Scott Leslie Schwartz (born March 16, 1959), also known as The Ultimate Bad Guy, is an American film and

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

and stuntman, and former

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

. His size and agility at 6'8" and have allowed him many roles as thug or villain for film and television.

Background

Schwartz was born in the United States. He is of Israeli descent and is a devout

Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...

. Schwartz was born and raised in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, where he played football,

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

and

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...

at Washington High School before attending

Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then calle ...

. After college, he became a professional wrestler, wrestling under the ring-names of "Joshua Ben-Gurion—The Israeli Commando" and "Giant David". Schwartz toured as a wrestler and held many titles, before turning his career toward performance in film and television. Apart from his acting, and after completing training, Schwartz became a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy and a reserve deputy with the

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States ...

. He currently resides in

Seal Beach Seal Beach is a coastal city in Orange County, California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 25,242, up from 24,168 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census. Seal Beach is located in the w ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

Professional wrestling career

After college, Schwartz became a

, trained in the late '70s by wrestling's Walter "Killer" Kowalski. Schwartz's original ring-name was Giant David, but by the '80s he was known as Joshua Ben-Gurion—The Israeli Commando. As a professional wrestler, he performed in Japan,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

, Australia,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the Internationa ...

Western Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...

, Fiji,

Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and 40 of the 50

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. He was promoted by

Verne Gagne Laverne Clarence Gagne (February 26, 1926 – April 27, 2015) was an American amateur and professional wrestler, football player, wrestling trainer, and wrestling promoter. He was the owner and promoter of the Minneapolis-based American Wrest ...

Vince McMahon Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American media proprietor and retired professional wrestling promoter, executive, and performer. From 1982 to 2022, he served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the ...

Herb Abrams Herbert Charles Abrams (July 9, 1955 – July 23, 1996), also known by the nickname Mr. Electricity, was an American professional wrestling promoter from Queens, New York, who founded the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1990. Early life ...

, Antone "Ripper" Leone, and

Bruno Sammartino Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (October 6, 1935 – April 18, 2018) was an Italian-born American professional wrestler, best known for his work with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). There, he held the WWWF World Heavywe ...

Film career

Schwartz was wrestling on tour in Bakersfield,

, when he was approached by a Hollywood agent. After seeing Schwartz's wrestling on television, the agent had traveled to Bakerfield to meet him, feeling Schwartz should take his skills into performing arts. At first, Schwartz was reluctant to change careers, wanting to retire as a wrestler. In his early

stunt work A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat or an act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes usually on television, theaters, or cinema. Stunts are a feature of many action films. Before computer generated imagery spe ...

, and because of his background in pro wrestling, Schwartz was able to handle the staged combat, which required protecting opponents from harm. Due to his look, size, agility, and ability to handle dialogue, he has been able to obtain roles as the "bad guy" in many films and television projects. He is known for his work in such films and TV shows as '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inclu ...

'', ''

Star Trek: Enterprise ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', titled simply ''Enterprise'' for its first two seasons, is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. It originally aired from September 26, 2001, to May 13, 2005 on Uni ...

'', ''

The Scorpion King ''The Scorpion King'' is a 2002 American sword and sorcery action adventure film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Dwayne Johnson, Steven Brand, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov and Michael Clarke Duncan. It is both a prequel and spin-off of ''The ...

'', '' Charmed'', '' The Tick'', and '' Black Scorpion'' among others, but he is probably most recognized for his role as 'Bruiser' in the films ''

Ocean's Eleven ''Ocean's Eleven'' is a 2001 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh from a screenplay by Ted Griffin. The first installment in the ''Ocean's'' film trilogy, it is a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film of the same name. The ...

'', ''

Ocean's Twelve ''Ocean's Twelve'' is a 2004 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by George Nolfi. The second installment in the ''Ocean's'' film trilogy franchise and the sequel to ''Ocean's Eleven'' (2001), the film features a ...

'' and ''

Ocean's Thirteen ''Ocean's Thirteen'' (stylized as ''Ocean's 13'') is a 2007 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien. It is the final installment in the ''Ocean's'' film trilogy and the sequel ...

''. He has appeared in such big budget films as '' Spider-Man'', '' Fire Down Below'', '' Starsky & Hutch'', and '' Fun with Dick and Jane''.

