Richard Lineback Explained

Richard Lineback
Birth Date:4 February 1952
Birth Place:Frankfurt, Hesse, West Germany
Occupation:Actor
Othername:Richard D. Lineback
Yearsactive:1975–present

Richard D. Lineback (born February 4, 1952) is an American actor who appeared in the films Speed, Twister and Varsity Blues. He played Deputy Dodd in .[1]

Lineback has appeared in many roles on the stage, with leads that include Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, C.C. Showers in The Diviners, for which he won the Drama-Logue Award for Outstanding Actor, and the title role in Mister Roberts.[2]

He has also made numerous guest appearances for television, including Romas in , Selin Peers in and Kessick in . He also appeared as the Rev. Vernon Canty in two episodes of JAG.[3] He also appeared in two episodes of M*A*S*H, playing different characters.

Early life

Lineback was born in Frankfurt as the son of American parents Carl Mayo Lineback (1922 - 2004) and Dorothy Anne Darnall (1923 - 2008). His siblings are Robert B. Lineback (born 1953) and Carol A. Lineback (born 1955). His father was a physician and an officer in the U.S. Army assigned to the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt. When he retired from active military service in 1965, Dr. Lineback relocated with his family to Austin, Texas, where he established a private practice.[4]

Richard Lineback graduated from John H. Reagan High School in Austin in 1970, where he appeared in several student theatrical productions. After attending the University of Texas at Austin.,[5] he moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue an acting career.

Career

In 1975, Lineback joined the Colony Theatre Company in Burbank, and was in the cast of the play The Grass Harp. He appeared in many stage roles, including those of Eugene Gant in Look Homeward, Angel; Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath; C.C. Showers in The Diviners, for which he won the Drama-Logue Award for Outstanding Actor; Dan White in Execution of Justice; and the title role in Mister Roberts.

His film debut was the role of Steve Estes in the biopic/drama Joni (1980), the story of Joni Eareckson. He played Larry in the western/drama Hard Country (1981) with Jan-Michael Vincent and Kim Basinger; then played Deputy Dodd in the slasher/horror film (1985).

His many television guest appearances include episodes of The Love Boat, M*A*S*H, The Waltons, Crazy Like a Fox, T. J. Hooker, Knight Rider, Matlock, , Hunter, China Beach, Dallas, , NYPD Blue, Touched by an Angel, and JAG. He also played Billy in the Incident In a Small Jail segment of the television film Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985), and played scheming businessman Wally Butler in the 1986 TV film Return to Mayberry.

Lineback appeared as Al LeFauve in the world premiere stage production of Baby Dance, co-starring Linda Purl and Stephanie Zimbalist, at the Pasadena Playhouse, and was nominated for the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his performance. He later reprised the role at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, and the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven.

In the film Natural Born Killers (1994), Lineback's character, Sonny, was the first redneck to be shot to death by the murderous couple Mickey Knox (played by Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (played by Juliette Lewis). In Twister (1996), his character, Mr. Thornton (Jo Harding's father), was the victim of a raging tornado. He played an FBI special agent, McMurphy, in the crime/thriller The Jackal (1997) with Bruce Willis, Richard Gere and Sidney Poitier.[6]

Lineback recreated his performance as Al LeFauve for the Showtime film The Baby Dance (1998) co-starring Stockard Channing and Laura Dern. He played the innkeeper in the horror film The Ring (2002) featuring Naomi Watts and Martin Henderson.

Lineback resides in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Film

Title Release Genre Role Notes
Joni1980Biopic / DramaSteve Estes
Hard Country1981Western / DramaLarry
1985Slasher / HorrorDeputy Dodd
Stewardess School1986Action / ComedySgt. Striker
Beyond the Next Mountain1987Adventure / DramaMr. Young Man
Sommersby1993Mystery / RomanceTimothy Fry
Speed1994Action / ThrillerSergeant Norwood
Natural Born Killers1994CrimeSonny
The Stars Fell on Henrietta1995DramaLes Furrows (banker)
Twister1996Action / AdventureMr. Thornton
Tin Cup1996Comedy / RomanceCurt
The Jackal1997Crime / ThrillerFBI Special Agent McMurphy
After the Game1997Drama / MysterySlim, the Bartender
Hush1998Drama / ThrillerHal Bentall
Meet the Deedles1998ComedyMr. Crabbe
Varsity Blues1999Comedy / SportJoe Harbor
Ready to Rumble2000Comedy / SportMr. Boggs
The Ring2002Horror / ThrillerInnkeeper

Television

Title Aired Genre Role Notes
M*A*S*H’'12-03-1979Comedy"Eddie""Dear Uncle Abdul"
Riding for the Pony Express1980WesternWilly Gomes
Gideon's Trumpet1980DramaLester Wade
Death Ray 2000 1981Action / FantasyU.S. Army enlisted man
Johnny Belinda1982DramaDan
M*A*S*H1982ComedyPvt. Scala"Trick or Treatment"
Ghost Dancing1983DramaBrian
Fatal Vision1984DramaMP Captain
Return to Mayberry1986ComedyWally Butler
Matlock1986Legal Drama/MysteryBanningPilot
Inherit the Wind1988DramaSillers
Blind Vengeance1990DramaEdwin "Ed" Rentzell
Woman with a Past1992DramaWayne
Somebody's Daughter1992Crime / DramaFielder
The Stand1994Horror / FantasyPoke
The Baby Dance1998DramaAl LeFauve
The King of Texas2002Western / DramaWarnell
2003Sci-FiKessick"The Xindi"
2007MysteryFrank Sinclair
NCIS2008; Episode: HeartlandCrime/DramaChuck Winslow

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Richard Lineback. IMDb. 2016-03-26.
  2. Web site: Colony Theatre Member Richard Lineback. colonytheatre.org. 2016-03-26.
  3. Web site: Richard Lineback. TV.com. TV.com. 2016-03-26.
  4. Austin American-Statesman, Feb. 11, 2004, Obituary of Carl Mayo Lineback.
  5. Web site: Richard Lineback  - Deputy Dodd. Friday the 13th Films. https://web.archive.org/web/20030723023244/http://fridaythe13thfilms.com/saga/part5/richardlineback.html. dead. 2003-07-23. 2008-09-15.
  6. Web site: Richard Lineback. www.rottentomatoes.com. 2016-03-26.