Frank Whaley

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Frank Whaley
Born
Frank Joseph Whaley

(1963-07-20) July 20, 1963 (age 62)
Education Anthony A. Henninger High School
Alma mater University at Albany, SUNY
Occupation(s)Actor, film director, screenwriter, comedian
Years active1987–present
Spouse
Heather Bucha
(m. 2001)
Children2

Frank Joseph Whaley (born July 20, 1963) is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, musician and comedian. His roles include Brett in Pulp Fiction , Robby Krieger in The Doors , Jim Dodge in Career Opportunities , young Archie "Moonlight" Graham in Field of Dreams , and Guy in Swimming with Sharks . He has also appeared in films and TV series such as Born on the Fourth of July , The Freshman , A Midnight Clear , Swing Kids , Broken Arrow , Luke Cage , Red Dragon and World Trade Center .

Contents

Early life

Whaley was born and raised in Syracuse, New York, [1] the son of Robert W. Whaley Sr. and Josephine (née Timilione). [2] [3] Whaley graduated from Anthony A. Henninger High School in 1981 and left home at 18. He graduated from the University at Albany. [4]

Career

Whaley made his film debut in 1987's Ironweed . [4] In 1989 he appeared in Field of Dreams and Born on the Fourth of July . [4] The latter film began a long collaboration with director Oliver Stone, including 1991's The Doors , in which he played Robby Krieger, [5] JFK , which was released the same year, in which he played a conspirator in the JFK assassination and 2006's World Trade Center , where he played Chuck Sereika, a former drug addict who helped in the rescue efforts. In 1990, Whaley appeared with Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick in The Freshman . In 1991, he starred in the John Hughes feature film Career Opportunities .

Over the next two years, he played supporting roles in movies such as Hoffa and Swing Kids . He appeared in his second leading film role in 1994's Swimming with Sharks . During the same year, he played a supporting role as the doomed Brett, who was memorably killed by Samuel L. Jackson's and John Travolta's characters in Pulp Fiction .

In 1998, he started a regular role on the short-lived CBS series Buddy Faro . He also appeared in episodes of The Dead Zone , Law & Order , and its spinoff Law & Order: Criminal Intent .

Whaley made his writing-directorial debut in his independent film Joe the King in 1999, featuring his Doors co-star Val Kilmer and longtime friend and colleague Ethan Hawke in starring roles. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and earned Whaley the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. [4] His second film as writer and director, The Jimmy Show , stars Whaley and Carla Gugino. This film also premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Whaley's third film as writer and director, New York City Serenade , starring Chris Klein and Freddie Prinze Jr., premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. He stars as the villain in the 2007 horror film Vacancy . In 2014 he wrote and directed the film Like Sunday, Like Rain , starring Debra Messing, Leighton Meester and Billie Joe Armstrong. [6] The film won six awards at the 2014 Williamsburg Independent Film Festival including Best Film, Best Director and acting nods for Armstrong, Meester, Messing and Julian Shatkin. It opened in March 2015. [7]

In 2014, Whaley appeared as Van Miller in Season One of the Showtime series Ray Donovan . In 2016, Whaley had a role in Paramount Animation's first mostly live-action film, Monster Trucks , and in 2017, he appeared in the teen film The Outskirts .

Whaley's other film credits include Red Dragon , Rob the Mob , School of Rock , Broken Arrow , Little Monsters , A Midnight Clear , Janie Jones and I.Q. among others.

His television credits include Gotham, The Blacklist, CSI, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Psych, Burn Notice, Ugly Betty, Mrs. Harris, When Trumpets Fade, Boston Legal, Medium, Blue Bloods , Bull , House , MacGyver , Divorce , Elementary , Under the Dome , the TV mini-series Madoff , Alcatraz and many others.

Whaley has maintained his roots in the theater, working frequently with The New Group in New York City. In 2011, he appeared in The New Group's revival of Wallace Shawn's Marie And Bruce opposite Marisa Tomei.

Personal life

In 2001, Whaley married Heather Bucha Whaley, an actress and writer, [8] and the author of Eat Your Feelings: Recipes for Self-Loathing. [9] They have two children: Buster Whaley and Tallulah Whaley.

Filmography

As director

YearTitle
1999 Joe the King
2001 The Jimmy Show
2007 New York City Serenade
2014 Like Sunday, Like Rain

Film roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 Ironweed Young Francis Phelan
1989 Field of Dreams Archie "Moonlight" Graham
Little Monsters Boy
Born on the Fourth of July Timmy Burns
1990 The Freshman Steve Bushak
Cold Dog Soup Michael Latchmer
1991 The Doors Robby Krieger
Career Opportunities Jim Dodge
JFK Oswald ImposterCredited in director's cut
1992 Back in the U.S.S.R. Archer Sloan
A Midnight Clear Paul Mundy
Hoffa Young Trucker / Hitman
1993 Swing Kids Arvid
1994 Pulp Fiction Brett
Swimming with Sharks Guy
The Desperate Trail Walter CooperDirect-to-video
I.Q. Frank
1995 Homage Karchie
Cafe Society Mickey Jelke
1996 Broken Arrow Giles Prentice
The Winner Joey
1997 Retroactive Brian
Glam Franky Syde
Bombshell Malcolm GarveyDirect-to-video
1998 Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five Skee-Ball Weasel
It All Came True Brett Conway
1999 Joe the King Angry Man Bob OwesUncredited
2000 Two Family House The NarratorUncredited
2001 Pursuit of Happiness Alan
The Jimmy Show Jimmy O'Brien
Chelsea Walls Lynny Barnum
2002 Red Dragon Ralph MandyUncredited
2003 A Good Night to Die Chad
School of Rock Battle of Bands DirectorUncredited
2006 World Trade Center Chuck Sereika
The Hottest State Harris
Crazy Eights Brent Sykes
The System Within Prison Guard
2007 Cherry Crush Wade Chandling
Vacancy Mason
New York City Serenade Les
2008 Drillbit Taylor Interviewed Bodyguards
2009 The Cell 2 DuncanDirect-to-video
2010 As Good as Dead Aaron
Janie Jones Chuck
2013 Aftermath EricFilmed in 2005
2014 Rob the Mob FBI Agent Frank Hurd
2016 Cold Moon Sheriff Ted Hale
Monster Trucks Wade Coley
2017 The Outcasts Herb
Against the Night Detective Ramsey
2018 Warning Shot David
2019 Hustlers Reese
Wish Man Officer Tom Wells
The Shed Bane
2023 Death on the Border Detective John Watson
2024 Saint Clare Mailman Bob

