Michael Papajohn (born November 7, 1964) 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 ...
,
stuntman
A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...
and former college baseball player for the
LSU Tigers baseball
The LSU Tigers baseball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference. It ranks seventh overall with 18 College World Series appeara ...
team. He played
Dennis Carradine in
Sam Raimi
Samuel M. Raimi ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the Spider-Man (2002 film series), ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007) and the ''Evil Dead'' franchise (1981–present). He also directed the 1 ...
's
''Spider-Man'' trilogy.
Early life
Papajohn was born and raised
Vestavia Hills
Vestavia Hills, colloquially known simply as Vestavia, is a city in Jefferson and Shelby counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a suburb of Birmingham and it is made up of Vestavia, Liberty Park, and Cahaba Heights. As of the 2020 census ...
, a suburb of
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...
, to a
Greek American
Greek Americans ( el, Ελληνοαμερικανοί ''Ellinoamerikanoí'' ''Ellinoamerikánoi'' ) are Americans of full or partial Greek ancestry. The lowest estimate is that 1.2 million Americans are of Greek descent while the highest es ...
family.
He graduated from
Vestavia Hills High School
Vestavia Hills High School.
Vestavia Hills High School (VHHS), founded in 1970, is a public high school in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, USA. It is part of the Vestavia Hills City Schools.
History
The land was acquir ...
in 1983 and went on to play for two years at Gulf Coast Community College in
Panama City, Florida
Panama City is a city in and the county seat of Bay County, Florida, United States. Located along U.S. Highway 98 (US 98), it is the largest city between Tallahassee and Pensacola. It is the more populated city of the Panama City–Lynn Ha ...
. He was drafted by the
Texas Rangers in the 1985
Major League Baseball Draft
The first-year player draft is the primary mechanism of Major League Baseball (MLB) for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its teams. The draft order is determined based on a lo ...
. Instead of signing a contract, he accepted a baseball scholarship to
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
in
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, it is the parish seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana's most populous parish—the equivalent of counties i ...
.
College career
Nicknamed Poppy, Papajohn was an outfielder for
Skip Bertman
Stanley "Skip" Bertman (born May 23, 1938) is a former college baseball coach and athletic director at Louisiana State University (LSU). He led the LSU Tigers baseball team to five College World Series championships and seven Southeastern Confere ...
's LSU Tigers. He was a member of the
1986 SEC baseball tournament All-Tournament Team and he, along with teammates
Mark Guthrie
Mark Andrew Guthrie (born September 22, 1965) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for several teams between 1989 and 2003 and was a member of the 1991 World Series Champion Minnesota Twins.
Career
After graduating from ...
,
Joey Belle,
Jeff Reboulet, Jeff Yurtin,
Jack Voigt
John David Voigt (born May 17, 1966) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and the current Coach (baseball), hitting coach for the Las Vegas 51s. He played all or part of seven seasons in the majors, from 1992 until 1998, for the ...
and
Barry Manuel
Barry Paul Manuel (born August 12, 1965) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball between 1991 and 1998, and one season in Nippon Professional Baseball in 1999.
In high school Manue ...
, among others, helped LSU make its first
College World Series
The College World Series (CWS), officially the NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS), is an annual baseball tournament held in June in Omaha, Nebraska. The MCWS is the culmination of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisi ...
appearance in
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
.
Acting career
Papajohn got his start in acting while he was a student at
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
. Already an athlete, he was hired to be a stunt performer in the film ''
Everybody's All-American
''Everybody's All-American'' is a novel by longtime ''Sports Illustrated'' contributor Frank Deford, published in 1981. It was made into a motion picture, directed by Taylor Hackford.
Plot summary
The novel tells the story of a fictional famou ...
'' which was being filmed on the campus of LSU and featured football action sequences filmed during
LSU football
The LSU Tigers football program, also known as the Fighting Tigers, represents Louisiana State University in college football. The Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and ...
games in
Tiger Stadium. From there he moved on to being a stunt performer in films such as ''
Money Talks'' and ''
Starship Troopers'' and acting in films like ''
Predator 2
''Predator 2'' is a 1990 American science fiction action film written by brothers Jim and John Thomas, directed by Stephen Hopkins, and starring Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Ruben Blades, María Conchita Alonso, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Peter Hall ...
'', ''
For Love of the Game'', where he plays
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
slugger Sam Tuttle, and ''
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
'' and ''
Spider-Man 3
''Spider-Man 3'' is a 2007 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi from a screenplay by Raimi, his older brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent. It is the final installment in Raimi's ...
'', in which he plays Dennis Carradine,
the robber that was thought to have killed Uncle Ben with a pistol; Papajohn also makes a
cameo appearance
A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...
as a different character in the film series' reboot, ''
The Amazing Spider-Man
''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the Earth 616, mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bim ...