Championships and accomplishments

* Universal Wrestling Federation ** UWF Israeli Championship (1 time)

Filmography

;As actor * ''

UWF Fury Hour ''UWF Fury Hour'' is a professional wrestling television program that was produced by Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and broadcast weekly every Monday night on SportsChannel America from October 1, 1990, to September 23, 1991. The show was ...

'' (1990, TV Series) * '' Shock 'Em Dead'' (1991) as Guard * ''For Parents Only'' (1991) as The Wrench * '' Terminal USA'' (1993) as Big Tony * ''Back in Action'' (1993) as Kasajian's Thug (uncredited) * '' Dangerous Waters'' (1994) as Carlito * ''Silent Fury'' (1994) as Crusher * ''

Savate Savate (), also known as boxe française, savate boxing, French boxing or French footfighting, is a French kickboxing combat sport that uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of English boxing with graceful kicking techniques. ...

'' (1995) as Bruno the Horrible * '' The Set-Up'' (1995) as Maniac (uncredited) * ''

Tiger Mask is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's ''Bokura Magazine'' from 1968 to 1970 and was later published in ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from 1970 to ...

'' (1996) as Sonic Boom * ''

Meet Wally Sparks ''Meet Wally Sparks'' is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Peter Baldwin, written by Harry Basil and Rodney Dangerfield. It stars Dangerfield in the title role, with Debi Mazar, Michael Weatherly, Cindy Williams, Alan Rachins, Burt Reynold ...

'' (1997) as American Wrestler #2 * '' Fire Down Below'' (1997) as Pimple * ''

Dilemma A dilemma ( grc-gre, δίλημμα "double proposition") is a problem offering two possibilities, neither of which is unambiguously acceptable or preferable. The possibilities are termed the ''horns'' of the dilemma, a clichéd usage, but dist ...

'' (1997) as Guard #1 * ''

High Voltage High voltage electricity refers to electrical potential large enough to cause injury or damage. In certain industries, ''high voltage'' refers to voltage above a certain threshold. Equipment and conductors that carry high voltage warrant sp ...

'' (1997) as Biker * ''The Misadventures of James Spawn'' (1998) as Drill Sergeant * ''Centurion Force'' (1998) as Nicky * '' P.U.N.K.S.'' (1999) as Convict * ''

Martial Law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

'' (1999, TV Series) as Boris (uncredited) * ''

Bridge of Dragons ''Bridge of Dragons'' (stylized as ''A Bridge of Dragons'') is a 1999 American romantic action film directed by Isaac Florentine, and starring Dolph Lundgren, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Valerie Chow, and Gary Hudson. Lundgren and Tagawa had previou ...

'' (1999) as Belmont * '' Final Voyage'' (1999) as Russ * '' V.I.P.'' (1999, TV Series) as Mo Big * ''

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas ''The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas'' (also known as ''The Flintstones 2'' or ''The Flintstones 2: Viva Rock Vegas'' in a working title) is a 2000 American romantic comedy film directed by Brian Levant, written by Jim Cash, Harry Elfont, Debor ...

'' (2000) as Caveman Boxer (uncredited) * ''

Agent Red ''Agent Red'' is a 2000 American action film directed by Damian Lee and Jim Wynorski and starring Dolph Lundgren. Its plot concerns two soldiers stuck on a submarine with a group of terrorists who plan to use a chemical weapon on America. After t ...

'' (2000) as Bald henchman (uncredited) * '' Just Sue Me'' (2000) as The Chauffeur * ''

The Black Rose ''The Black Rose'' is a 1950 American-British adventure film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Tyrone Power and Orson Welles. Talbot Jennings' screenplay was loosely based on a 1945 novel of the same name by Canadian author Thomas B. Co ...

'' (2000) as Armand * '' Nash Bridges'' (2001, TV Series) as Pierre LaFoote * '' Carman: The Champion'' (2001) as Big Mike * ''Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician'' (2001) as Chef * ' (2000) as Bear * '' Tomcats'' (2001) as Biker (uncredited) * ''

The One The ONE is a shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is built on the site of the former Tung Ying Building at 100 Nathan Road. It was developed by Chinese Estates Holdings and opened in 2010. Owner Joseph Lau Luen-hung g ...

