Marco Perella (born May 18, 1949)Texas Birth Index, Harris County, May 18, 1949. is an American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

and

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

, who has played a variety of small roles in

motion pictures A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

shot in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. He is best known for his role in '' Boyhood'' (2014), playing an abusive alcoholic second husband, Professor Bill Welbrock, and for his bestselling book, ''Adventures of A No Name Actor'' (2001), a humorous autobiography recounting his struggles in the acting world.

Life and career

Perella was born in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

,Marco A Perella
radaris.com, retrieved 19 May 2014Lone Ranger: Actor Stays Rooted In Texas
orlandosentinel.com, retrieved 19 May 2014 the son of Anthony Paul Perella and Edna Lee Drake. He studied at

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

, in

Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...

, but left after his junior year.The Player
austinchronicle.com, retrieved 19 May 2014 He then worked as a construction worker, firefighter, and musician, before auditioning for a role in ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-1 ...

''. In 1984, he and actress Diane Perella were married in Texas. They have two children. In the mid-1980s, Perella began to work in film and television. His debut was in ''

Fandango Fandango is a lively partner dance originating from Portugal and Spain, usually in triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has ...

'' (1985) starring

Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...

, but his scenes were cut before the theatrical release. He later took the role as a cab driver in ''

D.O.A. DOA may refer to: * Dead on arrival * Dead or Alive (disambiguation) Film * ''D.O.A.'' (1949 film), a ''film noir'' * ''D.O.A.'' (1988 film), a remake of the 1949 film * '' D.O.A.: A Rite of Passage'' (1980 film), a documentary on the gene ...

'' (1988) starring

Dennis Quaid Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor known for a wide variety of dramatic and comedic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the late 1970s, some of his notable credits include ''Breaking Away'' (1979), '' The ...

and

Meg Ryan Meg Ryan (born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra; November 19, 1961) is an American actress. She began her acting career in 1981 when she made her acting debut in the drama film ''Rich and Famous''. She later joined the cast of the CBS soap opera ...

. Other roles include a police sergeant in the made-for-TV movie ''

Knight Rider 2000 ''Knight Rider 2000'' is a 1991 American made-for-television science fiction action film based on the 1982–1986 television series ''Knight Rider''. Overview In the year 2000, conventional handguns have been banned, with law enforcement car ...

'' (1991) starring

David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The You ...

, as the Mercer interrogator in

Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born September 15, 1946) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Stone won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay as writer of '' Midnight Express'' (1978), and wrote the gangster film remake '' Sc ...

's ''

JFK John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

'' (1991) starring Kevin Costner, as a roadblock officer in ''

A Perfect World ''A Perfect World'' is a 1993 American crime drama film directed by Clint Eastwood. It stars Kevin Costner as an escaped convict who takes a young boy ( T. J. Lowther) hostage and attempts to escape on the road with the child. Eastwood co-stars ...

'' (1993) starring Kevin Costner,

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

, and

Laura Dern Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. Born to actor Bruce Dern and ac ...

, and as an Anglo father in '' Lone Star'' (1996) starring

Matthew McConaughey Matthew David McConaughey ( ; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He had his breakout role with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy '' Dazed and Confused'' (1993). After a number of supporting roles, his first succes ...

and

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are "Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Nig ...

. Perella had a

recurring role A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who frequently appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in more than one episode, sometimes being the main foc ...

, as Cobalt, in TV's ''

Walker, Texas Ranger ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film ''Lone Wolf McQuade'', with both this series and that film starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texa ...

'' (1993–1999) starring

Chuck Norris Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts championshi ...

; he also appeared in another episode of

entitled 'No Way Out' as Zeke, a mercenary working for Caleb Hooks (

Michael Parks Michael Parks (born Harry Samuel Parks; April 24, 1940 – May 9, 2017) was an American singer and actor. He appeared in many films and made frequent television appearances, notably starring in the 1969–1970 series '' Then Came Bronson'', but ...

). He also worked with director

Richard Linklater Richard Stuart Linklater (; born July 30, 1960) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for films that revolve mainly around suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies '' ...

several times, playing Tom Watson in ''

Fast Food Nation ''Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal'' is a 2001 book by Eric Schlosser. First serialized by ''Rolling Stone'' in 1999, the book has drawn comparisons to Upton Sinclair's 1906 muckraking novel '' The Jungle''. The book ...

'' (2006) starring

Greg Kinnear Gregory Buck Kinnear (born June 17, 1963) is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''As Good as It Gets'' (1997). Kinnear has appeared in many popular films, including ''Sabrina'' (199 ...

Bruce Willis Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and appeared in over a hundred films, gaining recognition as an action hero a ...

, and

Catalina Sandino Moreno Catalina Sandino Moreno (born 19 April 1981) is a Colombian actress. She shared the Silver Bear with Charlize Theron and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her leading role in ''Maria Full of Grace'' (2004). She cu ...

, as Donald in ''

A Scanner Darkly ''A Scanner Darkly'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick, published in 1977. The semi-autobiographical story is set in a dystopian Orange County, California, in the then-future of June 1994, and includes an extensive p ...

