Torn, Rip 1931–

TORN, Rip 1931–

PERSONAL

Full name, Elmore Rual Torn, Jr.; born February 6, 1931, in Temple, TX; son of Elmore Rual (an economist) and Thelma (maiden name, Spacek) Torn; married Ann Wedgeworth (an actress), January 15, 1955 (divorced, June 1961); married Geraldine Page (an actress), 1961 (died, 1987); children: (first marriage) Danae; (second marriage) Angelica, Anthony, Jonathan. Education: Attended Texas A&M College (now University), 1948–50; University of Texas, B.S.F.A., 1953; trained for the stage with Alice Hermes, Sanford Meisner, Lee Strasberg, and Martha Graham School of the Dance.

Addresses: Agent— Gersh Agency, 130 West 42nd St., Suite 1804, New York, NY 10036–7901. Manager— Pure Arts Entertainment, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2320, Los Angeles, CA 90067. Publicist— Guttman Associates PR, 118 S. Beverly Dr., Suite 201, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Career: Actor and director. Appeared in television commercials for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association; previously worked as an oilfield roustabout and an architectural drafter. Military service: U.S. National Guard (some sources say U.S. Army).

Member: Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Directors Guild of America, Actors' Studio (member of board of directors and production board; first chairperson of founding committee), Sigma Chi.

Awards, Honors: Theatre World Award, 1959, for Chaparral; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best supporting or featured actor in a drama, 1960, for Sweet Bird of Youth; Obie Award, Village Voice, 1967, for The Deer Park; Obie Award, best director, 1968, for The Beard; Bronze Wrangler Award (with others), theatrical motion picture, Western Heritage Awards, 1981, for Heartland; Academy Award nomination, best supporting actor, 1983, for Cross Creek; CableACE Award nomination, actor in a theatrical or dramatic special, 1985, for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or special, 1985, for The Atlanta Child Murders; CableACE Award, supporting actor in a movie or miniseries, 1989, for Laguna Heat; CableACE Award, best supporting actor, American Comedy Award, funniest supporting male performer in a TV series, 1994, Emmy Award nominations, outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series, 1993–98, Emmy Award, outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series, 1996, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a television series, 1997, American Comedy Award nomination, funniest supporting male performer in a TV series, 1999, all for The Larry Sanders Show; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding guest actor in a drama series, 1996, for Chicago Hope; Golden Satellite Award nomination, best actor in a supporting role in a motion picture—comedy or musical, 1998, for Men in Black.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

(Uncredited; film debut) Brick, Baby Doll, Warner Bros., 1956.

Lieutenant George Miller, Time Limit!, United Artists, 1957.

(Uncredited) Barry Mills, A Face in the Crowd, Warner Bros., 1957.

Lieutenant Walter Russell, Pork Chop Hill, United Artists, 1959.

Judas, King of Kings, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1961.

Nicholas Gates, Hero's Island (also known as The Land We Love ), United Artists, 1962.

Tom Finley, Jr., Sweet Bird of Youth, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1962.

Dion Kapakos, Critic's Choice, Warner Bros., 1963.

William Jefferson Slade, The Cincinnati Kid, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1965.

Alexander, One Spy Too Many, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1966.

Sergeant Honeywell, Beach Red, United Artists, 1967.

I. H. Chanticleer, You're a Big Boy Now, Seven Arts, 1967.

Popcorn, Beyond the Law, Grove, 1968.

Dano Villanova, Sol Madrid (also known as The Heroin Gang ), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1968.

Joe Glassman, Coming Apart, 1969.

Raoul Rey O'Houlihan, Maidstone, 1970.

Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, Paramount, 1970.

Dominick, Slaughter (also known as Masacre ), American International, 1972.

Himself, One P.M. (also known as One A.M./One American Movie and One P.M./One Parallel Movie ), 1972.

Maury Dann, Payday, Cinerama, 1973.

Roy, Cotter, 1973.

Richie, Crazy Joe, Columbia, 1974.

Thomas, Birch Interval, Gamma III, 1976.

Nathan Bryce, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Columbia, 1976.

Narrator, On the Line, 1976.

Father Maximilian, Nasty Habits (also known as The Abbess ), Brut, 1977.

Dr. George, Coma, United Artists, 1978.