'' (2001) as Prisoner (uncredited) * ''

'' (2001) as Bulldog, the Bruiser * '' The Tick'' (2002, TV Series) as Rex * ''

'' (2002) as Torturer * '' Spider-Man'' (2002) as Screaming Wrestler (uncredited) * '' Lost Treasure'' (2003) as Crazy Joe * '' Starsky and Hutch'' (2004) as Fat Ron * ''

Terminal Island Terminal Island, historically known as Isla Raza de Buena Gente, is a largely artificial island located in Los Angeles County, California, between the neighborhoods of Wilmington and San Pedro in the city of Los Angeles, and the city of Long B ...

'' (2004) as Frank * '' Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon'' (2004) as Biker Bar Tough * ''

'' (2004) as Bruiser * ''

Daydream Believer "Daydream Believer" is a song composed by American songwriter John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. It was originally recorded by the Monkees, with Davy Jones singing the lead. The single reached No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard ...

'' (2005, Short) as Schulte * '' Fun with Dick and Jane'' (2005) as Bigger Convenience Store Clerk * '' Blood Ranch'' (2006) * '' Mind of Mencia'' (TV, TV Series) as Turk * '' Cain and Abel'' (2006) as Yuri * ''Vagabond'' (2006) as Carnivore * '' Smoked'' (2006, Short) as Schulte * ''

Epic Movie ''Epic Movie'' is a 2007 American parody film written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer and produced by Paul Schiff. It stars Kal Penn, Adam Campbell, Jayma Mays, Jennifer Coolidge, Faune A. Chambers, Crispin Glover, Tony Cox ...

'' (2007) as

Rubeus Hagrid Rubeus Hagrid () is a fictional character in the ''Harry Potter'' book series written by J. K. Rowling. He is introduced in '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' as a half-giant and half-human who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of K ...

(uncredited) * ''ELI'' (2007, Short) as Graves * ''

'' (2007) as Bruiser * '' What We Do Is Secret'' (2007) as Biker (uncredited) * ''

Placebo A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like saline), sham surgery, and other procedures. In general, placebos can af ...

'' (2008) as Ed * ''

The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, ...

'' (2009, TV Series) as Amos Slaughter * ''

Ctrl In computing, a Control key is a modifier key which, when pressed in conjunction with another key, performs a special operation (for example, ); similar to the Shift key, the Control key rarely performs any function when pressed by itself. ...

'' (2009, TV Series) as Security Guard * ''Lost in the Woods'' (2009) as Kurt * '' Wrong Side of Town'' (2010) as Deacon * '' Listen to Your Heart'' (2010) as Greg * ''Daddy's Home'' (2010) as Deputy Cruz * '' The Sinners'' (2010) as Officer Rains * ''

Journey to Promethea ''Journey to Promethea'' is a 2010 American epic fantasy film written and directed by Daniel Garcia, starring Billy Zane, Scott L. Schwartz, and Louis Herthum. Plot The movie opens with a narration describing the fate of the Samillian Tri ...

'' (2010, TV Movie) as Kronin * '' For Christ's Sake'' (2010) as Gordy * '' Changing Hands'' (2010) as Sergeant Mike Smith * ''Changing Hands Feature'' (2012) * ''Inventing Adam'' (2013) as Morty * ''Betrayal'' (2013) as Misha * ''Xtinction: Predator X'' (2014) as Larry Boudreaux * ''Better Criminal'' (2016) as Danny * ''Holding St. Peter's Conquest s' (2017) as Polonski * ''Garlic & Gunpowder'' (2017) as Shop Owner ;As stuntman * ''

'' (1997) * ''

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' ...

'' (1998) * ''

The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle ''The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle'' is a 2000 American live-action/animated adventure slapstick comedy film directed by Des McAnuff and produced by Universal Pictures, based on the television cartoon of the same name by Jay Ward. Animate ...

'' (2000) * ''

'' (2000) (stunts) * ''

Gedo Gedo ( so, Gedo, Maay Maay, Maay: ''Gethy'', ar, جيذو, it, Ghedo or ''Ghedu'') is an administrative region (''States and regions of Somalia, gobol'') in Jubaland, southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. It was created in ...

'' (2001) * '' Crazy as Hell'' (2002) * ''

'' (2007) * '' Weeds'' (2007) (TV)

References

External links

Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Schwartz, Scott L. Living people American male actors American male professional wrestlers American people of Israeli descent Jewish American male actors Jewish professional wrestlers 1959 births 21st-century American Jews