Michael John Berryman(born September 4, 1948)[1]is an Americancharacter actor.[2]Berryman was born withhypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia,a rare condition characterized by the absence of sweat glands, hair, and fingernails; his unusual physical appearance has allowed Berryman to make a career out of portraying characters in a number ofcult films,horror filmsandB movies.He first came to prominence for his roles inMiloš Forman'sOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest(1975) andWes Craven'sThe Hills Have Eyes(1977). He has appeared in a wide range of feature films and television series, includingStar Trek,The X-Files,andHighway to Heaven,in which he portrayed Satan.
Michael Berryman | |
|---|---|
 Berryman on November 18, 2007 | |
| Born | Michael John Berryman September 4, 1948[1] |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Website | michaelberryman |
Early life
editMichael John Berryman was born September 4, 1948, inLos Angeles,California, the second of two children of Sloan and Barbara Berryman.[1]He has one elder sister, Virginia.[3]Berryman is of partial German descent;[4]his German great-grandfather was a doctor who worked inVienna.[5]Berryman's mother was a nurse, and his father was aU.S. Navyneurosurgeon[1]who was deployed to theHiroshimafallout zone in the wake of the atomic bombing.[6]
Berryman was born withhypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia,a rare genetic condition that affects the development ofsweat glands,skin, hair, and fingernails.[7]The condition also led Berryman to developcraniosynostosis,requiring him to undergocranial reconstructive surgeryas a child.[3]
He was raisedRoman Catholicand attendedSaint Monica Preparatoryin Santa Monica.[8]Berryman became an avidsurferfrom a young age.[4]After completing high school, Berryman attendedCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo,where he studied botany and zoology.[9]Prior to becoming an actor, he worked as aflorist.[7]
Career
editThis sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(February 2024) |
Berryman played Pluto inWes Craven's 1977 horror filmThe Hills Have Eyes[2]and the 1985 sequelThe Hills Have Eyes Part II.[2]He has also made appearances in thescience fictionandfantasymoviesMy Science Project(1985),Weird Science(1985),Armed Response(1986),Evil Spirits(1990),The Guyver(1991), andBrutal(2007). He appeared in the 1975Academy Award-winning dramaOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.[2]His time on set forThe Hills Have Eyesproved difficult for him, since, during the 4-month shoot, temperatures in the desert routinely surpassed 100 degrees Fahrenheit and, without sweat glands, he had to take special precautions to avoid suffering heatstroke.
He had a role inThe Crow(1994) as "The Skull Cowboy", Eric Draven's guide to the land of the living. Berryman's scenes were cut from the original theatrical release, but can be found on some DVD releases under "Deleted Scenes".
He has appeared inStar Trekand some episodes ofThe X-Files.[2]He appeared in the 1985Mötley Crüevideo for "Smokin' In the Boys Room",as well as the introduction to the band's song"Home Sweet Home".He also portrayed the devil in two episodes ofHighway to Heaven:"The Devil and Jonathan Smith" (1985) and "I Was a Middle-Aged Werewolf" (1987).
Berryman is a popular draw at genre conventions, such as the 2002 Horrorfind convention inBaltimore, Maryland,and the 2007 Eerie Horror Film Festival inErie, Pennsylvania.He also appeared in 2001 and 2002 at the Horrorfind convention inBaltimore, Maryland,and inMilwaukee, Wisconsin,on June 7 and 8 attending as a guest of "The Milwaukee County Massacre", a horror film convention and music festival. Berryman appeared at the "Scarefest" convention inLexington, Kentucky,and at theSpooky Empireconvention inOrlando, Florida,on October 17–19, 2008. He appeared inRoseville, Minnesota,at Crypticon 2008 for "A November to Dismember" on November 14–16, 2008 for the show's third year.
Berryman starred in the British-Canadian horror filmBelow Zero(2012),directed by Justin Thomas Orstensen.[10]He was also a special guest at the third annual San Antonio Horrific Film Fest in August 2010,[11]the Cinema Wasteland convention in April 2011 and the Contamination Convention in Missouri in June 2012. From 2014 to 2018 he played the founder of Zona inZ Nation.In 2024, he starred in a horror film,They Turned Us Into KillerswithTaryn Manning,Scout Taylor-ComptonandKane Hodder.[12]
Personal life
editBerryman is a strong advocate forenvironmental protectionand lived on a wolfsanctuaryfor ten years.[13]
Awards
edit| Year | Result | Award | Category/Recipient(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Nominated | Saturn Award | Best Actor – HorrorforThe Hills Have Eyes |
| 2007 | Won | EyeGore Award | Career Contribution in Horror Genre |
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze | Coroner | ||
