# The largest prick character actor in Hollywood? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070 "2010-06-05T16:10:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/21 "2010-06-05T21:08:43Z")
[G.W. Bailey](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._W._Bailey), whose last (maybe only) likable role was as Luther Rizzo in _M_A_S_H\*. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/22 "2010-06-05T21:15:43Z")
I love watching GW Bailey in _The Closer_. Plays a very likable cop. Kyra Sedgwick is his boss. But, you’re right. He’s also played some nasty, jerk characters too. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/23 "2010-06-05T21:18:00Z")
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my mixed pleasure to present to you a man who can play an asshole like no one else: [Dan Hedaya](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000445/)! Dan has played dozens of pricks and a-holes over the course of his 40-year career in film and TV, including recurring TV roles as a dirty cop in _Hill Street Blues_ and as Carla’s husband Nick Tortelli in _Cheers_ (and in a shortlived spinoff, _The Tortellis_); while in the movies he’s been Bette Midler’s ex in _The First Wives Club_, the general in charge of the doomed xenobiology lab in _Alien: Resurrection_, and the titular prick in the movie _Dick_, in which he played President Richard M. Nixon. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/24 "2010-06-05T21:49:47Z")
[William Daniels](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0200122/): Dr. Mark Craig on St. Elsewhere, John Adams in 1776, two different a-holes on the Rockford Files, the list goes on. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/25 "2010-06-05T21:56:06Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > Ladies and gentlemen, it is my mixed pleasure to present to you a man who can play an asshole like no one else: [Dan Hedaya](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000445/)! Dan has played dozens of pricks and a-holes over the course of his 40-year career in film and TV, including recurring TV roles as a dirty cop in _Hill Street Blues_ and as Carla’s husband Nick Tortelli in _Cheers_ (and in a shortlived spinoff, _The Tortellis_); while in the movies he’s been Bette Midler’s ex in _The First Wives Club_, the general in charge of the doomed xenobiology lab in _Alien: Resurrection_, and the titular prick in the movie _Dick_, in which he played President Richard M. Nixon. He was also the prick boss , Mr. Waturi , in “Joe vs the Volcano”. ---
**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:** [June 5, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/26 "2010-06-05T21:58:29Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > He was also the prick boss , Mr. Waturi , in “Joe vs the Volcano”. I didn’t try to list them all (he’s got 120 listings on IMDB), 'cause that would be, you know, a dick move. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/27 "2010-06-06T00:09:09Z")
I always thought that whenever Jerry Orbach wanted to play an asshole, he could REALLY play an asshole. I think it was the timber in his voice. He could have a slight tint of contempt added to the colour of his voice when he wanted to, and a twitch in his eyebrow that said: “I’m such an asshole, I bet you want to slap the smirk off my face.” I miss Orbach. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/28 "2010-06-06T02:42:07Z")
John Vernon, whose best known role was Dean Wormer in _Animal House_ was long typecast by Hollywood as being a shady character in numerous movies. Before going Hollywood, he played a crusading coroner in the CBC show _Wojeck_, the idea of which was stolen to become _Quincy_ with that whiny Jack Klugman. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/29 "2010-06-06T03:00:19Z")
Gary Cole, played Lumbergh in Office Space. Also played the asshole boss in One Hour Photo, the douchebag crime boss in Pineapple Express and an abusive husband/asshole cop on Desperate Housewives. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/30 "2010-06-06T03:01:45Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > Ladies and gentlemen, it is my mixed pleasure to present to you a man who can play an asshole like no one else: [Dan Hedaya](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000445/)! Dan has played dozens of pricks and a-holes over the course of his 40-year career in film and TV, including recurring TV roles as a dirty cop in _Hill Street Blues_ and as Carla’s husband Nick Tortelli in _Cheers_ (and in a shortlived spinoff, _The Tortellis_); while in the movies he’s been Bette Midler’s ex in _The First Wives Club_, the general in charge of the doomed xenobiology lab in _Alien: Resurrection_, and the titular prick in the movie _Dick_, in which he played President Richard M. Nixon. He chewed the scenery as a Latin American dictator in “Commando.” ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/31 "2010-06-06T03:12:17Z")
