Robert Rusler

Last updated
Robert Rusler
Born (1965-09-20) September 20, 1965 (age 59)
Occupation(s)Actor, producer
Years active1978–present

Robert Rusler (born September 20, 1965) is an American film and television actor. He made his film debut in the teen comedy Weird Science (1985) and subsequently appeared in the horror films A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) and Vamp (1986). He starred as Tommy Hook in the skateboarding cult film Thrashin' (1986) and as "Buzz" in the 1989 film Shag .

Contents

Life and career

Rusler was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the son of Maria Elena (née Varela) and Richard C. Rusler. [1] He moved to Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, where he started surfing and skateboarding on a semi-professional level, competing in local tournaments. Then he and his family moved to Los Angeles, where he studied martial arts and entered many competitions. After high school, Robert wanted to try his hand as an actor and began taking acting classes at the Loft Studio with Peggy Feury and William Traylor.

His first film role was Max in the 1985 hit comedy Weird Science . He appeared later that year in the horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge as Grady. While filming the movie, Rob and the star of the movie, Mark Patton became close friends. In 1986, he co-starred with Chris Makepeace in the horror comedy Vamp and with Josh Brolin in the teen sports drama Thrashin' .

He also played Richard Lawson in the 1991 TV film Stephen King's Sometimes They Come Back . Rusler has appeared in television series, such as the short lived 1990 series The Outsiders as Tim Shepard, and in the 1993 series Angel Falls, but his best known TV role was in the 1990s hit science fiction series Babylon 5 as Warren Keffer in season 2 (1994–1995). He has acted in the 1995 sci-fi video game flight simulator, Wing Commander IV which starred Mark Hamill and Malcolm McDowell. He also appeared in an episode of the TV series The Unit.

Rusler has made guest appearances on television shows ranging from The Facts of Life , Snoops , Cold Case , Medium , The Unit , The Closer , 24 , Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service , and Enterprise in the season 3 episode "Anomaly" as Orgoth. He has appeared in a Heineken commercial directed by Oliver Stone.

Filmography

Film and television credits

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985 The Facts of Life Neil(1979 TV series) episodes: "Gone with the Wind Part 1" and "Gone with the Wind Part 2"
1985 Weird Science Maxmovie
1985 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge Ron Gradymovie
1986Dangerously Closen/amovie
1986 Vamp A.J.movie
1986 Thrashin' Tommy Hookmovie
1987Tonight's the NightTV movie
1989 Shag Buzz Ravenelmovie
1990 The Outsiders Tim ShepardTV series (13 episodes)
1991 Sometimes They Come Back Richard LawsonTV movie
1992 Final Embrace Kyle Lambtonmovie
1992Crisis in the KremlinJack Reillymovie
1993 Amityville: A New Generation Rayvideo
1993 Angel Falls Toby RiopelleTV series
1994–1995 Babylon 5 Lt. Warren KefferTV series (22 episodes)
1995 Murder, She Wrote Pete Menteer(1984 TV series) episode: "The Secret of Gila Junction"
1995 Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom Seethervideo game
1997The UnderworldDickTV movie
1999 Mike Hammer, Private Eye Jimmy Grecco(1997 TV series) Episode: "The Long Road to Nowhere"
1999Wasted in BabylonChazmovie
1999 Snoops n/a(1999 TV series) episode: "Bedfellas"
2002 Robbery Homicide Division Greg Canton(2002 TV series) episode: "In/Famous"
2003 Star Trek: Enterprise Orgoth(2001 TV series) episode: "Anomaly"
2003 L.A. Dragnet n/a(2003 TV series) episode: "Slice of Life"
2004 The Whole Ten Yards Policeman #2movie
2004 Cold Case Lt. Nash Cavanaugh(2003 TV series) episode: "The Plan"
2004 Air Strike Ben Garrettvideo
2004 NCIS Lt. Col. Curtis Teague(2003 TV series) episode: "Vanished"
2005 Rebound Falcon Coachmovie
2006 24 Hank(2001 TV series) episode: "Day 5: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m."
2006 Surveillance Ben Palmermovie
2006Rising Son: The Legend of Skateboarder Christian HosoiHimselfdocumentary
2006ShiftedSkippy, Tail O' The Pup Employeemovie
2006The Hunt ChroniclesHimselfvideo
2006 The Hunt Atticus Monroemovie
2006Horror's Hallowed GroundsHimself(2006 TV series) (1 episode)
2007 Forfeit Jimmymovie
2007AgendaAlec Fostermovie
2007 The Closer Joe White(2005 TV series) episode: "Lovers Leap"
2007 The Unit Colonel(2006 TV series) episode: "M.P.s"
2008 Medium David Barrington(2005 TV series) episode: "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
2008LA LA LandJerry FlaxmanTV movie
2010 Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy Himselfdocumentary
2010The Black BelleRobert Ruslermovie
2011DeliveredWiggsmovie
2011MetroBalmerTV movie
2012 Bones Hunter Sherman(2005 TV series) episode: "The Warrior in the Wuss"
2015 Tales of Halloween Mr. Blakemovie
2015 Ray Donovan Gus O'Dea(2013 TV series) episode: "Breakfast of Champions"
2016 Murder in the First Detective Ron Bestul(2014 TV series) episode: "Daddy Dearest"
2018 Light as a Feather Mr. Morris3 episodes
2019 S.W.A.T. Leo Moretti(2017 TV series) episode: "Bad Faith"
2020 In Search of Darkness: Part II Himselfdocumentary
2021 Jakob's Wife Tom LowMovie

