Miguel José Ferrer (February 7, 1955[1] – January 19, 2017) was an American actor. His breakthrough role was as Bob Morton in the 1987 film RoboCop. Other film roles include Harbinger in Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993), Quigley in Blank Check, Eduardo Ruiz in Traffic (2000) and Vice President Rodriguez in Iron Man 3 (2013). Ferrer's notable television roles include FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield on Twin Peaks (1990–1991, 2017), Dr. Garret Macy on Crossing Jordan (2001–2007) and NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger on NCIS: Los Angeles (2012–2017).
Miguel Ferrer | |
|---|---|
 Ferrer in 2015 | |
| Born | Miguel José Ferrer February 7, 1955 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 19, 2017 (aged 61) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery, San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1981–2017 |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 |
| Parents | |
| Relatives |
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Ferrer also performed voice acting in animated projects, including Shan Yu in Mulan (1998), Tarakudo on Jackie Chan Adventures (2000–2005), and Vandal Savage in Young Justice (2010-2012).
Early life
editFerrer was born on February 7, 1955, in Santa Monica, California. He was the oldest of five children born to Puerto Rican actor José Ferrer and American singer Rosemary Clooney.[2]
Ferrer's siblings were sisters Maria and Monsita, and brothers Gabriel (later the husband of singer Debby Boone) and actor Rafael. He also had an older half-sister, Letty (Leticia) Ferrer, from his father José's prior marriage to Uta Hagen. Ferrer was a cousin of actor George Clooney and nephew of journalist Nick Clooney.
Ferrer was raised in Hollywood and Beverly Hills and attended Beverly Hills High School.[3] As a teenager, his interests tended toward music; he played the drums on Keith Moon's Two Sides of the Moon.[4] After high school, Ferrer studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.[5]
Career
editFerrer's friend Bill Mumy cast him as a drummer in the series Sunshine, his first television role.[6] Ferrer was also Mumy's bandmate in Seduction of the Innocent, a band that also consisted of Steve Leialoha, and Max Allan Collins.[7] Sharing a love of comics Ferrer and Mumy co-created Comet Man and Trypto the Acid Dog plus co-wrote the Marvel Graphic Novel The Dreamwalker.[8]
Ferrer began his acting career in the early 1980s, making guest appearances on episodic television. He played the younger version of his father's character on Magnum, P.I. in 1981. In 1983, he was given a small part as a waiter in The Man Who Wasn't There. He also had a minor role in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) as the U.S.S. Excelsior first officer. In 1984, he directed the Mark Medoff play “When Ya Coming Back, Red Ryder?” at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami, Florida. He had a major role in the 1987 action film RoboCop as the corporate executive Bob Morton, the young, ambitious executive of Omni Consumer Products' Security Concepts and project leader of the RoboCop program.
Ferrer's notable later roles include a sinister biker in Valentino Returns, an overzealous engineer in DeepStar Six (1989), a resourceful vigilante in Revenge (1990), Commander Arvid Harbinger in the comedy Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993), Lloyd Henreid in the Stephen King miniseries The Stand (1994), and a drug informant in Traffic (2000). He occasionally took on lead parts as well, such as The Harvest and The Night Flier.
In the early 1990s, Ferrer appeared on three primetime TV series simultaneously: as D.A. Todd Spurrier in Shannon's Deal (1989–1991), as Cajun cop Beau Jack Bowman in Broken Badges (1990–1991), and as cynical, wittily abrasive FBI forensics specialist Albert Rosenfield in Twin Peaks (1990–91). Ferrer reprised the role of Rosenfield in the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Ferrer played a super-villain called "The Weatherman" in the failed 1997 TV pilot, Justice League of America. Later in the same year, he provided the voice for a similar character, the Weather Wizard, in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Speed Demons". In 1999, Ferrer voiced Aquaman in another Superman: Animated episode, "A Fish Story." The same year, at the 41st Grammy Awards, Ferrer was nominated for "Best Spoken Word Album for Children" in Disney's The Lion King II, "Simba's Pride Read-Along." He was also the protagonist of the American rock band Toto's music video for the song "I Will Remember", appearing alongside actor Edward James Olmos.
