ACTOR
Rip Torn
Known for Men in Black II · Columbo · 30 Rock
Elmore Rual "Rip" Torn Jr. (February 6, 1931 – July 9, 2019) was an American actor whose career spanned more than 60 years. He was best known for his roles as Zed in the Men in Black franchise (1997-2002) and Patches O'Houlihan in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004). Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The…
Snapshot 2026-10-15
- Born
- Feb 6, 1931
- Died
- Jul 9, 2019
- Birthplace
- Temple, Texas, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
Elmore Rual "Rip" Torn Jr. (February 6, 1931 – July 9, 2019) was an American actor whose career spanned more than 60 years. He was best known for his roles as Zed in the Men in Black franchise (1997-2002) and Patches O'Houlihan in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004).
Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The Larry Sanders Show, for which he was nominated for six Emmy Awards, winning in 1996. Torn also won an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Male in a Series, and two CableACE Awards for his work on the show, and was nominated for a Satellite Award in 1997 as well.
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Known For
MOVIE
Men in Black IIZed · 2002
★ 6.4
★ 6.4
TV
ColumboLeon Lamarr · 1971
★ 8.1
★ 8.1
TV
30 RockDon Geiss · 2006
★ 7.5
★ 7.5
TV
Will & GraceLionel Banks · 1998
★ 6.9
★ 6.9
TV
BonanzaWill Hewitt · 1959
★ 7.5
★ 7.5
TV
Law & Order: Criminal IntentJules Copeland · 2001
★ 7.6
★ 7.6
TV
Late Night with Conan O'BrienSelf - Guest · 1993
★ 7.3
★ 7.3
TV
Chicago HopeWarren Shutt · 1994
★ 7.2
★ 7.2
Filmography
Movies
Baby DollThe Dentist (uncredited)
1956
A Face in the CrowdBarry Mills (uncredited)
1957
Time LimitLt. George Miller
1957
Bomber's MoonLieutenant Harrison
1958JB
Johnny BelindaLocky McCormick
1958
Pork Chop HillLt. Walter Russell
1959
24 Hours in a Woman's LifePaul
1961
King of KingsJudas
1961
Hero's IslandNicholas Gates
1962
Sweet Bird of YouthTom Finley Jr.
1962
Critic's ChoiceDion Kapakos
1963
The Cincinnati KidWilliam Jefferson Slade
1965
One Spy Too ManyAlexander
1966
You're a Big Boy NowI.H. Chanticleer
1966
Beach RedGunnery Sgt. Ben Honeywell
1967
Lionpower from MGMSelf - Dano Villanova (archive footage) (uncredited)
1967
Beyond the LawPopcorn
1968
Sol MadridDano Villanova
1968
Coming ApartJoe
1969
Lions LoveThe Beard Director (uncredited)
1969
Tropic of CancerHenry Miller
1970
1 P.M.Self
1971
MaidstoneRaoul Rey O'Houlihan
1971
MontserratIzquierdo
1971
SlaughterDominic Hoffo
1972
CotterRoy
1973
PaydayMaury Dann
1973
The President's Plane Is MissingGeorge Oldenburg
1973
Crazy JoeRichie
1974
Birch IntervalThomas
1976
Harlan County U.S.A.Thanks
1976
The Man Who Fell to EarthNathan Bryce
1976
Nasty HabitsFather Maximilian
1977
The Private Files of J. Edgar HooverDwight Webb
1977
BetrayalDr. Hartogs
1978
ComaDr. George
1978
Steel CowboyK.W. Hicks
1978
A Shining SeasonJack Baker
1979
The Seduction of Joe TynanSenator Kittner
1979
First FamilyGeneral G. E. Dumpston
1980
One Trick PonyWalter Fox
1980
Rape and Marriage: The Rideout CaseCharles Burt
1980
Sophia Loren: Her Own StoryCarlo Ponti
1980
HeartlandClyde Stewart
1981
A Stranger Is WatchingArtie Taggart
1982
Airplane II: The SequelBud Kruger / President Reagan
1982
Jinxed!Harold Benson
1982
The BeastmasterMaax
1982
Cross CreekMarsh Turner
1983
MisunderstoodWill
1983
Cat on a Hot Tin RoofHarvey 'Big Daddy' Pollitt
1984
City HeatPrimo Pitt
1984
FlashpointSheriff Wells
1984
ScarabKhepera
1984
SongwriterDino McLeish
1984
When She Says NoStuart Blankfort
1984
BeerBuzz Beckerman
1985
Summer RentalScully
1985
The ExecutionWilheim Gehbert
1985
Manhunt for Claude DallasTim Nettleton
1986
Destination: AmericaCorbet St. James IV
1987
Extreme PrejudiceSheriff Hank Pearson
1987
J. Edgar HooverLyndon Baines Johnson
1987
Laguna HeatJoe Datilla
1987
NadineBuford Pope
1987TK
The King of LoveJack Kraft
1987
April MorningSolomon Chandler
1988
The TelephoneDirector
1988
Cold FeetSheriff
1989
Hit ListVic Luca
1989
Silence Like GlassDr. Markowitz
1989
Sweet Bird of YouthBoss Finley
1989
Beautiful DreamersWalt Whitman
1990
By Dawn's Early LightColonel Fargo
1990
Kojak: None So BlindGideon Hogarth
1990
Pair of AcesCapt. Jack Parsons
1990
Another Pair of Aces: Three of a KindCaptain Jack Parsons
1991
Death FallsDub Farley
1991
Defending Your LifeBob Diamond
1991
Dolly DearestKarl Resnick
1991
My Son JohnnyBrian Stansbury
1991