''. He has also starred in ''
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'', ''
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'', ''
Terminator Salvation
''Terminator Salvation'' is a 2009 American military science fiction action film directed by McG and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris. It is the fourth installment of the ''Terminator'' franchise and serves as a sequel to '' Termin ...
'', ''
S.W.A.T.
In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
'', ''
Land of the Lost Land of the Lost may refer to:
* Land of the Lost (1974 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1974 TV series), the original 1974 children's television series
* Land of the Lost (1991 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1991 TV series), the 1991 remake of ...
'', ''
G-Force
The gravitational force equivalent, or, more commonly, g-force, is a measurement of the type of force per unit mass – typically acceleration – that causes a perception of weight, with a g-force of 1 g (not gram in mass measure ...
'' in 2009,''
The Assault'' and ''
Jeepers Creepers 3
''Jeepers Creepers 3'' is a 2017 American horror film written and directed by Victor Salva and the third film in the ''Jeepers Creepers'' film series, taking place in between '' Jeepers Creepers'' and ''Jeepers Creepers 2''. Jonathan Breck repr ...
'' in 2017.
Filmography
* 1988 ''
Everybody's All-American
''Everybody's All-American'' is a novel by longtime ''Sports Illustrated'' contributor Frank Deford, published in 1981. It was made into a motion picture, directed by Taylor Hackford.
Plot summary
The novel tells the story of a fictional famou ...
'' as Unknown
* 1990 ''
Predator 2
''Predator 2'' is a 1990 American science fiction action film written by brothers Jim and John Thomas, directed by Stephen Hopkins, and starring Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Ruben Blades, María Conchita Alonso, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Peter Hall ...
'' as Subway Gang
* 1991 ''
The Last Boy Scout
''The Last Boy Scout'' is a 1991 American buddy action comedy film directed by Tony Scott, written by Shane Black, and produced by Joel Silver. The film stars Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, Chelsea Field, Noble Willingham, Taylor Negron and Daniel ...
'' as Hitman
* 1992 ''
The Babe
''The Babe'' is a 1992 American biographical sports drama film about the life of famed baseball player Babe Ruth, who is portrayed by John Goodman. Directed by Arthur Hiller, written by John Fusco, it was released in the United States on April 1 ...
'' as Heckler
* 1992 ''
Mr. Baseball'' as Rick
* 1994 ''
Little Big League
''Little Big League'' is a 1994 American family sports film about a 12-year-old who suddenly becomes the owner and then manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team. It stars Luke Edwards, Timothy Busfield, and Dennis Farina. The film is direct ...
'' as Tucker Kain
* 1995 ''Dominion'' as John
* 1995 ''
The Indian in the Cupboard
''The Indian in the Cupboard'' is a low fantasy children's novel by the British writer Lynne Reid Banks. It was published in 1980 with illustrations by Robin Jacques (UK) and Brock Cole (US). It was later adapted as a 1995 children's film ...
'' as Cardassian
* 1995 ''
Wild Bill'' as Extra (uncredited)
* 1996 ''
Naked Souls'' as Driver
* 1996 ''
Eraser
An eraser (also known as a rubber in some Commonwealth countries, including South Africa from the material first used) is an article of stationery that is used for removing marks from paper or skin (e.g. parchment or vellum). Erasers have a ...
'' as CIA Agent Schiffer
* 1997 ''
Spawn
Spawn or spawning may refer to:
* Spawn (biology), the eggs and sperm of aquatic animals
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Spawn (character), a fictional character in the comic series of the same name and in the associated franchise
** '' Spawn: ...
'' as Glen, Zack's Dad
* 1998 ''
My Giant
''My Giant'' is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. The film stars Billy Crystal, who also produced and co-wrote the story for the film, and Romanian NBA player Gheorghe Mureșan in his only film appearance. David Seltzer' ...
'' as Tough Guy #1
* 1998 ''
The Waterboy
''The Waterboy'' is a 1998 American sports comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It was written by Adam Sandler as well as Tim Herlihy and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. Sandler also stars as the title character while Kathy Bates ...
'' as Unknown
* 1999 ''
Inferno
Inferno may refer to:
* Hell, an afterlife place of suffering
* Conflagration, a large uncontrolled fire
Film
* ''L'Inferno'', a 1911 Italian film
* Inferno (1953 film), ''Inferno'' (1953 film), a film noir by Roy Ward Baker
* Inferno (1973 fi ...
'' as Creep
* 1999 ''
For Love of the Game'' as Sam Tuttle
* 2000 ''
Charlie's Angels
''Charlie's Angels'' is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22, 1976, to June 24, 1981, producing five seasons and 115 episodes. The series was created by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts and was produced by Aa ...