TV roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 Spenser: For Hire TommyEpisode: "The Road Back"
CBS Schoolbreak Special Scott McNicholEpisode: "Soldier Boys"
ABC Afterschool Special Jeff DillonEpisode: "Seasonal Differences"
1988 The Equalizer PressEpisode: "The Child Broker"
Life on the FlipsideSonny DayTV pilot
1989 Unconquered Arnie WoodsTV movie
Flying BlindJoeyTV movie
1993 Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald Lee Harvey Oswald TV movie
To Dance with the White Dog JamesTV movie
1995 The Outer Limits Henry MarshallEpisode: "The Conversion"
1997 Dead Man's Gun Cole BallardEpisode: "My Brother's Keeper
Oddville, MTV Unknown1 episode
1998 The Wall BishopTV movie
When Trumpets Fade Medic ChamberlainTV movie
1998–2000 Buddy Faro Bob JonesMain cast
1999 Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story Allen KoganTV movie
2000The Outer LimitsZig Fowler / Cliff UngerEpisode: "Zig Zag"
2001Strange FrequencyUnknownEpisode: "Time Is on My Side"
Bad News Mr. SwansonUnknownTV pilot
2002 Law & Order John McDowellEpisode: "Access Nation"
The Twilight Zone Martin DonnorEpisode: "Future Trade"
Sun GodsUnknownTV pilot
2003–2004 The Dead Zone Christopher Wey / Future GuyRecurring
2004 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Mitch GodelEpisode: "Eosphoros"
NCIS Jeffrey WhiteEpisode: "Chained"
2005 Detective BrewmasterTV movie
Mrs. Harris George BolenTV movie
Curb Your Enthusiasm Peter HagenEpisode: "Lewis Needs a Kidney"
2006Where There's a WillRichie GreeneTV movie
Psych Robert DunnEpisode: "Who Ya Gonna Call?"
2007 Boston Legal Frankie CoxEpisode: "Brotherly Love"
Ruffian Bill NackTV movie
House Robert ElliotEpisode: "Mirror Mirror"
2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Navy Commander Grant MarcusEpisode: "PTSD"
2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation MilesEpisode: "Disarmed and Dangerous"
2010 Ugly Betty Mr. SparksEpisode: "Blackout!"
Burn Notice Josh WagnerEpisode: "Breach of Faith"
Medium Gabe HellingEpisode: "Means and Ends"
2012 Alcatraz Officer DonovanEpisode: "The Ames Brothers"
NYC 22 Larry GilesEpisode: "Firebomb"
2012–2013 Blue Bloods Gary Heller2 episodes
2013 Ray Donovan FBI Agent Van MillerRecurring
2014 The Blacklist Karl HoffmanEpisode: "The Good Samaritan"
Gotham DougEpisode: "Selina Kyle"
2015 Under the Dome Dr. Marston3 episodes
2016 Unforgettable Jim GarrettEpisode: "We Can Be Heroes"
Madoff Harry Markopolos Main cast
Chicago Med Chuck GleasonEpisode: "Withdrawal"
Elementary Winston UtzEpisode: "To Catch a Predator Predator"
Divorce Carson HodgesEpisode: "Gustav"
Empire Edison CruzEpisode: "A Furnace for Your Foe"
2016–2018 Marvel's Luke Cage Detective Rafael Scarfe Recurring (season 1)
Guest (season 2)
2017 MacGyver Douglas BishopEpisode: "Fish Scaler"
Bull Max HylandEpisode: "Free Fall"
2018 Gone TedEpisode: "Secuestrado"
Sneaky Pete Duane HardingEpisode: "Inside Out"
Deception Charles QuaidEpisode: "The Unseen Hand"
2019 Jack Ryan Carl EstesEpisode: "Cargo"
2020BullRay PetermanEpisode: "Off the Rails"

References

  1. Frank Whaley biography, DVD extras, Career Opportunities .
  2. "Frank Whaley Biography (1963-)". Filmreference.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  3. Durbin, Karen (October 17, 1999). "FILM; Picturing a Lost Boy, Drawing on Memory". The New York Times . Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Herman, Catherine (April 27, 2009). "UAlbany Alumni Honored for Professional and Community Service". Albany, New York: University at Albany. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  5. Krieger, Robby (2021). Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar with the Doors. Hachette. pp. 255–256. ISBN   978-0316243544.
  6. Yamato, Jen (September 19, 2013). "Leighton Meester, Billie Joe Armstrong, Debra Messing To Star In Frank Whaley's 'Like Sunday, Like Rain'". Deadline Hollywood . PMC. Archived from the original on September 20, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  7. "2014 Winners". willfilm.org. Williamsburg Independent Film Festival. Archived from the original on May 16, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  8. "WEDDINGS; Heather Bucha, Frank Whaley". The New York Times. May 6, 2001. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  9. EAT YOUR FEELINGS. Penguin Random House Canada. January 4, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2022.