Ferrer again played a medical examiner on the small screen, Dr. Garret Macy, in the television crime/drama series Crossing Jordan (2001–07). In August 2003, Ferrer made his New York stage debut in the off-Broadway production of The Exonerated.[9] In 2004, Ferrer performed as the voice of the Heretic leader in the video game Halo 2. Ferrer took voice-over roles in the TV series Robot Chicken (2006) and American Dad! (2007). He played Jonas Bledsoe on NBC's Bionic Woman series and in 2009 also starred in another NBC series, Kings, as a military commander of Gath.
Ferrer played Los Angeles Police Lieutenant Felix Valdez in the 2011 Lifetime police procedural drama, The Protector. Also, in 2011, he had a multiple-episode guest role on the final season of Desperate Housewives. Signed to a recurring role in NCIS: Los Angeles as Naval Criminal Investigative Service Assistant Director Owen Granger, Ferrer was promoted to a series regular for the fifth season on February 6, 2013.[10] He also appeared in the 2013 film Iron Man 3 as the Vice President. Ferrer reprised his role of Albert Rosenfield in the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks.[11]
Death
editOn January 19, 2017, Ferrer died at his Santa Monica home from heart failure and complications of throat cancer at the age of 61.[11][12][13] At the time of his death, Ferrer was married to producer Lori Weintraub. He had two sons and two stepsons.[14]
Legacy
editMiguel O'Hara, the alter ego of the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man 2099, was named after Ferrer by his friend, writer Peter David, who co-created the character.[7]
The seventh episode of Young Justice: Outsiders was dedicated to him. Ferrer had voiced the character Vandal Savage in the first two seasons of Young Justice. As a result of his death, David Kaye took over Ferrer's role as Savage as well as his role as Jonathan Rook/Stretch Monster in Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters.[15]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Truckin' Buddy McCoy | Pete | |
| 1982 | And They Are Off | ||
| 1983 | Heartbreaker | Angel | |
| 1983 | The Man Who Wasn't There | Waiter | |
| 1984 | Star Trek III: The Search for Spock | USS Excelsior first officer | |
| 1984 | Flashpoint | Roget | |
| 1984 | Lovelines | Dragon | |
| 1987 | RoboCop | Bob Morton | |
| 1989 | Deepstar Six | Snyder | |
| 1989 | Valentino Returns | Sinister biker | |
| 1990 | Revenge | Amador | |
| 1990 | The Guardian | Ralph Hess | |
| 1992 | Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me | Albert Rosenfield | |
| 1992 | The Harvest | Charlie Pope | |
| 1993 | Cigarettes & Coffee | Bill | Short film |
| 1993 | Point of No Return | Director Kaufman | |
| 1993 | Hot Shots! Part Deux | Commander Harbinger | |
| 1993 | Another Stakeout | Tony Castellano | |
| 1993 | It's All True: Based on an Unfinished Film by Orson Welles | Narrator | Voice, documentary |
| 1994 | Blank Check | Carl Quigley | |
| 1997 | The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca | Centeno | |
| 1997 | The Night Flier | Richard Dees | |
| 1997 | Mr. Magoo | Mr. Ortega Peru | |
| 1998 | Mulan | Shan Yu | Voice[16] |
| 1998 | Where's Marlowe? | Joe Boone | |
| 2000 | Traffic | Eduardo Ruiz | |
| 2002 | Sunshine State | Lester | |
| 2004 | The Manchurian Candidate | Colonel Garret | |
| 2004 | Silver City | Cliff Castleton | |
| 2005 | The Man | Agent Peters | |
| 2008 | Justice League: The New Frontier | J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter | Voice, direct-to-video[16] |
| 2009 | Wrong Turn at Tahoe | Vincent | |
| 2010 | Hard Ride to Hell | Jefe | |
| 2011 | This Is Not a Movie | Voice | |
| 2011 | Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 | Delgado | Voice, direct-to-video[16] |
| 2011 | Four Assassins | Eli | |
| 2012 | Noah | Kabos | Voice |
| 2012 | The Courier | Mr. Capo | |
| 2012 | Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta! | Delgado | Voice, direct-to-video[16] |
| 2013 | Iron Man 3 | Vice President Rodriguez | |
| 2014 | Rio 2 | Big Boss | Voice[16] |
| 2017 | Teen Titans: The Judas Contract | Slade Wilson / Deathstroke | Voice, direct-to-video; posthumous release[16] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Magnum, P.I. | Ensign Robert 'Bobby' Wickes, USN | Episode: "Lest We Forget" |
