# Help me identify an actor, please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415 "2007-05-09T17:00:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/61 "2007-05-09T21:07:54Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Maybe this would be easier if you say how long ago the most recent sighting was, and also maybe list what you generally watch on TV? Also, can you remember if you definitely saw him on a TV rather than a big screen? [/QUOTE] Okay. I’d say the last time I saw him was within the past 30 days. It could have been in an On Demand movie on HBO, Encore, or Free Movies. TV series I watch regularly: (and the odds I saw him there) The Sopranos (10%) 24 (10%) Medium (20%) House (20%) Bones (20%) Raines (20%) The Shield (10%) Heroes (20%) The Unit (20%) Boston Legal (10%) As for big screen, it’s been over a year since the last trip to a theater. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/62 "2007-05-09T21:11:10Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Wikipedia has a long list under their “list of character actors” page, but most seem to be older. [/QUOTE] I’ve been through the list at _Hey! It’s That Guy!_ with no luck. I’m guessing he’s just below the threshold to make that site. That’s part of my problem, I feel. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/63 "2007-05-09T21:31:15Z")
[Desmond Harrington](http://www.imdb.com/rg/photos-name/gallery-link//gallery/granitz/1978/Events/1978/DesmondHar_Vespa_1089872_400.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Harrington,%20Desmond)? (His character was the shifty, morphing “Ferryman” heavy in **Ghost Ship**.) Are you pretty sure the actor’s an American? 'Cause I can think of a couple of Brits who might fill the bill… ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/64 "2007-05-09T21:35:55Z")
This is probably a long shot but how about [Richard Burgi?](http://www.richardburgi.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/65 "2007-05-09T21:37:34Z")
[QUOTE=The Scrivener] [Desmond Harrington](http://www.imdb.com/rg/photos-name/gallery-link//gallery/granitz/1978/Events/1978/DesmondHar_Vespa_1089872_400.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Harrington,%20Desmond)? (His character was the shifty, morphing “Ferryman” heavy in **Ghost Ship**.) Are you pretty sure the actor’s an American? 'Cause I can think of a couple of Brits who might fill the bill… [/QUOTE] It’s not Harrington. This actor has an American accent, perhaps Canadian, and it’s possible he’s been cast as an Irishman, Englishman, Australian or some other European with a foreign accent, but I can’t swear to that. My best bet is that he’s American, with a 30-40% chance he’s Canadian. I’d set the odds for some other nationality at maybe 20-30%. I’m having trouble recalling his voice, though. His look is about all I have any certainty of. I didn’t mean to rely heavily on the shape-shifting aspect of a role, but I could envision his doing such a thing. He may not have, however. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/66 "2007-05-09T21:41:47Z")
[QUOTE=Abby\_Emma\_Sasha] This is probably a long shot but how about [Richard Burgi?](http://www.richardburgi.com/) [/QUOTE] Not Burgi. Burgi is more macho, better looking and has a more athletic appearance than my guy. As far as physical types go, I’d see my guy as being something like Linus Roache or Jake Weber (those I mentioned in the OP). ---
**Author:** ![Einmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Einmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Einmon)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/67 "2007-05-09T22:45:36Z")
I know you said he’d probably not be British, but Linus Roache reminds me of [Christopher Eccleston](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001172/) or (staying within the Dr. Who franchise) [David Tennant](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenth_Doctor)…or [Robert Carlyle](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001015/)? No shapeshifting alien there, though. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/68 "2007-05-09T22:48:04Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] 24 (10%) Bones (20%) Heroes (20%) [/QUOTE] These are the only shows on your list that I watch, so I will focus on them (since I don’t have any better ideas). Let’s see. On 24, there’s the guy that the woman sleeping with the VP is having an affair with: [Michael Shanks](http://www.gateworld.net/news/2007/03/michael_shanks_cast_on_i24i.shtml) There’s the doctor who wanted to do something experimental on Audrey: [JC MacKenzie](http://www.imdb.com/gallery/hh/0533323/HH/0533323/iid_1127703.jpg.html?path=pgallery&path_key=MacKenzie,%20J.C.) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/69 "2007-05-09T22:53:20Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] These are the only shows on your list that I watch, so I will focus on them (since I don’t have any better ideas). Let’s see. On 24, there’s the guy that the woman sleeping with the VP is having an affair with: [Michael Shanks](http://www.gateworld.net/news/2007/03/michael_shanks_cast_on_i24i.shtml) There’s the doctor who wanted to do something experimental on Audrey: [JC MacKenzie](http://www.imdb.com/gallery/hh/0533323/HH/0533323/iid_1127703.jpg.html?path=pgallery&path_key=MacKenzie,%20J.C.) [/QUOTE] Reasonable tries, but no hits. I’m thinking of going back over the list of On Demand movies I have seen that are still in the queue to see if I can locate him. I don’t think backtracking over episode breakdowns for the shows I watch would yield much results. Thanks for your efforts. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/70 "2007-05-09T22:54:34Z")
[QUOTE=Einmon] I know you said he’d probably not be British, but Linus Roache reminds me of [Christopher Eccleston](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001172/) or (staying within the Dr. Who franchise) [David Tennant](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenth_Doctor)…or [Robert Carlyle](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001015/)? No shapeshifting alien there, though. [/QUOTE] None of these. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/71 "2007-05-09T22:56:52Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Billy Drago! [/QUOTE] Or his more famous lookalike son [Darren Burrows](http://imdb.com/name/nm0123261/) (bk4 _Northern Exposure_ & _CryBaby_). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/72 "2007-05-09T23:01:46Z")
[Alan Cumming?](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001086/) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/73 "2007-05-09T23:04:37Z")
Know of anybody he’s acted with? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/74 "2007-05-09T23:18:06Z")
When I saw the photo of Linus Roache, the face that jumped in my head was Luke Perry, the way he looked in HBO’s Oz, older than when he was in 90210. But it can’t be Luke Perry. You’d recognize Luke Perry. Anyway, I went to IMDB for a photo of Luke Perry and came across [James Eckhouse](http://imdb.com/name/nm0248698/), who’s been in a ton of TV shows, including Boston Legal. If he had more hair, would he fit? ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2007, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/75 "2007-05-09T23:20:23Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Or his more famous lookalike son [Darren Burrows](http://imdb.com/name/nm0123261/) (bk4 _Northern Exposure_ & _CryBaby_). [/QUOTE] Holy crap, I had no idea they were father and son! WEIRD! ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/76 "2007-05-10T00:09:22Z")
Maybe [Martin Donovan](http://imdb.com/name/nm0233027/)? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/77 "2007-05-10T01:23:20Z")
How about [Craig Bierko](http://images.google.com/images?q=Craig+Bierko) ? Fametracker says he specializes in Smarmy but oddly corny characters and he was recently on Boston Legal. Here’s his [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0081572/) page ---
**Author:** ![likkletoucan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5a626/32.png) [@likkletoucan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/likkletoucan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/78 "2007-05-10T01:37:25Z")
I’m sorry, but I just had to try… Is it [Cole Hauser](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0369513/) ? He’s played lots of creepy aliens/people turning into aliens in his time. ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/79 "2007-05-10T01:41:34Z")
How about [Doug Hutchison](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006535/filmogenre)? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415/80 "2007-05-10T01:42:38Z")
This is kind of addictive. How about [William Mapother](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0544611/)? He’s done creepy, scary and alien things. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-an-actor-please/403415.md?page=5)