| One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest | Ellis | |||
| 1977 | The Hills Have Eyes | Pluto | ||
| Another Man, Another Chance | First Bandit | |||
| 1978 | The Fifth Floor | Mental Patient | ||
| 1980 | Co-Ed | |||
| 1981 | Deadly Blessing | William Gluntz | ||
| 1983 | Likely Stories, Vol. 3 | Man on television commercial | ||
| 1984 | Voyage of the Rock Aliens | Chainsaw | ||
| Invitation to Hell | Valet | |||
| The Hills Have Eyes Part II | Pluto | |||
| 1985 | Weird Science | Mutant Biker | ||
| Cut and Run | Quecho | |||
| My Science Project | Mutant #1 | |||
| 1986 | Armed Response | F.C. | ||
| Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | Starfleet display officer | |||
| 1987 | The Barbarians | Dirtmaster | ||
| Off the Mark | Acme Labs Man | |||
| Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III | Cpl. Catlett | |||
| 1988 | Alf (TV series) | Lab Man | S02E25 | |
| Saturday the 14th Strikes Back | The Mummy | |||
| Star Trek: The Next Generation:"Conspiracy" | Captain Rixx | |||
| 1989 | Star Trek V: The Final Frontier | Sybok Warrior | Uncredited | |
| 1990 | Aftershock | Queen | ||
| Solar Crisis | Matthew | |||
| Evil Spirits | Mr. Balzac | |||
| Far Out Man | Angry Biker | |||
| 1991 | The Guyver | Lisker | ||
| Wizards of the Demon Sword | Highway Man #1 | |||
| Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time | Pilgrim #1 | |||
| Teenage Exorcist | Herman | |||
| The Secret of the Golden Eagle | ||||
| Tales from the Crypt:"The Reluctant Vampire" | Rupert Van Helsing | |||
| 1992 | Little Sister | Teacher | ||
| Auntie Lee's Meat Pies | Larry | |||
| 1994 | The Crow | The Skull Cowboy | Scenes Deleted | |
| Double Dragon | Maniac Leader | |||
| 1996 | Spy Hard | Bus Patron with Oxygen Mask | ||
| Mojave Moon | Angel | |||
| 1997 | Gator King | The Tech | ||
| 2000 | The Independent | Himself | ||
| Rebel Yell | Bouncer | Uncredited | ||
| Two Heads are Better than None | Chives, the butler | |||
| 2005 | The Devil's Rejects | Clevon | ||
| 2006 | The Absence of Light | The Seer | ||
| Fallen Angels | Mort | |||
| Penny Dreadful | Gas Station Worker | |||
| 2007 | Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield | Jack | ||
| Dead Man's Hand | Gil Wachetta | |||
| Brutal | Leroy Calhoun | |||
| 2009 | Brother's War | Col. Petrov | ||
| Smash Cut | Philip Farmsworth Jr. | |||
| Outrage | Obeah | |||
| Necrosis | Seymour | |||
| 2010 | The Tenant | Arthur Delman | ||
| Satan Hates You | Mr. Harker | |||
| Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster | Zombie Head | |||
| Mask Maker | Fred | |||
| 2011 | Below Zero | Gunnar | ||
| Beg | Clayton Starks | |||
| The Family | William | |||
| 2012 | The Lords of Salem | Virgil Magnus | ||
| 2013 | Self Storage | Trevor | ||
| Army of the Damned | Crazy Earl | |||
| 2014 | Apocalypse Kiss | David Horn | ||
| Erebus | Jonah Crane | |||
| 2015 | Kill or Be Killed | Dr. Pepperdine | ||
| 2016 | Smothered | Himself | ||
| Potent Media's Sugar Skull Girls | Hobbs | |||
| 2017 | The Evil Within | Cadaver | ||
| Death House | Crau | |||
| Z Nation | The Founder | |||
| ONE PLEASE | Ice Cream Man | |||
| 2018 | Violent Starr | The Godmichael | ||
| 2019 | Shed of the Dead | Derek | [14] | |
| Midnight Evil | Grandpa Forney | Film A.K.A.Midnight Devils | ||
| 2021 | New York Ninja | Plutonium Killer (voice) | ||
| 2024 | They Turned Us Into Killers | Jed | ||
| (TBC) | Room 9 | Jed Bedford |
References
edit- ^abcd"Berryman, Michael 1948–".Encyclopedia.com.Archivedfrom the original on April 24, 2023.
- ^abcde"Michael Berryman".Movies & TV Dept.The New York Times.2016. Archived fromthe originalon March 7, 2016.
- ^abBerryman 2023,pp. 1–6.
- ^abHanley, Ken H. (July 24, 2013)."Calgary Horror Con: Michael Berryman".Diabolique Magazine.Archivedfrom the original on April 24, 2023.
- ^Berryman 2023,p. 26.
- ^Berryman, Michael."Interview with Michael Berryman of Hills Have Eyes & Devil's Rejects at Frightmare in the Falls 2019".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on December 12, 2012.
- ^ab"Michael Berryman Biography".Turner Classic Movies.RetrievedApril 24,2023.
- ^Berryman 2023,pp. 13–20, 46.
- ^Berryman 2023,pp. 57–58.
- ^Miska, Brad (3 March 2010)."Michael Berryman Deep Frozen in 'Below Zero 3D'!".Bloody Disgusting.RetrievedMay 20,2019.
- ^Johnson, Scott A. (July 7, 2010)."San Antonio Horrific Film Festival Wants Your Films!".Dread Central.RetrievedMay 20,2019.
- ^Squires, John (2023-12-14)."'They Turned Us into Killers' Exclusive Trailer – Scout Taylor-Compton Gets Bloody Revenge This January ".Bloody Disgusting!.Retrieved2024-02-18.
- ^"A Conversation With Michael Berryman".go.Jimmy.go.8 March 2012.Retrieved6 September2015.
- ^Shed of the Dead (2019) - IMDb.Retrieved2024-10-24– via www.imdb.com.
Bibliography
edit- Berryman, Michael (2023).It's All Good!.Michel Berryman.OCLC1374627677– viaAmazon Books.
External links
edit