A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan StoryBill Morgan
1992
Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez DisasterAdmiral Paul Yost
1992
Fires of KuwaitNarrator (voice)
1992
T Bone N WeaselHappy Sam
1992
Beyond the LawDeputy Prescott
1993
RoboCop 3The CEO
1993
Where the Rivers Flow NorthNoel Lord
1993
Heart of a ChildDr. Leonard Bailey
1994
Canadian BaconGeneral Dick Panzer
1995
For Better or WorseCapt. Cole
1995
How to Make an American QuiltArthur
1995
James Dean: A PortraitSelf (Narrator)
1995
Letter to My Killer
1995
She Stood Alone: The Tailhook ScandalAdm. Snyder
1995
Down PeriscopeAdmiral Winslow
1996
The HindenburgNarrator
1996
HerculesZeus (voice)
1997
Men in BlackZed
1997TM
The MouseTrucker 'God'
1997
Trial and ErrorBenny Gibbs
1997
SenselessRandall Tyson
1998
Balloon FarmHarvey Potter
1999
Passing GloryFather Robert Grant
1999
The Almost Perfect Bank RobberyRoyce
1999
The InsiderJohn Scanlon
1999
A Vision of Murder: The Story of DonielleDetective Manny Garett
2000
Clint Eastwood: Out of the ShadowsSelf
2000
Wonder BoysQ
2000
Freddy Got FingeredJim Brody
2001
Men in Black IIZed
2002
Maniac MageeGeorge McNab
2003
Rolling KansasOldman
2003
DodgeBall: A True Underdog StoryPatches O'Houlihan
2004
EulogyEdmund Collins
2004
Love ObjectNovak
2004
Welcome to MooseportBert Langdon
2004
Forty Shades of BlueAlan James
2005
The SistersDr. Chebrin
2005
Yours, Mine & OursCommandant Sherman
2005
Marie AntoinetteLouis XV
2006SB
Sweet Bird of Youth: Chasing TimeSelf
2006
ZoomLarraby
2006
Bee MovieLou Lo Duca (voice)
2007
The Making Of 'The Larry Sanders Show'Arthur
2007
The Making of Marie AntoinetteSelf
2007
Three Days to VegasJoe Wallace
2007
AugustDavid Sterling
2008
Lucky DaysBobo
2008Lucky DaysExecutive Producer
2008
The Golden BoysCapt. Jeremiah Burgess
2008
Turn the RiverQuinette
2008
American CowslipTrevor O'Hart
2009
Happy TearsJoe
2009
The AfterlightCarl
2009
3 Weeks to DaytonaSal
2011
National Lampoon's The Legend of Awesomest MaximusKing Looney
2011BO
Bridge of NamesTom
2012
Men in Black 3Large-Headed Alien at Funeral (uncredited)
2012
Norman Mailer: The AmericanSelf
2012
Making Marie AntoinetteSelf
2026
Heartland
Television
Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Presenter · 1 eps
1944
Kraft Television TheatreSomers · 1 eps
1947Kraft Television Theatre3 eps
1947
Hallmark Hall of FameLocky McCormick · 1 eps
1951Hallmark Hall of FameSolomon Chandler · 1 eps
1951
Omnibus1 eps
1952
Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSteve Morgan #22 · 1 eps
1955Alfred Hitchcock PresentsErnie Walters · 1 eps
1955
Tony AwardsSelf - Presenter · 2 eps
1956
The Restless GunJody Gilman · 1 eps
1957
Naked CityAnsel Boake · 1 eps
1958
BonanzaWill Hewitt · 1 eps
1959
RawhideJacob Yellow-Sun · 1 eps
1959
The UntouchablesHarry Strauss · 1 eps
1959The UntouchablesJohnny Mizo · 1 eps
1959
Route 66Alvah Clayhorne · 1 eps
1960
ThrillerDuncan Corey · 1 eps
1960
Ben Casey1 eps
1961
Dr. KildareDr. Nicholas Keefe · 2 eps
1961
The Dick Powell ShowJoel Coles · 1 eps
1961
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 1 eps
1961
Combat!Avery · 1 eps
1962
Breaking Point1 eps
1963
ChanningDonald Burrows · 1 eps
1963
The Great AdventureLieutenant John C. Freemont · 1 eps
1963
The LieutenantSgt. Karl Kasten · 1 eps
1963
12 O'Clock HighCol. Mark Royce · 1 eps
1964
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Alexander · 2 eps
1964
MannixVictor Roarke · 1 eps
1967
ColumboLeon Lamarr · 1 eps
1971
Ghost StoryJonathon · 1 eps
1972
Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux KlanGlen Tuttle · 2 eps
1975
The Eddie Capra Mysteries1 eps
1978
Blind AmbitionRichard M. Nixon · 4 eps
1979
American PlayhouseHarvey 'Big Daddy' Pollitt · 1 eps
1982
The Blue and the GrayUlysses S. Grant · 3 eps
1982
North and SouthAdolphus · 3 eps
1985
The Atlanta Child MurdersLewis Slaton · 2 eps
1985
The Larry Sanders ShowArthur · 90 eps
1992
Late Night with Conan O'BrienSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1993
The John Larroquette ShowBernard Galvin · 1 eps
1993
Chicago HopeWarren Shutt · 1 eps
1994
Ghost StoriesThe Narrator · 44 eps
1997
Will & GraceLionel Banks · 4 eps
1998
Seasons of LoveSpence · 2 eps
1999
Soul FoodPeter Redmond · 1 eps
2000
Law & Order: Criminal IntentJules Copeland · 1 eps
2001
The Lyon's Den3 eps
2003ED
Extreme Dodgeball30 eps
2004
30 RockDon Geiss · 8 eps
2006Photos
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