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie Earle Haley</span> American actor

Jack Earle Haley is an American actor and director. His earliest roles included Moocher in Breaking Away (1979) and Kelly Leak in The Bad News Bears (1976), The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977) and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978). After spending many years as a producer and director of television commercials, he revived his acting career with a supporting role in All the King's Men (2006). This was followed by his performance in Little Children (2006), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i> (franchise) American supernatural slasher franchise

A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American supernatural slasher media franchise consisting of nine films, a television series, novels, comic books, and various other media. The franchise began with the film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), written and directed by Wes Craven. The overall plot of the franchise centers around the fictional character Freddy Krueger, the apparition of a former child killer who was burned alive by the vengeful parents of his victims, who returns from the grave to terrorize and kill the teenage residents of the fictional Springwood, Ohio in their dreams. Craven returned to the franchise to co-script the second sequel, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), and to write and direct Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994). The films collectively grossed $472 million at the box office worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddy Krueger</span> Horror film character

Freddy Krueger is a fictional character and the antagonist of the A Nightmare on Elm Street horror film franchise. Created by Wes Craven, he made his debut in Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) as the malevolent spirit of a child killer who had been burned to death by his victims' parents after evading prison. Krueger goes on to murder his victims in their dreams, causing their deaths in the real world as well. In the dream world, he is a powerful force and seemingly invulnerable. However, whenever Freddy is pulled back into the real world, he has normal human vulnerabilities and can be destroyed. He is commonly identified by his burned, disfigured face, dirty red-and-green-striped sweater and brown fedora, and trademark metal-clawed, brown leather, right hand glove. This glove was the product of Krueger's own imagination, having welded the blades himself before using it to murder many of his victims, both in the real and dream worlds. Over the course of the film series, Freddy has battled several reoccurring survivors including Nancy Thompson and Alice Johnson. The character was consistently portrayed by Robert Englund in the original film series as well as in the television spin-off Freddy's Nightmares. The reboot portrays him as an undead groundskeeper accused of molesting the students.

<i>Wes Cravens New Nightmare</i> 1994 film by Wes Craven

Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a 1994 American meta supernatural horror slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven, creator of 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street. A standalone film and the seventh installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, it is not part of the same continuity as previous films, instead portraying Freddy Krueger as a fictional movie villain who invades the real world and haunts the cast and crew involved in the making of the films about him. In the film, Freddy is depicted as closer to what Craven originally intended, being much more menacing and less comical, with an updated attire and appearance. The film stars Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Miko Hughes, and John Saxon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Saxon</span> American actor (1936–2020)

John Saxon was an American actor who worked on more than 200 film and television projects during a span of 60 years. He was known for his work in Westerns and horror films, often playing police officers and detectives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Englund</span> American actor and director (born 1947)

Robert Barton Englund is an American actor and director. Englund is best known for playing the villain Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and Willie in the V television franchise (1983–1985). Englund has received multiple accolades and honors, including a Saturn Award, a Fangoria Chainsaw Award, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heather Langenkamp</span> American actress, director, disk jockey and producer (born 1964)

Heather Elizabeth Langenkamp is an American actress, director, writer, producer, and disc jockey. Langenkamp played Nancy Thompson in Wes Craven's slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), which earned her recognition as a scream queen and in popular culture. She reprised the role in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) and played a fictionalized version of herself in the meta film Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994). In 1995, she was inducted into the Fangoria Chainsaw Hall of Fame.

<i>Freddys Nightmares</i> American horror anthology television series

Freddy's Nightmares is an American horror anthology television series that aired in syndication from October 1988 until March 1990. A spin-off from the A Nightmare on Elm Street film series, each episode is introduced by Freddy Krueger and features two different stories. Eight episodes throughout the series actually feature Freddy Krueger as the main antagonist. The pilot episode, directed by Tobe Hooper, begins with Krueger's prosecution on child-murdering charges.

Mark Shostrom is a Hong Kong-born American special makeup effects artist for the film industry.

