Gerald G. Bamman (born September 18, 1941) is an American actor and playwright. He is best known for playing Uncle Frank in the films Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), and has also guest starred in several television series.
Gerry Bamman | |
|---|---|
 Bamman in 2019 | |
| Born | September 18, 1941 Independence, Kansas, U.S. |
| Education | New York University (MFA) |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
Early life and education
editBamman was born on September 18, 1941, in Independence, Kansas, the son of Mary M. (née Farrell) and Harry W. Bamman.[1] He studied at St. Francis de Sales School and later graduated from New York University with an MFA degree.
Career
editBamman appeared with Fran Brill and Alyssa Milano in Old Enough (1984) and also in the Michael J. Fox film The Secret of My Success (1987).[2][3] He had a minor role in Cocktail (1988) before portraying his most notable character, Uncle Frank McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1990 and 1992, respectively.[4][5] Bamman improvised the scene in Home Alone 2 where Frank is in the shower and Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) walks in on him. "I love the shower scene, even though I don’t think it was the funniest scene in the film," he told the Metro in 2020. "But it was great fun to shoot, because I really had fun padding it out. [The director] Chris [Columbus] started to give me directions and choreograph the scene and I said, 'Wait, wait, just let me show you what I've done, and what I have in mind'. And he bought it."[6]
Also in 1992, Bamman appeared briefly as Kevin Costner's former colleague Ray Court in the box office smash The Bodyguard. Bamman appeared as defense attorney Stan Gillum in several episodes of Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Bamman was also in the first season episode "The Blue Wall" playing Lt. Kennedy of Internal Affairs. Bamman co-starred in Runaway Jury as the blind jury foreman Herman Grimes. Bamman also played Dr. Judalon in the 1992 film Lorenzo's Oil.[4]
In addition to his film and television work, he is also an experienced stage actor. He has performed in many theatrical shows conceived by playwright Henrik Ibsen and has translated several of his plays.[7]
Personal life
editBamman was married to director Emily Mann on August 12, 1981,[8] but is now divorced from her.[9] They have one son, Nicholas,[10] born in 1983.[11]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1984
|
American Playhouse | Father John Cronin | 1 episode
|
1986
|
Spenser: For Hire | Laurence Denning | 1 episode
|
1987
|
Crime Story | Gerry McNeeley | 1 episode
|
1987
|
The Equalizer | Unnamed/unknown role | 1 episode
|
1987
|
Spenser: For Hire | William Reed | 1 episode
|
1989
|
A Man Called Hawk | Unnamed/unknown role | 1 episode
|
1990
|
Equal Justice | Judge Bayard Parkins | 1 episode
|
1991
|
Loving | Rev. Ford | Unknown episode(s) |
1991
|
Love, Lies and Murder | Mark Lockwood | Miniseries
|
1991
|
L.A. Law | Judge Gary Gates | 1 episode
|
1991
|
Law & Order | Internal Affairs Lt. Kennedy | 1 episode
|
1992
|
Swans Crossing | Captain Elia Walker | Unknown episode(s) |
1993
|
Murder in the Heartland | Judge Brooks | Miniseries
|
1995
|
New York News | Unnamed/unknown role | 1 episode
|
1995
|
Law & Order | Dean Pollard | 1 episode
|
1996–2001
|
Law & Order | Stan Gillum | 4 episodes
|
1996
|
The Single Guy | Dr. Bradford | 1 episode
|
1998
|
New York Undercover | Hicks | 1 episode
|
1998
|
Sex and the City | Shrink | 1 episode
|
2000
|
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Craig Prince | 1 episode
|
2002
|
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Attorney Schaefer | 1 episode
|
2002
|
Benjamin Franklin | Paul Wentworth | Miniseries
|
2004–2005
|
Law & Order | Judge Thomas Everton | 2 episodes
|
2004
|
Rescue Me | Doctor | 1 episode
|
2007
|
American Experience | Peter Fenner | 1 episode
|
2008
|
Canterbury's Law | Judge Sydney Hanlon | 2 episodes
|
2010
|
Damages | Doctor | 1 episode
|
2012
|
Made in Jersey | Judge Harrison | 1 episode
|
2014
|
The Good Wife | Diane's Client | 1 episode
|
2015
|
The Following | Charles | 2 episodes
|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
1984
|
Sentimental Journey | Artie | CBS film |
1985
|
Brass | George Whitman | CBS film |
1986
|
Courage | Assistant US Attourney | CBS film |
1989
|
Manhunt: Search for the Night Stalker | Phil Thomas | NBC film |
1990
|
Kojak: None So Blind | Warburton | CBS film |
1991
|
The Chase | Peter | NBC film |
1991
|
The 10 Million Dollar Getaway | Peter Greunwald | |
2001
|
Second Honeymoon | Philip | CBS film |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
1998
|
The Way to Santiago | Lindsey Kellar |
2001
|
Born Loser | Mr. Vales |
2002
|
Abbie Down East | Father |
2005
|
The Foster Son | Bernie |
2010
|
Harrow Island | Commander DeLay |
2012
|
Alternate Sides | Sgt. Norman Wyatt Garfunkle |
2024
|
The Second Oldest Man Alive | William Bennett |
References
edit- ^ "Gerry Bamman Biography (1941-)". Film Reference. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
- ^ Willis, John A., ed. (1985). Screen World, Volume 36. Crown Publishers. p. 136.
- ^ "Movies To See". Jet. Vol. 72, no. 4. 20 April 1987. p. 61.
- ^ a b "Gerry Bamman Biography". tcm.com.
- ^ Macke, Johnni (November 16, 2021). "'Home Alone' Cast: Where Are They Now? Macaulay Culkin, Catherine O'Hara and More". Us Weekly. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
- ^ Dosani, Rishma (December 24, 2020). "Home Alone 2: Uncle Frank actor improvised most iconic scene". Metro. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
- ^ Contemporary Authors A Bio-bibliographical Guide to Current Writers in Fiction, General Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism, Drama, Motion Pictures, Television and Other Fields · Volume 174. Gale Research Company. 1999. p. 35.
Gerry Bamman is an acclaimed stage actor who is often connected with - though not limited to - productions of the plays of famed Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. With Irene Berman he has translated several of Ibsen's plays..
- ^ Greene, Alexis (2021). Emily Mann: Rebel Artist of the American Theater. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4930-6033-7.
- ^ Aubrey, Dan (February 5, 2020). "Emily Mann on Writing, Family, and the Art of Running a Theater". Community News. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
- ^ Greene, Alexis (June 26, 2015). "Emily Mann: The Quiet Radical". American Theatre. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
- ^ Gussow, Mel (April 18, 1995). "A Good Listener Who Writes Plays On Social Justice". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