'' (2006) starring

Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( ; born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in '' Youngblood'' (1986). ...

Winona Ryder Winona Laura Horowitz (born October 29, 1971), professionally known as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Originally playing quirky roles, she rose to prominence for her more diverse performances in various genres in the 1990s. She has recei ...

, and

Robert Downey Jr. Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor and producer. His career has been characterized by critical and popular success in his youth, followed by a period of substance abuse and legal troubles, before a resurgence of ...

, and as Professor Bill Welbrock, the abusive alcoholic second husband, in '' Boyhood'' (2014) starring

Ellar Coltrane Ellar Coltrane Kinney Salmon (born August 27, 1994) is an American actor. They are best known for their role as Mason Evans Jr. in Richard Linklater's film '' Boyhood'', for which they won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer ...

Patricia Arquette Patricia Tiffany Arquette (born April 8, 1968) is an American actress. She made her feature film debut as Kristen Parker in '' A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors'' (1987). Her other notable films include ''True Romance'' (1993), ''Ed Wo ...

, and

Ethan Hawke Ethan Green Hawke (born November 6, 1970) is an American actor and film director. He has been nominated for four Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award. Hawke has directed three feature films, three off-Broadway plays, and a doc ...

. His autobiography, ''Adventures of A No Name Actor'', in which Perella humorously recounts his struggles in the acting world, was published in 2001 and became a bestseller. Perella lives in Onion Creek, Texas, with his wife, Diane. Besides being involved in acting, they offer on-camera acting classes and audition workshops in

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

Selected filmography

*''

'' (1988) as Cab Driver *'' It Takes Two'' (1988) as Dave *'' Cohen and Tate'' (1988) as FBI George *'' Pancho Barnes'' (1988) (TV movie) as Maj. Cooper *''

Night Game A night game, also called a nighter, is a sporting event that takes place, completely or partially, after the local sunset. Depending on the sport, this can be done either with floodlights or with the usual low-light conditions. The term "night ...

'' (1989) as Color Man *'' Challenger'' (1990) (TV movie) as Dick Methia *''Black Snow'' (1990) as Charlie *''

A Killing in a Small Town ''A Killing in a Small Town'', also known as ''Evidence of Love'', is a 1990 American crime drama television film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal and written by Cynthia Cidre. The film is based on the 1984 non-fiction book ''Evidence of Love'' by ...

'' (1990) (TV movie) as Rick Slocum *''

'' (1991) (TV movie) as Police Sergeant *'' A Seduction in Travis County'' (1991) (TV movie) as Poge *''

'' (1991) as Mercer Interrogator *''

Murder in the Heartland ''Murder in the Heartland'' is a television miniseries that aired on ABC in 1993. It was based on the 1957–58 murder spree carried out by 19-year-old Charles Starkweather throughout Nebraska and Wyoming. Starkweather is played by Tim Roth. The ...

'' (1993) (TV Mini-Series) as Bob Von Busch *'' My Boyfriend's Back'' (1993) as Townsperson *'' Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald'' (1993) (TV movie) as 2nd Young Guy *''

'' (1993) as Road Block Officer *'' The Chase'' (1994) as Cop #2 *''

Shadows of Desire ''Shadows of Desire'' is a 1994 television film starring Nicollette Sheridan, Joe Lando, Adrian Pasdar, Richard Roundtree, Piper Laurie and Brandon Smith. It was directed by Sam Pillsbury and written by Joyce Eliason. The film score was compose ...

'' (1994) (TV movie) as Man #1 *'' Tall, Dark and Deadly'' (1995) (TV movie) as Waiter *''

The Tuskegee Airmen ''The Tuskegee Airmen'' is a 1995 HBO television movie based on the exploits of an actual groundbreaking unit, the first African-American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Corps, that fought in World War II. The film was directed by Ro ...

'' (1995) (TV movie) as Col. Sirca *''

The Man with the Perfect Swing ''The Man with the Perfect Swing'' is a 1995 American comedy-drama movie written and directed by Michael Hovis. Synopsis A passion for golf drives this story about fame, schemes and paying the bills. Having successfully failed at everything, An ...

'' (1995) as Chuck Carter *'' Lone Star'' (1996) as Anglo Father *''

Two Mothers for Zachary ''Two Mothers for Zachary'' is a 1996 ABC television film directed by Peter Werner and starring Valerie Bertinelli and Vanessa Redgrave. It is a true story adaptation of the '' Bottoms v. Bottoms'' family custody battle brought by a mother who di ...

'' (1996) (TV movie) as Reporter #2 *'' The People Next Door'' (1996) (TV movie) as Simms, Manager *'' Deep in the Heart'' (1996) as Mickey / Coach *''

Keys to Tulsa ''Keys to Tulsa'' is a 1997 American crime film directed by Leslie Greif, and starring Eric Stoltz and James Spader. It is based on the novel of the same name by Brian Fair Berkey. There is an unrated version that runs 3 minutes longer than the th ...