'' as Bathroom Thug
* 2000 ''The Patriot of America'' as Payne (voice)
* 2001 ''
The Animal
''The Animal'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Luke Greenfield, written by Rob Schneider and Tom Brady, and starring Schneider in the lead role, Colleen Haskell, John C. McGinley, Guy Torry, and Edward Asner. The film depicts a police ...
'' as Patrolman Brady
* 2001 ''Rustin'' as Trent Cotee
* 2002 ''Whacked'' as Shannon
* 2002 ''
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
'' as Carjacker
* 2002 ''
The Hot Chick
''The Hot Chick'' is a 2002 American comedy film written and directed by Tom Brady, with additional writing by Rob Schneider. Schneider stars as Clive Maxtone, a middle-aged criminal who switches bodies with mean-spirited cheerleader Jessica Spe ...
'' as Security Guard
* 2003 ''
A Man Apart
''A Man Apart'' is a 2003 American vigilante action film directed by F. Gary Gray and released by New Line Cinema. The film stars Vin Diesel and Larenz Tate. The story follows undercover DEA agent Sean Vetter who is on a vendetta to take down a m ...
'' as Fake Uniformed Cop (uncredited)
* 2003 ''
Hulk
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
'' as Technician #5
* 2003 ''
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines'' as Paramedic #1
* 2003 ''
S.W.A.T.
In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
'' as Bistro Gangster #3
* 2003 ''
House of Sand and Fog'' as Carpenter
* 2004 ''
The Last Shot
''The Last Shot'' is a 2004 American action comedy film starring Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, Toni Collette, Calista Flockhart, Ray Liotta, Tim Blake Nelson, James Rebhorn and Tony Shalhoub. The film is written and directed by Jeff Nathanson, ...
'' as Ed Rossi Jr.
* 2005 ''
The Longest Yard'' as Guard Papajohn
* 2005 ''
Domino
Dominoes is a family of tile-based games played with gaming pieces, commonly known as dominoes. Each domino is a rectangular tile, usually with a line dividing its face into two square ''ends''. Each end is marked with a number of spots (also ca ...
'' as Cigliutti Goon (uncredited)
* 2006 ''
Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector'' as Diner Manager
* 2006 ''How to Go Out on a Date in Queens'' as Man At Table
* 2007 ''
Spider-Man 3
''Spider-Man 3'' is a 2007 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi from a screenplay by Raimi, his older brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent. It is the final installment in Raimi's ...
'' as Dennis Carradine/Carjacker
* 2007 ''
Delta Farce
''Delta Farce'' is a 2007 American war comedy film directed by C. B. Harding and stars Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy, DJ Qualls and Danny Trejo. The first film after the '' Blue Collar Comedy Tour'' concert films to star both Engvall and Lar ...
'' as Bill's Neighbor
* 2007 ''
Live Free or Die Hard
''Live Free or Die Hard'' (released as ''Die Hard 4.0'' outside North America) is a 2007 American action-thriller film directed by Len Wiseman, and serves as the fourth installment in the ''Die Hard'' film series. It is based on the 1997 articl ...
'' as Gabriel's Henchman (uncredited)
* 2007 ''
I Know Who Killed Me
''I Know Who Killed Me'' is a 2007 American psychological thriller film directed by Chris Sivertson, written by Jeff Hammond, and starring Lindsay Lohan, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough and Brian Geraghty. The film's story revolves around a young ...
'' as Jacob K. / Joseph K.
* 2008 ''
Superhero Movie'' (2008) as Robber, 'Gimme Your Wallet'
* 2008 ''
Yes Man'' as Security Guard (uncredited)
* 2009 ''
Terminator Salvation
''Terminator Salvation'' is a 2009 American military science fiction action film directed by McG and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris. It is the fourth installment of the ''Terminator'' franchise and serves as a sequel to '' Termin ...
'' as Carnahan
* 2009 ''
Land of the Lost Land of the Lost may refer to:
* Land of the Lost (1974 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1974 TV series), the original 1974 children's television series
* Land of the Lost (1991 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1991 TV series), the 1991 remake of ...
'' as Astronaut (uncredited)
* 2009 ''
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'' as Colin 'Cal' Banes
* 2009 ''
G-Force
The gravitational force equivalent, or, more commonly, g-force, is a measurement of the type of force per unit mass – typically acceleration – that causes a perception of weight, with a g-force of 1 g (not gram in mass measure ...
'' as FBI Techie
* 2010 ''
Jonah Hex
Jonah Woodson Hex is a fictional antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is scarred on the ...
'' as Saber Guard
* 2010 ''
The Assault'' as Pillot
* 2011 ''
Drive Angry
''Drive Angry'' (alternatively titled ''Drive Angry 3D'') is a 2011 American action horror film in the grindhouse cinema tradition, directed by Patrick Lussier, who co-wrote it with Todd Farmer. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, Willia ...
