Leon Rippy (born October 30, 1949) is an American actor. Active on screen since 1983, Rippy has appeared in numerous films and recurring roles on television. He is best known for his roles as Earl the Angel on the series Saving Grace, saloon owner Tom Nuttall on the series Deadwood and militiaman John Billings in The Patriot (2000).

Leon Rippy
Born (1949-10-30) October 30, 1949 (age 74)
OccupationActor
Years active1983–present

Career edit

Rippy's acting career developed through appearances in regional theatrical productions. He founded and operated two theatre companies.[1] Rippy has appeared in more than seventy plays. His non-acting occupations have included working with a circus and as a foreman of a cattle ranch.[2] At one time he was regarded as an accomplished ballet dancer.[1]

Rippy has worked with Roland Emmerich on seven movies: Moon 44 (1990), Eye of the Storm (1991), Universal Soldier (1992), Stargate (1994), The Thirteenth Floor (1999), The Patriot (2000), and Eight Legged Freaks (2002). He also had roles in The Alamo (2004) and The Lone Ranger (2013).

His television appearances include a guest role on Star Trek: The Next Generation ("The Neutral Zone"), Quantum Leap, Walker, Texas Ranger, Werewolf, Leverage, Six Feet Under, and Deadwood, a HBO series in which he played Tom Nuttall. Rippy co-starred in the TNT crime drama series Saving Grace.[3] He also appeared in North and South as Sanders, and in Alcatraz as Dr. Beauregard.

Filmography edit

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Chiefs Tommy Allen Miniseries
1984 Firestarter Blinded Agent
Hyperspace Roy
Chain Gang
Tales of the Third Dimension Freddie Segment: "The Guardians"
1985 The Color Purple Store Clerk
Marie Gary Gerbitz
Rockin' Road Trip Earl Reese
1986 Maximum Overdrive Brad
Raw Deal Man in Tux
King Kong Lives Will
No Mercy Man #2
North and South Sanders Book II, episode #1.2
1987 The Bedroom Window Seedy Bartender
Hit the Road Running Doogan
Werewolf Crawford Episode: "Eye of the Storm"
The Rutherford County Line aka Damon's Law
1988 Traxx Killer
Star Trek: The Next Generation L. Q. "Sonny" Clemmons Episode: "The Neutral Zone"
Jesse TV movie
Track 29 Trucker
Illegally Yours Prosecutor
Hunter Russ Tolson Episode: "The Fourth Man"
The Tracker Chub Dumont TV movie
Born to Run Joel TV movie
1989 Hardball Episode: "The Cleveland Indian"
1990 Loose Cannons Weskit
Moon 44 Master Sergeant Sykes
Young Guns II Bob Olinger
The Hot Spot Deputy Tate
Quantum Leap Sheriff Taggart Episode: "Freedom - November 22, 1970"
1991 Eye of the Storm Sheriff
Hard Time Romance Hugh Dean Simpson
1992 Universal Soldier Woodward
Beyond the Law Virgil
Kuffs Kane
1993 Perry Mason Tex TV movie: The Case of the Wicked Wives
Diagnosis Murder Bob Cole Episodes: "Vanishing Act pt. 1 & 2"
1993–2001 Walker, Texas Ranger Creede / Robert Chastain / Vince Pike / Dewey Baker 4 episodes
1994 Stargate Major General W. O. West
1996 The Arrival DOD #1
1997 Still Movin Mr. Jennings
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Detective Boone
Gun Scooter Episode: "The Hole"
1997–1998 The Visitor Agent Nicholas LaRue 13 episodes
1999 The Thirteenth Floor Jane's Lawyer
CI5: The New Professionals Lang Episode: "Glory Days"
2000 The Patriot John Billings
2001 The Fugitive Buddy LaRue Episode: "New Orleans Saints"
The Man with No Eyes Father Patrick Short film
2002 Eight Legged Freaks Wade
2003 The Life of David Gale Braxton Belyeu
Six Feet Under Daddy Episode: "Tears, Bones & Desire"
2004 The Alamo Sergeant William Ward
2004–2006 Deadwood Tom Nuttall 29 episodes
2006 Gridiron Gang Paul Higa
2007–2010 Saving Grace Earl 46 episodes
2011–2012 Leverage Jack Latimer / Mysterious Man 5 episodes
2012 Alcatraz Dr. Milton Beauregard 12 episodes
2013 Under The Dome Ollie Dinsmore 5 episodes
The Lone Ranger Collins
2014 Rectify Lezlie 2 episodes
2016 11.22.63 Harry Dunning 2 episodes
2016–2017 The Blacklist Hunter 4 episodes
2019 Deadwood: The Movie Tom Nuttall TV movie

Awards and nominations edit

Year Association Category Nominated work Result
2007 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Deadwood Nominated

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Biography of Leon Rippy". TV.com. Retrieved 2013-02-09.[dead link]
  2. ^ "Biography of Leon Rippy". filmbug.com. 2006. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  3. ^ Brokaw, Francine (2007-07-13). "Leon Rippy breaks down what made him want to do this spiritual show". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-07-30.

External links edit