Dwight Webb, The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover, American International Pictures, 1978.

Senator Kittner, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Universal, 1979.

Voice, The Wobblies, 1979.

JCS Chairman G. E. Dumpston, First Family, Warner Bros., 1980.

Walter Fox, One–Trick Pony, Warner Bros., 1980.

Clyde Stewart, Heartland, 1980.

Harold Benson, Jinxed!, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1982.

Kruger/President Reagan, Airplane II: The Sequel (also known as Flying High II ), Paramount, 1982.

Artie Taggart, A Stranger Is Watching, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1982.

Maax, The Beastmaster, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1982.

Khepera, Scarab (also known as Escarabajos asesinos ), 1982.

Marsh Turner, Cross Creek, Universal, 1983.

Will, Misunderstood (also known as L'ultimo sole d'estate ), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1984.

Dino McLeish, Songwriter, TriStar, 1984.

Sheriff Wells, Flashpoint, TriStar, 1984.

Primo Pitt, City Heat, Warner Bros., 1984.

Scully, Summer Rental, Paramount, 1985.

Buzz Beckerman, Beer (also known as The Selling of America ), Orion, 1985.

Sheriff Hank Pearson, Extreme Prejudice, TriStar, 1987.

Buford Pope, Nadine, TriStar, 1987.

Frank Maheu, Blind Curve, 1989.

Dr. Markowitz, Silence Like Glass (also known as Zwei Frauen ), 1989.

Vic Luca, Hit List, New Line, 1990.

Walt Whitman, Beautiful Dreamers, Hemdale Releasing, 1990.

Sheriff, Cold Feet, Avenue Pictures, 1990.

Bob Diamond, Defending Your Life, Warner Bros., 1991.

Dub Farley, Death Falls, 1991.

Dr. Karl Resnick, Dolly Dearest, Trimark Pictures, 1992.

Narrator, Fires of Kuwait, 1992.

Merritt W. Morton the CEO, Robocop 3, Orion, 1993.

Deputy Prescott, Beyond the Law (also known as Fixing the Shadow ), LIVE Entertainment, 1994.

Noel Lord, Where the Rivers Flow North, Caledonia Pictures, 1994.

Captain Cole, For Better or Worse (also known as Stranger Things ), Columbia, 1995.

General Panzer, Canadian Bacon, Gramercy, 1995.

Arthur Cleary, How to Make an American Quilt, Universal, 1995.

Admiral Winslow, Down Periscope, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1996.

Trucker "God," The Mouse, 1996.

Voice of Zeus, Hercules (animated), Buena Vista, 1997.

Benny Gibbs, Trial and Error, New Line Cinema, 1997.

Chief Zed, Men in Black (also known as MIB ), Columbia TriStar, 1997.

Randall Tyson, Senseless, Dimension Films, 1998.

Quentin Morewood, Wonder Boys (also known as Die Wonder Boys and Wonderboys—Lauter Wunderknaben ), Paramount, 1999.

John Scanlon, The Insider, Buena Vista, 1999.

Agent Zed, Men in Black Alien Attack (also known as Men in Black: The Ride ), Paramount, 2000.

Jim Brody, Freddy Got Fingered, Twentieth Century–Fox, 2001.

Narrator, Nine Hundred Nights, 2001.

Zed, Men in Black II (also known as MIB 2 and MIIB ), Columbia, 2002.

Oldman, Rolling Kansas, Gold Circle, 2003.

Mr. Novak, Love Object, Lions Gate Films, 2003.

Bert Langdon, Welcome to Mooseport, Fox, 2004.

Patches O'Houlihan, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (also known as Dodgeball ), Twentieth Century–Fox, 2004.

Carcajou, Disappearances, Kingdom County, 2004.

Edmund 'Grandpa' Colins, Eulogy, Lions Gate Films, 2004.

Alan James, Forty Shades of Blue, High Line, 2004.

Film Director:

The Telephone, New World, 1988.

Television Appearances; Series:

Arthur, The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1992–1999.

Narrator, Ghost Stories, syndicated, 1997–1998.

Voice of Zeus, Disney's Hercules (animated), ABC and syndicated, 1998–1999.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Glen Tuttle, Attack on Terror: The FBI versus the Ku Klux Klan, CBS, 1975.

