogarth - *Pair of Aces* (1990), as Capt. Jack Parsons - *Sweet Bird of Youth* (1989), as Boss Finley - *Silence Like Glass* (1989), as Dr. Markowitz - *Cold Feet* (1989), as Sheriff - *Hit List* (1989), as Vic Luca - *April Morning* (1988), as Solomon Chandler - *The Telephone* (1988), Director - *The King of Love* (1987), as Jack Kraft - *Laguna Heat* (1987), as Joe Datilla - *Nadine* (1987), as Buford Pope - *Extreme Prejudice* (1987), as Sheriff Hank Pearson - *Destination: America* (1987), as Corbet St. James IV - *J. Edgar Hoover* (1987), as Lyndon Baines Johnson - *Manhunt for Claude Dallas* (1986), as Tim Nettleton - *North and South* (1985), series, as Adolphus - *Beer* (1985), as Buzz Beckerman - *Summer Rental* (1985), as Scully - *The Atlanta Child Murders* (1985), series, as Lewis Slaton - *The Execution* (1985), as Wilheim Gehbert - *City Heat* (1984), as Primo Pitt - *Songwriter* (1984), as Dino McLeish - *Cat on a Hot Tin Roof* (1984), as Big Daddy - *Scarab* (1984), as Khepera - *Flashpoint* (1984), as Sheriff Wells - *When She Says No* (1984), as Stuart Blankfort - *Misunderstood* (1983), as Will - *Cross Creek* (1983), as Marsh Turner - *Airplane II: The Sequel* (1982), as Bud Kruger / President Reagan - *The Blue and the Gray* (1982), series, as Ulysses S. Grant - *Jinxed!* (1982), as Harold Benson - *The Beastmaster* (1982), as Maax - *A Stranger Is Watching* (1982), as Artie Taggart - *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Harvey 'Big Daddy' Pollitt - *Heartland* (1981), as Clyde Stewart - *First Family* (1980), as General G. E. Dumpston - *Rape and Marriage: The Rideout Case* (1980), as Charles Burt - *Sophia Loren: Her Own Story* (1980), as Carlo Ponti - *One Trick Pony* (1980), as Walter Fox - *A Shining Season* (1979), as Jack Baker - *The Seduction of Joe Tynan* (1979), as Senator Kittner - *Blind Ambition* (1979), series, as Richard M. Nixon - *Steel Cowboy* (1978), as K.W. Hicks - *Betrayal* (1978), as Dr. Hartogs - *The Eddie Capra Mysteries* (1978), series, Actor - *Coma* (1978), as Dr. George - *The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover* (1977), as Dwight Webb - *Nasty Habits* (1977), as Father Maximilian - *Harlan County U.S.A.* (1976), Thanks — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/harlan-county-u-s-a.md) - *Birch Interval* (1976), as Thomas - *The Man Who Fell to Earth* (1976), as Nathan Bryce — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-who-fell-to-earth.md) - *Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan* (1975), series, as Glen Tuttle - *Crazy Joe* (1974), as Richie - *The President's Plane Is Missing* (1973), as George Oldenburg - *Payday* (1973), as Maury Dann - *Cotter* (1973), as Roy - *Ghost Story* (1972), series, as Jonathon - *Slaughter* (1972), as Dominic Hoffo - *Columbo* (1971), series, as Leon Lamarr — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md) - *Maidstone* (1971), as Raoul Rey O'Houlihan - *Montserrat* (1971), as Izquierdo - *Tropic of Cancer* (1970), as Henry Miller - *Coming Apart* (1969), as Joe - *Lions Love* (1969), as The Beard Director (uncredited) - *Beyond the Law* (1968), as Popcorn - *Sol Madrid* (1968), as Dano Villanova - *Mannix* (1967), series, as Victor Roarke - *Beach Red* (1967), as Gunnery Sgt. Ben Honeywell - *You're a Big Boy Now* (1966), as I.H. Chanticleer - *One Spy Too Many* (1966), as Alexander - *The Cincinnati Kid* (1965), as William Jefferson Slade - *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964), series, as Alexander - *12 O'Clock High* (1964), series, as Col. Mark Royce - *The Great Adventure* (1963), series, as Lieutenant John C. Freemont - *Channing* (1963), series, as Donald Burrows - *Breaking Point* (1963), series, Actor - *The Lieutenant* (1963), series, as Sgt. Karl Kasten - *Critic's Choice* (1963), as Dion Kapakos - *Combat!