Michael Ironside has made a strong and indelible impression with his often incredibly intense and explosive portrayals of fearsome villains throughout the years. He was born as Frederick Reginald Ironside on February 12, 1950 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Ironside was a successful arm wrestler in his teenage years. His initial ambition was to be a writer. At age fifteen, Michael wrote a play called "The Shelter" that won first prize in a Canada-wide university contest; He used the prize money to mount a production of this play. Ironside attended the Ontario College of Art, took acting lessons from Janine Manatis, and studied for three years at the Canadian National Film Board. Ironside worked in construction as a roofer prior to embarking on an acting career.
Ironside first began acting in movies in the late 1970s. He received plenty of recognition with his frightening turn as deadly and powerful psychic Darryl Revok in David Cronenberg's Scanners (1981). He was likewise very chilling as vicious misogynistic psychopath Colt Hawker in the underrated Visiting Hours (1982). Other memorable film roles include weary Detective Roersch in the sadly forgotten thriller Cross Country (1983), the crazed Overdog in the immensely enjoyable Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983), the hard-nosed Jester in the blockbuster smash Top Gun (1986), ramrod Major Paul Hackett in Extreme Prejudice (1987), loner Vietnam veteran "Ben" in Nowhere to Hide (1987), the ferocious Lem Johnson in Watchers (1988), and lethal immortal General Katana in Highlander II: The Quickening (1991).
Moreover, Ironside has appeared in two highly entertaining science fiction features for Paul Verhoeven: At his savage best as the evil Richter in Total Recall (1990) and typically excellent as the rugged Lieutenant Jean Rasczak in Starship Troopers (1997). Ironside showed a more tender and thoughtful side with his lovely and touching performance as a hardened convict who befriends a disabled man in the poignant indie drama gem Chaindance (1991); he also co-wrote the script and served as an executive producer for this beautiful sleeper. Michael was terrific as tough mercenary Ham Tyler on the epic miniseries V (1984), its follow up V: The Final Battle (1984), and subsequent short-lived spin-off series.
Ironside also had a recurring role on the television series SeaQuest 2032 (1993). Among the television series he has done guest spots on are The A-Team (1983), Hill Street Blues (1981), The New Mike Hammer (1984), The Hitchhiker (1983), Tales from the Crypt (1989), Superman: The Animated Series (1996), Walker, Texas Ranger (1993), The Outer Limits (1995), ER (1994), Smallville (2001), ER (1994), Desperate Housewives (2004), Justice League (2001) and Masters of Horror (2005). More recently, Ironside garnered a slew of plaudits and a Gemini Award nomination for his outstanding portrayal of shrewd biker gang leader Bob Durelle in the acclaimed Canadian miniseries The Last Chapter (2002).
In addition to his substantial film and television work, Ironside has also lent his distinctive deep voice to TV commercials and video games.
Simon, a 16-year-old suffocated by his strict Mormon upbringing, rebels and crosses the border with friends for a weekend in Canada, as they individually discover more about themselves.
Suburban dad Hutch Mansell, a former lethal assassin, is pulled back into his violent past after thwarting a home invasion, setting off a chain of events that unravels secrets about his wife Becca's past and his own.
Black Ice exposes a history of racism in hockey through the untold stories of Black hockey players, both past and present, in a predominantly white sport.
asQuinn
2022 |
Dracula: The Original Living Vampireas Dr. Jack Seward
Micky Adams, an eccentric has-been rock musician, loses his grip on reality all while his record label is looking to drop him. A young Charlie Porter is tasked with traveling to the musician's bizarre home and forcing Micky Adams out of his contract.
A docile family man slowly reveals his true character after his house gets burgled by two petty thieves, which, coincidentally, leads him into a bloody war with a Russian crime boss.
A factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.
As the machines prepare for a final attack, John Connor and a mysterious stranger delve into the heart of Skynet and uncover a terrible secret involving the annihilation of mankind.
When a man goes in to have virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars implanted in his mind, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real - or is he?
Pete Mitchell, call sign Maverick, is one of the most talented and reckless naval fighter pilots in the US Navy. He and his radar intercept officer, Goose, are sent to the elite Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar, where the country's best pilots compete to be number one. Maverick wants the top spot. He also wants the attention of an astrophysics instructor named Charlie. His attitude makes both harder than they need to be. An action drama about competition, ego, grief, and the cost of being the best!
asJester
1984 |
The Surrogateas George Kyber
1983 |
American Nightmareas Sgt. Skylar
1983 |
Cross Countryas Det. Sgt. Ed Roersch
1983 |
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zoneas Overdog