Stephen C. Miner is an American director of film and television, film producer, and a member of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is notable for his work in the horror genre, including Friday the 13th Part 2, Friday the 13th Part III, House, Warlock, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, Lake Placid, and Day of the Dead. He has also directed numerous comedy and drama films, as well as episodes of notable television series including The Wonder Years, Dawson's Creek, and Smallville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clu Gulager</span> American actor (1928–2022)

William Martin Gulager, better known as Clu Gulager, was an American television and film actor and director born in Holdenville, Oklahoma. He first became known for his work in television, appearing in the co-starring role of William H. Bonney in the 1960–1962 NBC television series The Tall Man and as Emmett Ryker in another NBC Western series, The Virginian. He later had a second career as a horror film actor, including a lead part in Dan O'Bannon's The Return of the Living Dead (1985). He also was in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985). In 2005 he started acting in his son's horror films — the Feasts films and Piranha 3DD — in his 80s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Wyss</span> American film and television actress

Amanda Wyss is an American actress. She began her career in the early 1980s in teen-oriented roles such as Lisa in the coming-of-age comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Tina Gray in the slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), and Beth in the film Better Off Dead (1985). Additionally, she had a supporting role as investigative reporter Randi McFarland in the television series Highlander: The Series (1992–1993). She is also known for playing Woody's ex-girlfriend, Beth, in two episodes of Cheers in the mid-1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Patton</span> American interior designer and actor (born 1959)

Mark Patton is an American interior designer and actor. Beginning his professional acting career in 1982, Patton is perhaps best known for his feature film roles as Joe Qualley in the dramatic film Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean and as Jesse Walsh in the 1985 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, a role for which he is touted as the first "scream king" in modern cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshall Bell</span> American actor

Archibald Marshall Bell is an American character actor. He has appeared in many character roles in movies and television. He is known for roles in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985), Stand by Me (1986), Twins (1988), Total Recall (1990) and Starship Troopers (1997).

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors</i> 1987 film by Chuck Russell

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors is a 1987 American supernatural fantasy slasher film directed by Chuck Russell in his feature directorial debut. The story was developed by Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner and is the third installment in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and stars Heather Langenkamp, Patricia Arquette, Larry Fishburne, Priscilla Pointer, Craig Wasson, and Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. Nancy Thompson, now a psychiatrist, and Kristen, a patient who can bring others into her own dreams, team up with other kids to launch a daring rescue into the dreamland and save a child from Freddy Krueger.

<i>Thrashin</i> 1986 American film

Thrashin' is a 1986 American skater drama film directed by David Winters and starring Josh Brolin, Robert Rusler, and Pamela Gidley.

Kerry Remsen is an American actress. She is the daughter of actor Bert Remsen and casting director Barbara Joyce Dodd, sister of Ann Remsen Manners and has been married to Ron Cates since 2006. She attended the U.S. Grant High School in Van Nuys, California. She has appeared in well over twenty different films and television programs. She was a regular and prominent cast member of Leah Laiman's 1990s soap opera, Tribes. She is also most remembered by horror fans for her small part in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, and supporting and co-starring roles in Pumpkinhead and Ghoulies II.

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddys Revenge</i> 1985 film by Jack Sholder

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge is a 1985 American supernatural slasher film directed by Jack Sholder and written by David Chaskin. It stars Mark Patton, Kim Myers, Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger, and Robert Rusler. It is the second installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The film follows Jesse Walsh, a teenager who begins having recurring nightmares about Freddy Krueger after moving into the former home of Nancy Thompson from the first film.

Tamara Glynn is an American actress. She began her career as a teenager in the late 1980s, appearing in television series such as Miami Vice and Growing Pains before becoming known for her horror roles as Samantha Thomas in the slasher film Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989), Laura in an episode of the anthology series Freddy's Nightmares (1989), and a cameo role as a mother in the slasher film Terrifier 2 (2022)—featuring horror icons Michael Myers of the Halloween franchise, Freddy Krueger of the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, and Art the Clown of the Terrifier franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Walsh</span> Fictional character

Jesse Walsh is a fictional character in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. He was created by David Chaskin and portrayed by Mark Patton. Making his debut in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge in 1985, Jesse became the first male protagonist of the series. In Freddy's Revenge, Freddy enacts a plan to possess Jesse, using his body to kill in the real world, slowly gaining the strength to manifest his form physically. Outside of the films, Jesse has a main role in the novels. Because of the LGBT representation in a mainstream film, Jesse has developed a large fan base in the gay community and has been called a gay icon. Jesse has been observed by some scholars as a variation of the "final girl" slasher film archetype, and instead a "final boy".

References

  1. "Robert Rusler Biography (1965–)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2021.