| 1982–85 | Trapper John, M.D. | Trauma Team Doctor, Dr. Austin, Darby Thud | 3 episodes |
| 1983 | CHiPs | Bean | Episode: "Firepower" |
| 1984 | Cagney & Lacey | Nunzio | Episode: "Choices" |
| 1984 | Hill Street Blues | Carlos | Episode: "Ewe and Me, Babe" |
| 1985 | T. J. Hooker | Sonny Unger | Episode: "Love Story" |
| 1987 | Houston Knights | Virgilio | Episode: "Scarecrow" |
| 1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Mic | Episode: "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" |
| 1987 | Hotel | Brian | Episode: "All the King's Horses" |
| 1987 | Ohara | Kramer | Episode: "Artful Dodgers" |
| 1987 | Downpayment on Murder | Martin | Television film |
| 1987 | Kung Fu: The Next Generation | Sequel of Kung Fu: The Movie | |
| 1988 | Hooperman | Scott Kapus | Episode: "Chariots of Fire" |
| 1988 | C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf | Paul Kiley | Television film |
| 1988 | Badlands 2005 | Rex | Pilot |
| 1987, 1989 | Miami Vice | Ramon Pedroza, District Attorney | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North | Scott Toney | Television film |
| 1989 | Shannon's Deal | Todd Spurrier | Television film |
| 1990 | Drug Wars: The Camarena Story | Tony Riva | 3 episodes |
| 1990–91 | Twin Peaks | FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield | 8 episodes |
| 1990–91 | Shannon's Deal | D.A. Todd Spurrier | 9 episodes |
| 1991 | Murder in High Places | Wilhoite | Television film |
| 1990–91 | Broken Badges | Beau Jack Bowman | 7 episodes |
| 1990–94 | Tales from the Crypt | Gary, Hitman, Mitch Bruckner | 3 episodes |
| 1992 | On the Air | Bud Budwaller | 7 episode |
| 1992 | In the Shadow of a Killer | District Attorney Steven Walzer | Television film |
| 1992 | Cruel Doubt | Lewis Young | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Scam | Barry Landers | Television film |
| 1994 | Biography | Narrator | Voice, episode: "Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon" |
| 1994 | Royce | Gribbon | Television film |
| 1994 | The Stand | Lloyd Henreid | 4 episodes |
| 1994 | Incident at Deception Ridge | Ray Hayes | Television film |
| 1994 | ER | Mr. Parker | Episode: "24 Hours"; uncredited |
| 1994 | Jack Reed: A Search for Justice | Win Carter | Television film |
| 1994 | A Promise Kept: The Oksana Baiul Story | Stanislav | Television film |
| 1995 | The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A. | Jack Valko | Television film |
| 1995 | In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice | Thomas Manning | Television film |
| 1995 | Fallen Angels | Prologue Narrator, Abbazzia | 6 episodes |
| 1996 | Project ALF | Dexter Moyers | Television film |
| 1997 | Justice League of America | Dr. Eno / Weather Man | Pilot |
| 1997–99 | Superman: The Animated Series | Aquaman, Weather Wizard, De'Cine | Voice, 3 episodes[16] |
| 1997 | The Shining | Mark James Torrance | Voice, episode: "#1.2"; uncredited |
| 1998 | Brave New World | Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning | Television film |
| 1998 | Men in Black: The Series | Dr. Lupo | Voice, episode: "The Take No Prisoners Syndrome" |
| 1998 | Hercules | Antaeus | Voice, episode: "Hercules and the Hostage Crisis" |
| 1998–99 | LateLine | Victor 'Vic' Karp | 17 episodes |
| 1999 | Will & Grace | Nathan Berry | Episode: "Saving Grace" |
| 2000 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Jack | Episode: "Youth Is Wasted on the Dick" |
| 2001 | Matisse & Picasso: A Gentle Rivalry | Pablo Picasso | Voice, television short |
| 2001–07 | Crossing Jordan | Dr. Garret Macy | 117 episodes |
| 2002 | Shadow Realm | Dr. Daniel Critchley | Television film |
| 2002 | Night Visions | Dr. Dan Critchley | Episode: "Patterns" |
| 2002 | Sightings: Heartland Ghost | Allen | Television film |
| 2003 | L.A. County 187 | Sgt. Walter Drazin | Television film |
| 2003–2004 | Jackie Chan Adventures | Tarakudo/Shadowkhan King | Voice, 8 episodes |
| 2006 | Robot Chicken | Danny Ocean, Basher Tarr | Voice, episode: "1987" |
| 2007 | American Dad! | Agent Hopkins | Voice, episode: "American Dream Factory" |
| 2007 | El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera | El Tigre I | Voice, episode: "The Grave Escape"[16] |
| 2007 | Bionic Woman | Jonas Bledsoe | 9 episodes |