* (1962), series, as Avery - *Hero's Island* (1962), as Nicholas Gates - *Sweet Bird of Youth* (1962), as Tom Finley Jr. - *King of Kings* (1961), as Judas - *Ben Casey* (1961), series, Actor - *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Dr. Nicholas Keefe - *24 Hours in a Woman's Life* (1961), as Paul - *Route 66* (1960), series, as Alvah Clayhorne - *Thriller* (1960), series, as Duncan Corey - *The Untouchables* (1959), series, as Harry Strauss, Johnny Mizo - *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Will Hewitt - *Pork Chop Hill* (1959), as Lt. Walter Russell - *Rawhide* (1959), series, as Jacob Yellow-Sun - *Johnny Belinda* (1958), as Locky McCormick - *Naked City* (1958), series, as Ansel Boake - *Bomber's Moon* (1958), as Lieutenant Harrison - *Time Limit* (1957), as Lt. George Miller - *The Restless Gun* (1957), series, as Jody Gilman - *A Face in the Crowd* (1957), as Barry Mills (uncredited) - *Baby Doll* (1956), as The Dentist (uncredited) - *Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1955), series, as Steve Morgan #22, Ernie Walters - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Locky McCormick, Solomon Chandler - *Kraft Television Theatre* (1947), series, as Somers - *Heartland*, Actor ## Gallery - ![Rip Torn](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-fbfcdb5bb87e.jpg) Rip Torn — Alan Light; cropped by Beyond My Ken (talk) 07:41, 26 January 2011 (UTC), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Rip_Torn_at_the_46th_Emmy_Awards_headcrop.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![425 West 22nd Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City was built c.1922. For many years it was "TornPage", (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-05d1ccd64f8d.jpg) 425 West 22nd Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City was built c.1922. For many years it was "TornPage", (2012) — Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/425_West_22nd_Street.jpg/1280px-425_West_22nd_Street.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Ingrid Bergman & Rip Torn in American television film 24 Hours in a Woman's Life (1961)](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-65e7170fda6a.jpg) Ingrid Bergman & Rip Torn in American television film 24 Hours in a Woman's Life (1961) — Unknown authorUnknown author, distributed by: CBS-TV, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Ingrid_Bergman_%26_Rip_Torn_24_Hours_in_a_Woman%27s_Life.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Photo of Rip Torn from the 1994 Emmy Awards.](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-4c5d6a69ca06.jpg) Photo of Rip Torn from the 1994 Emmy Awards. — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Rip_Torn.jpg/1280px-Rip_Torn.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Rip Torn](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-f3bfce33e32e.jpg) Rip Torn — Image via TMDB - ![Rip Torn](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-dc1d50a180c7.jpg) Rip Torn — Image via TMDB - ![Rip Torn](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-f36f782e79a1.jpg) Rip Torn — Image via TMDB - ![Rip Torn & Ingrid Bergman in American television film 24 Hours in a Woman's Life (1961)](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-e6c4ee704a6e.jpg) Rip Torn & Ingrid Bergman in American television film 24 Hours in a Woman's Life (1961) — Unknown authorUnknown author, distributed by: CBS-TV, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Rip_Torn_%26_Ingrid_Bergman_24_Hours_in_a_Woman%27s_Life_promo.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Photo of Rip Torn from the 1994 Emmy Awards.](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-58ebf08d0343.jpg) Photo of Rip Torn from the 1994 Emmy Awards. — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Rip_Torn_%2794_crop.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Rip Torn](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-5560464d8767.jpg) Rip Torn — Image via TMDB - ![Rip Torn](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-db6aaa0bd94f.jpg) Rip Torn — Image via TMDB - ![Rip Torn](https://film.one/media/person/87300/gallery-9d787c53bed9.jpg) Rip Torn — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1984: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *Cross Creek* ### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won - 1996: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (won), for *The Larry Sanders Show* ### Other awards — 1 won, 1 nominated - Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 1960: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (nominated) - Theatre World Award 1959: Theatre World Award (won) *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/rip-torn