Richard M. Nixon, Blind Ambition (also known as The John Dean Story ), CBS, 1979.

General Ulysses S. Grant, The Blue and the Gray, CBS, 1982.

Lewis Slaton, The Atlanta Child Murders, CBS, 1985.

Kit Carson, Dream West, CBS, 1986.

Adolphus, John Jakes's Heaven and Hell: North and South, Part III, ABC, 1994.

Spence Vitt, Seasons of Love, CBS, 1999.

Television Appearances; Movies:

George Oldenberg, The President's Plane Is Missing, ABC, 1973.

Dr. Hartogs, Betrayal, NBC, 1978.

K. W. Hicks, Steel Cowboy (also known as Fast Lane Fever ), NBC, 1978.

Jack Baker, A Shining Season, CBS, 1979.

C. J., Scooby–Doo Goes Hollywood, 1979.

Charles Burt, Rape and Marriage: The Rideout Case, CBS, 1980.

Carlo Ponti, Sophia Loren: Her Own Story, NBC, 1980.

Stuart Blankfort, When She Says No, ABC, 1984.

Wilheim Gehbert, The Execution, NBC, 1985.

Tim Nettleton, Manhunt for Claude Dallas, CBS, 1986.

Lyndon B. Johnson, J. Edgar Hoover (also known as Hoover ), Showtime, 1987.

Joe Datilla, Laguna Heat, HBO, 1987.

J. S. Kraft, The King of Love, ABC, 1987.

Corbet St. James IV, Destination: America, ABC, 1987.

Solomon Chandler, "April Morning," Hallmark Hall of Fame, CBS, 1988.

Tom "Boss" Finley, Sweet Bird of Youth (also known as Tennessee Williams's "Sweet Bird of Youth "), NBC, 1989.

Gideon Hogarth, "None So Blind," Kojak (also known as The ABC Saturday Mystery ), ABC, 1990.

Colonel Fargo, By Dawn's Early Light (also known as The Grand Tour ), HBO, 1990.

Captain Jack Parsons, Pair of Aces (also known as RIP ), CBS, 1990.

Leon Lamarr, "Death Hits the Jackpot," Columbo!, ABC, 1991.

Jack Parsons, Another Pair of Aces: Three of a Kind, CBS, 1991.

Brian Stansbury, My Son Johnny (also known as Bad Seed, My Son Frankie, and My Brother Frankie ), CBS, 1991.

Happy Sam, T Bone N Weasel, TNT, 1992.

Bill Morgan, A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story (also known as With Reason to Suspect and Shattered Silence ), ABC, 1992.

Admiral Paul Yost, "Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster" (also known as "Disaster at Valdez" and "Three Days at Valdez"), HBO Showcase, HBO, 1992.

Prescott, Beyond the Law (also known as Fixing the Shadow, The SID, and The Secret Investigation Division ), HBO, 1994.

Dr. Leonard Bailey, Heart of a Child, NBC, 1994.

Russell Vanik, Letter to My Killer, USA Network, 1995.

Rear Admiral Jack Snyder, She Stood Alone: The Tailhook Scandal (also known as Tailhook ), ABC, 1995.

Harvey T. Potter, Balloon Farm, ABC, 1997.

Father Robert Grant, Passing Glory, TNT, 1999.

Royce, The Almost Perfect Bank Robbery, CBS, 1999.

Detective Manny Garett, A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle, CBS, 2000.

George McNab, Maniac Magee, Nickelodeon, 2003.

Oldman, Rolling Kansas, Comedy Central, 2004.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Locky McCormick, "Johnny Belinda," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1958.

Paul Winter, Twenty–Four Hours in a Woman's Life, CBS, 1961.

Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, CBS, 1976.

Big Daddy Pollitt, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Showtime, 1984.

Presenter, The 45th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1993.

Presenter, The 52nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1995.

Presenter, The 16th Annual CableACE Awards, TNT, 1995.

Narrator, James Dean: A Portrait, The Discovery Channel, 1995.

The Late Show with David Letterman Video Special 2 (also known as The Late Show with David Letterman Primetime Video Special 2 ), CBS, 1996.

Presenter, The 2nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, NBC, 1996.

The 18th Annual CableACE Awards, 1996.

Narrator, The Hindenberg, 1996.

