Peter Jason

Birthday: Jul 22, 1944
Birthplace: Hollywood, California, USA

Bio: Excellent, prolific and versatile character actor Peter Jason was born onJuly 22, 1944 in Hollywood, California and grew up in Balboa. He attendedNewport Beach Elementary School, Horace Ensign Junior High, and NewportHarbor High School. He originally planned on being a football player, butfell in love with acting after playing the lead in a high schoolproduction of… More Bio: Excellent, prolific and versatile character actor Peter Jason was born onJuly 22, 1944 in Hollywood, California and grew up in Balboa. He attendedNewport Beach Elementary School, Horace Ensign Junior High, and NewportHarbor High School. He originally planned on being a football player, butfell in love with acting after playing the lead in a high schoolproduction of "The Man Who Came to Dinner." Following his high schoolgraduation Peter attended Orange Coast Junior College and did a season ofsummer stock at the Peterborough Playhouse in New Hampshire. Jason thenstudied as a drama major at the Carnegie Institute of Technology inPittsburg, Pennsylvania. More stage work followed with the acting groupthe South Coast Repertory Company, then Peter eventually made his filmdebut in Howard Hawks' final picture "Rio Lobo" (this movie remains oneof Jason's favorites). Peter worked with Orson Welles on the uncompleted"The Other Side of the Wind" as an actor, boom operator, prop man andeven cook for the cast and crew. Jason has appeared in many films fordirector Walter Hill; he's especially memorable as the racist redneckbartender in "48 Hrs." Moreover, Peter has acted in several pictures fordirector John Carpenter: he's very engaging as the jolly Dr. Paul Leahyin "Prince of Darkness" and was terrific as underground guerrilla armyleader Gilbert in "They Live." Other notable roles include a sinistergovernment agent in "Dreamscape," the rugged Major G.F. Devin in"Heartbreak Ridge," jerky detective Fedorchuk in "Alien Nation," anewspaper reporter in "Seabiscuit," and the US president in "AlienApocalypse." Jason recently had a recurring role as dissolute gambler ConStapleton in the superbly gritty cable Western TV series "Deadwood." Healso had a regular part as Captain Skip Gleason on "Mike Hammer, PrivateEye." Among the many TV shows Peter has done guest spots on are"Desperate Housewives," "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," "Nash Bridges,""Coach," "The Golden Girls," "Murder, She Wrote," "Married WithChildren," "Rosanne," "Dear John," "Quantom Leap," "Dr. Quinn, MedicineWoman," "B.J. and the Bear," "The Incredible Hulk," "Gunsmoke," and"Hawaii Five-O." In addition to his substantial film and TV show credits,Jason has acted in over 150 plays and hundreds of TV commercials. Anaccomplished baritone vocalist, Jason has sung in such musical stageproductions as "The Music Man" (this is one of his favorite plays), "Stopthe World, I Want to Get Off," "The Roar of the Greasepaint," and"Threepenny Opera" (as Mack the Knife). He's been married to his wifeEileen for 33 years. In his spare Peter Jason makes his own furniturewith found, recycled wood.