> [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > [William Daniels](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0200122/): Dr. Mark Craig on St. Elsewhere, John Adams in 1776, two different a-holes on the Rockford Files, the list goes on. Life does not imitate art in this case. Bill Daniels and his wife Bonnie are two of the nicest people I have ever met. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/32 "2010-06-06T03:13:41Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Gary Cole, played Lumbergh in Office Space. Also played the asshole boss in One Hour Photo, the douchebag crime boss in Pineapple Express and an abusive husband/asshole cop on Desperate Housewives. And Buck in American Gothic, where he really might have been the devil. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/33 "2010-06-06T03:25:09Z")
Quite a few pop into my mind: [ul] [li][Joe Flynn](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283499/) played Capt. Binghamton in [“McHale’s Navy”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055689/), Dean Higgins in three Disney movies (with Kurt Russell), various corporate a$$4013s in other Disney movies.[/li][li]Scottie MacGregor and Alison Arngrim played Harriet and Nellie Oleson on [“Little House on the Prairie”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071007/)[/li][li]the aforementioned Larry Linville as Maj. Frank Burns on [“M_A_S\*H”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068098/)[/li][li]Jack Colvin as Jack McGee on [“The Incredible Hulk”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077031/). It still pissed me off that _he_ was the one who started the lab fire that killed Dr. Elaina Marks, but he blames the Hulk.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/34 "2010-06-06T03:34:45Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Found it! 😉 Bill McKinney he played a lot of sickos. He was in Outlaw Josey Wales too. > Lots of scary roles in many great movies. > [Bill McKinney - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0571853/) > > [Bill McKinney - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_McKinney) It’s kind of unfair to quote that Burt Reynolds anecdote without including the very next sentence: “McKinney told Maxim magazine that all Reynolds’ stories were untrue. ‘If you lose control on a movie set,’ McKinney told Maxim, ‘it’s not acting, it’s indulgence.’” > **[squeallikeapig.com - This website is for...](http://www.squeallikeapig.com/maximText.htm)** > > This website is for sale! squeallikeapig.com is your first and best source for all of the information you’re looking for. From general topics to more of what you would expect to find here, squeallikeapig.com has it all. We hope you find what you are... (And **pseudotriton ruber ruber** beat you to the prick joke, although it was subtle.) ---
**Author:** ![cardinal\_fang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal_fang/32/15316_2.png) [@cardinal\_fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cardinal_fang)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/35 "2010-06-06T03:48:35Z")
Speaking of _Die Hard_, no hate for [Paul Gleason](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322339/) (a.k.a. [Principal Vernon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/))? ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/36 "2010-06-06T05:44:16Z")
[David Warner](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2274531584/nm0001831) was a prick in Tron, Time Bandits, and Titannic, just for starters. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/37 "2010-06-06T07:38:51Z")
> [@Eats\_Crayons](#): > > I always thought that whenever Jerry Orbach wanted to play an asshole, he could REALLY play an asshole. I think it was the timber in his voice. He could have a slight tint of contempt added to the colour of his voice when he wanted to, and a twitch in his eyebrow that said: “I’m such an asshole, I bet you want to slap the smirk off my face.” > > I miss Orbach. ☹ I always thought his eyebrows had a lot to do with that. He pretty much looked like he never believed a word anybody was saying, and when wasn’t saying as much, you figured he was thinking it. [Here’s a YouTube clip of him playing Billy Flynn from _Chicago_.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xig2oeYp8a4) The quality is poor but the contempt and the phoniness would come through in any medium. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/38 "2010-06-06T10:33:05Z")
Much of the cast of [Homicide: Life on the Street](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106028/). Richard Belzer, Yaphet Kotto, Reed Diamond and Giancarlo Esposito to name four. These guys are not heartthrobs in any of their film projects. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/39 "2010-06-06T11:54:24Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > [David Warner](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2274531584/nm0001831) was a prick in Tron, Time Bandits, and Titannic, just for starters. Time After Time also- hell, he was freakin’ Jack the Ripper! ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070/40 "2010-06-06T11:56:42Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Milton Berle. I’ll see that & raise you Forrest Tucker. Pun intended!!!😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-largest-prick-character-actor-in-hollywood/542070.md?page=3)