| 2007 | The Batman | Sinestro | Voice, episode: "Ring Toss"[16] |
| 2008 | Medium | Joey, Teddy Carmichael | Episode: "Being Joey Carmichael" |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Gus Kovak | Episode: "Ten Count" |
| 2009 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Defense Attorney Whitten | Episode: "Miscarriage of Justice" |
| 2009 | The Spectacular Spider-Man | Silvio Manfredi / Silvermane | Voice, 2 episodes[16] |
| 2009 | Kings | General Mallick | Episode: "Prosperity" |
| 2009 | Lie to Me | FBI ASAC Bill Steele | Episode: "Tractor Man" |
| 2010 | Psych | Fred Collins Boyd | Episode: "Think Tank" |
| 2010 | Edgar Floats | Bob | Pilot |
| 2011 | Ben 10: Ultimate Alien | Magister Hulka | Voice, episode: "Basic Training" |
| 2011 | ThunderCats | Duelist | Voice, episode: "The Duelist and the Drifter"[16] |
| 2011 | The Protector | Lieutenant Felix Valdez | 13 episodes |
| 2011 | Desperate Housewives | Andre Zeller | 5 episodes |
| 2012 | Applebaum | Detective Pepper Ferrer | Pilot |
| 2010–13 | Young Justice | Vandal Savage, Bibbo Bibbowski, Tribune, National Guardsman #2 | Voice, 11 episodes[16] |
| 2011–14 | Adventure Time | Death, Grob Gob Glob Grod, Skeleton #2 | Voice, 4 episodes[16] |
| 2012–17 | NCIS: Los Angeles | NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger | 115 episodes |
| 2017 | Twin Peaks | Albert Rosenfield | 11 episodes Posthumous release Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television |
| 2017–18 | Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters | Stretch Monster, Helicopter Pilot | Voice, 10 episodes; posthumous release[16] |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Disney's Animated Storybook: Mulan | Shan Yu | |
| 2004 | Halo 2 | Sesa Refume | |
| 2013 | Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know! | Death |
Music video
edit| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Pizza Face" | Barnes & Barnes |
| 1995 | "I Will Remember" | Toto |
| 1997 | "Sorry" | Nerf Herder[17] |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Crossland, Ken (2013). Late Life Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-0199798575.
- ^ "Rosemary Clooney".
- ^ Braslow, Samuel (February 11, 2019). "Bezos's Investigator Gavin de Becker Is a Legend of Celebrity Security". Los Angeles Magazine. Culver City, CA.
- ^ Lawrence, Derek (January 19, 2017). "Miguel Ferrer: 7 things you need to know". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2011). Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. pp. 72–73. ISBN 978-0-7864-8694-6 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Remembering Star Trek III Actor Miguel Ferrer, 1955-2017". StarTrek.com. January 19, 2017. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- ^ a b David, Peter (January 19, 2017). "Miguel Ferrer". PeterDavid.net.
- ^ "GCD :: Creator :: Miguel Ferrer (b. 1955)". www.comics.org.
- ^ Hernandez, Ernio (June 25, 2003). "TV Cops Play Inmates in Off-Broadway's The Exonerated Through June 29". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 6, 2013). "Miguel Ferrer To Become Regular On 'NCIS: LA' And Also Co-Star In 'NCIS: LA' Spinoff". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ a b Saperstein, Pat (January 19, 2017). "Miguel Ferrer, 'NCIS: Los Angeles' Actor, Dies at 61". Variety. Los Angeles. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 19, 2017). "Miguel Ferrer Dies: 'NCIS: Los Angeles' & 'Crossing Jordan' Star Was 61". Deadline Hollywood. Los Angeles: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ "Miguel Ferrer, 'NCIS: Los Angeles' actor, dies at 61". Chicago Tribune. Tribune News Services. January 19, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ "Miguel Ferrer obituary". the Guardian. January 23, 2017.
- ^ Morrison, Matt (January 18, 2019). "Young Justice: Outsiders - 14 Big Questions From Episodes 7-9". Screen Rant. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Miguel Ferrer (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 3, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ "Nerf Ball". Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1997. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
External links
edit- Miguel Ferrer at IMDb
- Voice chasers Archived August 31, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- The A.V. Club interview