Steve Railsback

Last updated
Steve Railsback
Steve Railsback.jpg
Railsback in 2010
Born
Stephen Hall Railsback

(1945-11-16) November 16, 1945 (age 79)
OccupationActor
Years active1967–present
Spouses
  • Jacqueline Giroux
    (m. 1980;div. 1988)
  • Marcy Sobel
    (m. 1990)
Children3
Website steverailsbackactor.com

Steve Railsback (born November 16, 1945, in Dallas, Texas) is an American theatre, film, and television actor. He is best known for his performances in the films The Stunt Man and Lifeforce, and his portrayal of Charles Manson in the 1976 television mini-series Helter Skelter . [1]

Contents

Career

Railsback was a student of Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio and in the late 1960s and early 1970s spent 10 years working in theatre in New York City. He once said that he found Strasberg extremely difficult to work with.

He made his film debut in The Visitors , directed by Elia Kazan. He portrayed two notorious murderers, appearing as Charles Manson in the 1976 television miniseries Helter Skelter and as Ed Gein in the 2000 film In the Light of the Moon . He also served as executive producer of the latter film.

Other notable roles include the part of Cameron in The Stunt Man with Peter O'Toole, [1] the astronaut Tom Carlsen in Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce, Duane Barry in two episodes of The X-Files , and Joseph Welch in the pilot episode of Supernatural .

In 2008, he appeared in the science fiction/horror movie film Plaguers . [2]

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleNotes
1972 The Visitors Mike Nickerson
1974 Cockfighter Junior
1976 Helter Skelter Charles Manson
1978 Angela Jean Lebrecque
1979 From Here to Eternity Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt
1980 The Stunt Man Cameron
1982 Deadly Games Billy Owens
Trick or Treats The Boyfriend
Turkey Shoot Paul Anders
1983 The Golden Seal Jim Lee
Veliki transport Pavle Paroški
1985 Lifeforce Colonel Tom Carlsen
Torchlight Jake Gregory
1986 Armed and Dangerous The Cowboy
Spearfield's Daughter Tom Border
The Wind Kesner
1987 Scenes from the Goldmine Harry Spiros
DistortionsScott Marshall
The SurvivalistJack Tillman
Blue Monkey Detective Jim Bishop
Nukie Dr. Eric Harvey
1988Deadly IntentJeff Kirkwood
1989The AssassinHank Knight
1990La Cruz de IberiaNovak
1991 Alligator II: The Mutation Vincent Brown
Scissors Alex Morgan /Cole Morgan
1992 Forever William Desmond Taylor
1993 Quake Kyle
Private WarsJack Manning
Bonds of LoveKen SmithTelevision film
Final Mission Colonel Anderson
Save MeRobbins
Calendar Girl Roy's Father
In the Line of Fire David Coppingeruncredited
1996 Street Corner Justice Sergeant Ryan Freeborn
Barb Wire Colonel Victor Pryzer
1997 Stranger in the House Jack Derby
Pressure PointArno Taylor
Vanishing Point Sergeant Preston
1998 Disturbing Behavior Officer Cox
1999Me and WillRob
Made MenKyle
2000Say Goodnight, MichaelActor
Termination Man Dylan Pope
In the Light of the Moon Ed Gein
2001 Storytelling Mr. Kirk
Double Down Charlie
2002SlashJeremiah
2003 The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting Deputy Jessupuncredited
The BoxJake Ragna
2005 Neo Ned Mr. Day
Intermedio Old Man
The Devil's Rejects Sheriff Ken Dwyeruncredited
King of the Lost World Larry
2008Follow the ProfitSenator Stanton
Plaguers Tarver
Ready or NotPilot
Rest Stop: Don't Look Back Store Clerk
2018 Gone Are the Days Jaden

Television

YearFilmRoleNotes
1985 The Hitchhiker MickeyEpisode: "Petty Thieves"
1986 The Twilight Zone Johnny DavisEpisode: "Dead Run"
1991 The Young Riders TylerEpisode: "The Peacemakers"
1994 The X-Files Duane Barry2 episodes: s02e05 "Duane Barry" and s02e06 "Ascension"
1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Jerry Lee StarkEpisode: "The Guardians"
1997–1998 The Visitor Colonel James Vise13 episodes
2000 Charmed LitvackEpisode: "Give Me a Sign"
2001 The Practice Walter DawsonEpisode: "Killing Time"
2002 Family Law Gary PeresEpisode: "Children of a Lesser Dad"
The District Charles "Chip" RensonEpisode: "Free-Fire Zone"
2004 The Handler Harley AimesEpisode: "Give Daddy Some Sugar"
2005 Kojak Edward SawyerEpisode: "All Bets Off: Part 2"
Supernatural Joseph WelchEpisode: "Pilot"
2010 The Mentalist KittelEpisode: "Ball of Fire"
2012 Femme Fatales Doctor Daniel Duryea2 episodes
2013 Deadtime Stories OwenEpisode: "Invasion of the Appleheads"
2017 Decker Fictional General CotterEpisode: "Same Old Glory"

References

  1. 1 2 Janet Maslin (October 17, 1980). "The Stunt Man". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
  2. Plaguers DVD Art and Specs