Canned Ham: Trial and Error, Comedy Central, 1997.

Voice of Zeus, Disney's Hercules: From Zero to Hero (animated), ABC, 1997.

Presenter, The 51st Annual Tony Awards, 1997.

Interviewee, Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows (documentary; also known as American Masters: Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows ), PBS and BBC, 2000.

Interviewee, The Freddy Got Fingered Movies Special, MTV, 2001.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"The Murder of a Sand Flea," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1956.

"The Blue Hotel," Omnibus, ABC, 1956.

"Wetback Run," The United States Steel Hour, CBS, 1956.

Kino, "The Big Wave," Alcoa Presents, NBC, 1956.

O'Hara, "So Short a Season," Kaiser Aluminum Hour, NBC, 1957.

Steve Morgan #22, "Number Twenty–Two," Alfred Hitchcock Presents, CBS, 1957.

"The Little Bullfighter," The United States Steel Hour, CBS, 1957.

Pierre, "Hostages to Fortune," Alcoa Hour, NBC, 1957.

"The Killer Instinct," Kraft Theatre, NBC, 1957.

Jody, "Jody," Restless Gun, NBC, 1957.

Will Dare, "The Charmer," The United States Steel Hour, CBS, 1958.

"Eddie," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1958.

Lieutenant Harrison, "Bomber's Moon," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1958.

"Murder and the Android," Sunday Showcase, NBC, 1959.

"Epitaph for a Golden Girl," Pursuit, CBS, 1959.

"Face of a Hero," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1959.

Lieutenant Douty, "The Tunnel," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1959.

Duncan, "The Purple Room," Thriller, NBC, 1960.

Harry Straus, also known as 'Pittsburgh Phil,' "The Masterpiece," The Untouchables, ABC, 1961.

Ernie Walters, "The Kiss–Off," Alfred Hitchcock Presents, NBC, 1961.

Jess Evans, "The Hunter and the Hunted," Frontier Circus, CBS, 1961.

Ansel Beake, "A Case Study of Two Savages," Naked City, ABC, 1962.

Dr. Nicholas Keefe, "The Chemistry of Anger," Dr. Kildare, NBC, 1962.

Joel Coles, "Crazy Sunday," The Dick Powell Show, 1962.

Johnny Mizo, "The Spoiler," The Untouchables, ABC, 1963.

Charley, "Who Will Cheer My Bonnie Bride?," Route 66, CBS, 1963.

Sergeant Karl Kasten, "The Proud and the Angry," The Lieutenant, NBC, 1963.

"A Doll's House with Pompons and Trophies," Channing, ABC, 1963.

Roy Kendall, "Millions of Faces," Breaking Point, ABC, 1963.

Paul Vrolic, "But Who Shall Beat the Drums?," Ben Casey, ABC, 1964.

Eddie Sanderson, "The Secret in the Stone," Eleventh Hour, NBC, 1964.

Lieutenant John C. Freemont, "The Pathfinder," The Great Adventure, CBS, 1964.

Sergeant Avery, "A Gift of Hope," Combat!, ABC, 1964.

John Burroughs, "An Exchange of Gifts," Dr. Kildare, NBC, 1964.

Colonel Royce, "The Lorelei," Twelve O'Clock High, ABC, 1965.

Alexander, "The Alexander the Greater Affair," The Man from U.N.C.L.E., NBC, 1965.

Jacob, "Escort to Doom," Rawhide, CBS, 1965.

"Monserrat," Hollywood Television Theatre, PBS, 1971.

Will Hewett, "Blind Hunch," Bonanza, NBC, 1971.

"A Marriage Proposal," Hollywood Television Theatre, PBS, 1972.

Victor Roarke, "The Open Web," Mannix, CBS, 1972.

Jonathon, "Touch of Madness," Ghost Story, NBC, 1972.

"The Dutchman," Most Wanted, ABC, 1977.

"The Intimate Friends of Jenny Wilde," Eddie Capra Mysteries, NBC, 1978.

Actors on Acting, PBS, 1984.

"Heartland," American Playhouse, PBS, 1984.

Gideon Hogarth, "None So Blind," Kojak, 1990.

Art professor, "You Bet Your Life," The John Larroquette Show, NBC, 1994.