'' (1997) as Bedford Shaw *'' To Live Again'' (1998) (TV movie) as News Anchor *''

Home Fries Home fries (US, Canada), house fries (US), American fries (US), fried potatoes (UK, Canada and regional US), Bratkartoffeln (German), bistro potatoes (southeastern US), or peasant potatoes are a type of basic potato dish made by pan- or skillet ...

'' (1998) as Good Ol' Boy in Pickup *'' Varsity Blues'' (1999) as Dr. Benton *'' Brothers. Dogs. And God'' (2000) as Buddy *''

Hell Swarm In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hel ...

'' (2000) (TV movie) as Brad Dempsey *''

Picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...

'' (2000) (TV movie) as Police Chief *'' Miss Congeniality'' (2000) as Starbucks Guy *'' Beyond the Prairie, Part 2: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder'' (2002) (TV movie) as Grady *''

The Life of David Gale ''The Life of David Gale'' is a 2003 dramatic crime thriller film directed by Alan Parker and written by Charles Randolph. The film is an international co-production, between the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom. It was Parker's final ...

'' (2003) as TV Host *''

No Pain, No Gain No pain, no gain (or "No gain without pain") is a proverb, used since the 1980s as an exercise motto that promises greater value rewards for the price of hard and even painful work. Under this conception competitive professionals, such as athletes ...

'' (2005) as Preppy Customer *'' Friday Night Lights'' (2004) as Booster *''

The Wendell Baker Story ''The Wendell Baker Story'' is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Luke Wilson and Andrew Wilson and starring Luke Wilson, Eva Mendes, Owen Wilson, Eddie Griffin, Kris Kristofferson, Harry Dean Stanton, Seymour Cassel, and Will Ferrell. It pr ...

'' (2005) as Investigator *''

Sin City ''Sin City'' is a series of neo-noir comics by American comic book writer-artist Frank Miller. The first story originally appeared in ''Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special'' (April 1991), and continued in ''Dark Horse Presents'' #51� ...

'' (2005) as Skinny Dude *'' The King'' (2005) as Chairman *''

'' (2006) as Tom Watson *''

'' (2006) as Donald *''

Infamous Infamous may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Infamous'' (2006 film), an American drama film * ''Infamous'' (2020 film), an American crime thriller film * "Infamous", an episode of ''Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinj ...

'' (2006) as Clifford Hope *''

Elvis and Anabelle ''Elvis and Anabelle'' is an American romantic drama film written and directed by Will Geiger. It stars Blake Lively, Max Minghella, Joe Mantegna, Mary Steenburgen, and Keith Carradine. The film premiered on March 10, 2007, at the South by Sout ...

'' (2007) as Doctor *'' Love and Mary'' (2007) as Vince *''

Broke Sky ''Broke Sky'' is a 2007 neo-noir 35 millimeter film, and the directorial debut of cinematographer Thomas L. Callaway. The film stars Will Wallace, Joe Unger, Bruce Glover, Duane Whitaker and Barbara Chisholm, and has earned comparisons to the w ...

'' (2007) as Paul *'' Spirit Camp'' (2009) as Nikki's Dad *'' Deep in the Heart'' (2012) as Fred *''

This Is Where We Live ''This Is Where We Live'' is the debut album by American band Paco. It was released on May 18, 2004 by Andy Chase's Unfiltered Records. Track listing Track listing gathered from AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and ...

'' (2013) as Doctor Benson *'' Boyhood'' (2014) as Professor Bill Welbrock *'' The Teller and the Truth'' (2015) as FBI Agent Carl Winstead *''

My All American ''My All American'' is a 2015 American biographical drama sport film based on the life of college football player Freddie Steinmark. The film was written and directed by Angelo Pizzo. It is based on the book ''Courage Beyond the Game: The Fred ...

'' (2015) as Dr. Martin *''

The Devil's Candy ''The Devil's Candy'' is a 2015 American horror film written and directed by Sean Byrne. The film stars Ethan Embry, Shiri Appleby, Kiara Glasco, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Craig Nigh and Marco Perella. The film was released by IFC Midnight on March 17 ...

'' (2015) as Sgt. Davis *'' A Room Full of Nothing'' (2019) as Steve

TV series

*'' Dangerous Curves'' (1992–1993) as Bruder Larry *''

'' (1993–1999) as Cobalt / Zeke *''

Wishbone Wishbone commonly refers to: * Furcula, a fork-shaped bone in birds and some dinosaurs Wishbone may also refer to: * Wish-Bone, an American salad dressing and condiment company * Wishbone formation, a type of offense in American football * Wish ...

'' (1995) as Seymour LaVista *'' Friday Night Lights'' (2008) as Big Shot *''

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

'' (2013) as Mark-Oil Executive *'' In an Instant'' (2015) as Koski's neighbor *'' The Leftovers'' (2015) as Charlie Simpson *'' American Crime'' (2016) as Senator Robert Butler

References

External links

Personal site
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Perella, Marco 1949 births Living people American male film actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Stanford University people Male actors from Texas