Tom Atkins

Tom Atkins
Atkins at the 2007 Monstermania convention
Born	November 13, 1935 (1935-11-13) (age 73) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Tom Atkins (born November 13, 1935) is an American television and film actor. He is a familiar face to viewers, often playing police officers.

Life and career

Atkins was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Dorothy E. (née Williams) and George C. Atkins.^[1]

Atkins starred in two films directed by John Carpenter; appearing as Nick Castle in the 1980 ghost story The Fog and as Rehme in the 1981 sci-fi thriller Escape from New York. He also starred as Dr. Dan Challis in the sequel Halloween III: Season of the Witch directed by Tommy Lee Wallace and produced by John Carpenter.

He portrayed Detective Ray Cameron in the 1986 cult horror film Night of the Creeps, a role Atkins calls his very favorite. He is well known to movie goers for his role as Michael Hunsaker in the 1987 hit film Lethal Weapon. In television, Atkins played Lt. Alex Diehl in the 1970s television series The Rockford Files. He reprised his role of Commander Diehl for a series of Rockford Files movies in the 1990s.

Atkins has made numerous guest appearances on many popular television shows, including M*A*S*H, Baretta, Harry O, The Fall Guy, Xena: Warrior Princess, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

He is a frequent player in shows at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, most famously in the one-man show "The Chief," in which he depicted the late founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Art Rooney. He appeared on Broadway in David Storey's The Changing Room, for which he received the 1973 Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Performer.

In 2009, he had a supporting role as a retired sheriff in the remake My Bloody Valentine 3D.

Main Filmography

• The Fog (1980)
• Escape from New York (1981)
• Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
• Creepshow (1982)
• Night of the Creeps (1986)
• Lethal Weapon (1987)
• Maniac Cop (1988)
• Bruiser (2001)
• My Bloody Valentine 3D (2009)

References

External links

• Tom Atkins at the Internet Movie Database
• Tom Atkins at Allmovie
• Tom Atkins Online