Warren Shutt, "Hello Goodbye," Chicago Hope, CBS, 1995.

The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1997.

Lionel Banks, "A.I.: Artificial Insemination: Parts 1 & 2," Will & Grace, NBC, 2002.

Peter Redmond, "Ultimate Power," Soul Food, Show-time, 2002.

Lionel Banks, " … And the Horse He Rode in On," Will & Grace, NBC, 2002.

Lionel Banks, "Bacon and Eggs," Will & Grace, NBC, 2002.

Senator Harlan M. Turner, "The Other Side of Caution," The Lyon's Den, NBC, 2003.

Also appeared as agent, Santa Barbara.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Senator Harlan M. Turner, The Lyon's Den, NBC, 2003.

Stage Appearances:

(Broadway debut) Brick, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Morosco Theatre, 1956.

Val, Orpheus Descending, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami, FL, 1958.

Bubba John, Chaparral, Sheridan Square Playhouse, New York City, 1958.

Tom Junior (later Chance Wayne), Sweet Bird of Youth, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1959–1960.

Carlo, Daughter of Silence, Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1961.

Title role, Macbeth, University of Texas, Austin, 1962.

Eban Cabot, Desire under the Elms, Circle in the Square, New York City, 1963.

Edmund Darrell, Strange Interlude, Hudson Guild Theatre, New York City, 1963.

Lyle, Blues for Mr. Charlie, American National Theatre and Academy Theatre, New York City, 1964.

Peter, The Kitchen, 81st Street Theatre, New York City, 1966.

Bernie Dodd, The Country Girl, City Center, New York City, 1966.

Marion Faye, The Deer Park, Theatre de Lys, New York City, 1967.

Roberto, The Cuban Thing, Henry Miller's Theatre, New York City, 1968.

Edward Morris, Dream of a Blacklisted Actor, Theatre de Lys, 1969.

The Honest–to–God Schnozzola, 1969.

Tandy, Steambath, Truck and Warehouse Theatre, New York City, 1970.

Edgar, The Dance of Death, Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 1970, then Ritz Theatre, New York City, 1971.

The Marriage Proposal, Playhouse in the Park, Philadelphia, PA, 1971.

The Boor, Playhouse in the Park, 1971.

Marriage and Money, 1971.

Look Away, Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1972–1973.

William McLeod, Barbary Shore, New York Shakespeare Festival, Anspacher Theatre, New York City, 1974.

Richard Nixon, Expletive Deleted, Theatre of the Riverside Church, New York City, 1974.

The Little Foxes, Academy Festival Theatre, Lake Forest, IL, then Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, 1974.

Captain, The Father, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1975.

Tom, The Glass Menagerie, Circle in the Square, 1975.

Fever for Life, 1975.

A Streetcar Named Desire, Academy Festival Theatre, 1976.

Gustav, Creditors, Hudson Guild Theatre, 1977.

Night Shift, 1977.

Henry Hackmore, Seduced, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1979.

Don, Mixed Couples, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1980.

The man in English, The Man and the Fly, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, New York City, 1982.

Chris Christopherson, Anna Christie, Criterion Theatre Center Stage Right, then Roundabout Theatre, both New York City, 1993.

Will Kidder, The Young Man From Atlanta, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1996–1997.

Jacques Casanova, Camino Real, Hartford Stage Co., New York City, 1999.

Also appeared in Terrible Jim Fitch; and Village Wooing.

Major Tours:

Chance Wayne, Sweet Bird of Youth, U.S. cities, 1960.

Marriage and Money, U.S. cities, 1971.

Stage Director:

The Beard, Evergreen Theatre, New York City, 1967, then Royal Court Theatre, London, 1968.

The Honest–to–God Schnozzola, Gramercy Arts Theatre, New York City, 1969.

Look Away, Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1973.

Creditors, Hudson Guild Theatre, 1977.

RECORDINGS

Video Games:

Voice of Zeus, Hercules, 1997.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Adweek (Eastern Edition), December 21, 1998, p. 16.

Mediaweek, January 13, 1997, p. 41.

People Weekly, September 12, 1994, p. 81.

Playboy, July, 1993, pp. 114–115, 140–142.

Texas Monthly, August, 1994, p. 94.

TV Guide, June 25, 1994, p. 30.