'' as Tattooed Cult Member
* 2011 ''
The Hit List'' as FBI Special Agent Drake Ford
* 2012 ''
This Means War'' as German Goon
* 2012 ''
For the Love of Money
"For the Love of Money" is a soul/funk song that was written and composed by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Anthony Jackson; it was recorded by Philadelphia soul group The O'Jays for the album ''Ship Ahoy.'' Produced by Gamble and Huff for Phi ...
'' as Little Guy
* 2012 ''
The Amazing Spider-Man
''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the Earth 616, mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bim ...
'' as Alfie (uncredited)
* 2012 ''
The Dark Knight Rises
''The Dark Knight Rises'' is a 2012 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan, and the story with David S. Goyer. The film is based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is th ...
'' as Prison Guard (uncredited)
* 2012 ''
The Bourne Legacy'' as CIA Agent Larry
* 2012 ''
Gangster Squad'' as Mike 'The Flea'
* 2013 ''
Pawn Shop Chronicles
''Pawn Shop Chronicles'', also known as ''Hustlers'', is a 2013 American crime comedy film directed by Wayne Kramer and written by Adam Minarovich. The film stars an ensemble cast, led by Paul Walker, Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser, Vincent D'Onofri ...
'' as Spectator #1
* 2013 ''
Bering Sea Beast'' as Jonas
* 2013 ''
Escape Plan'' as Prisoner Beaten By Breslin
* 2013 ''
Homefront'' as Hitman #4
* 2013–2015 ''
Banshee
A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name is c ...
'' as Delmont Munson, Bald Thug
* 2014 ''
Devil's Due'' as Officer Miska
* 2014 ''
Rage'' as Vory
* 2014 ''
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
''Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'' is a 2014 American science fiction film directed by Matt Reeves from a screenplay by Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. It is the sequel to ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes'' (2011), and the second in ...
'' as Cannon-Gunner
* 2014 ''
Get on Up'' as 1949 Cop
* 2014 ''
Nightcrawler'' as Security Guard
* 2014 ''
Selma
Selma may refer to:
Places
*Selma, Algeria
*Selma, Nova Scotia, Canada
*Selma, Switzerland, village in the Grisons
United States:
*Selma, Alabama, city in Dallas County, best known for the Selma to Montgomery marches
*Selma, Arkansas
*Selma, Cali ...
'' as Major John Cloud
* 2015 ''
Wild Card'' as Pit Boss
* 2015 ''
Jurassic World'' as InGen Contractor
* 2015 ''
American Ultra
''American Ultra'' is a 2015 American action comedy film directed by Nima Nourizadeh and written by Max Landis. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, and To ...
'' as Otis
* 2015 ''Nocturna'' as Lonny
* 2016 ''My Many Sons'' as Pete's Dad
* 2016 ''
Cold Moon'' as Ed Gieger
* 2016 ''
Ozark Sharks'' as Rick
* 2016 ''
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back'' as DC Policeman At Restaurant
* 2016 ''
Live by Night
''Live by Night'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 2012. It won a 2013 Edgar Award for novel of the year.
Plot summary
By 1926, Prohibition in the United States gives rise to an endless network of underground ...
'' as Maso's Crew (uncredited
* 2017 ''Reborn'' as Dyson
* 2017 ''
Vengeance: A Love Story'' as J.J. Breen
* 2017 ''
Jeepers Creepers 3
''Jeepers Creepers 3'' is a 2017 American horror film written and directed by Victor Salva and the third film in the ''Jeepers Creepers'' film series, taking place in between '' Jeepers Creepers'' and ''Jeepers Creepers 2''. Jonathan Breck repr ...
'' as Frank
* 2018 ''
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom'' as InGen Contractor
* 2019 ''
Welcome to Acapulco
''Welcome to Acapulco'' is a 2019 Mexican action comedy thriller film directed by Guillermo Iván and starring Michael Kingsbaker, Ana Serradilla, Michael Madsen, Paul Sorvino, William Baldwin, Bradley Gregg, Jeannine Kaspar and Michael Papajohn ...
'' as Apex
* 2019 ''
Black and Blue
''Black and Blue'' is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976 by Rolling Stones Records.
This album was the first recorded after former guitarist Mick Taylor quit ...
'' as Sergeant Leader
* 2020 ''
Unhinged'' as Homer
References
External links
*
LSUSports.net Incomplete Bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Papajohn, Michael
1964 births
American male film actors
American male television actors
American people of Greek descent
American stunt performers
Living people
LSU Tigers baseball players
Male actors from Birmingham, Alabama
Baseball players from Birmingham, Alabama
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
People from Vestavia Hills, Alabama