From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Brian Haley
Brian Haley
Brian Haley At 15 he moved to rural Ellensburg, WA. After high
school he took on several jobs, including lumberjack, hay
buck, and ranch hand. He eventually enlisted in the US
Army to join the Special Forces (the Green Berets). He
was in the service from 1980 to 1985 where he won letters
of commendation and the Army Achievement Medal, but
left early to pursue a career in show business. While in
the Army (1983), he was in the play Guys and Dolls starring
Joe Namath at the Ft. Bragg Playhouse.
Career
After his tour in the Army, he began doing stand-up in
his native Seattle and quickly rose to headliner status.
Born February 12, 1963 (1963-02-12) In 1988, he moved to Los Angeles where he had immedi-
Seattle, Washington, U.S. ate success, winning a "Hollywood’s Hottest New Comic"
Occupation Actor/Comedian competition, appearing on several stand-up comedy TV
shows such as An Evening At The Improv and was picked up
Years active 1988–present
by ABC Television for a one-year holding deal. However,
it was his proverbial big break on The Tonight Show with
Brian Haley (born February 12, 1963)[1] is an American
Johnny Carson in 1990 that launched his career in earnest.
actor and stand-up comedian. His stand-up act is charac-
His first appearance led to a flood of television and film
terized by playing his all-American looks against manic
roles and an HBO comedy special.
outbursts and absurd situations. As an actor he may be
In 1994, he starred in the movie Baby’s Day Out. The
best known for his roles as Veeko the incompetent kid-
movie was very popular in overseas markets, especially
napper in the John Hughes movie "Baby’s Day Out", the
India, where it played at the largest theater in Calcutta
over the top football father Mike Hammersmith (aka
for over a year[2] and was even remade with an Indian
Spike’s dad) in Little Giants, or Clint Eastwood’s son Mitch
cast under the title Sisindri. In 1994, he had a stand out
in the movie Gran Torino.
role in the comedy film Little Giants as over the top dad
Mike Hammersmith, aka "Spike’s Dad".
Early life In 1995, he replaced Thomas Haden Church on NBC’s
TV series Wings playing the part of mechanic Budd Bron-
Haley was born in Seattle, Washington to a large Catholic
ski. That same year he was in a Clio Award winning Super
family, the fifth of six children. His father was an airline
Bowl ad for Miller Lite beer playing hard luck football
executive and his mother was a homemaker and part
quarterback Elmer Bruker, a man that was on every win-
time maid. His father is of Irish and Italian decent, which
ning Super Bowl team but never played. In 1997, he por-
is where he gets his Italian middle name Carlo. At the
trayed "The Hooded Avenger" on the Weird Al Show. From
age of three his family moved to Saint-Jovite, Quebec
1998 to 1999 he played bartender Tom Vanderhulst on
and he was put in a boarding home where he learned to
the short lived CBS series Maggie Winters. He has made nu-
speak fluent French. He disliked the experience so much
merous guest appearances on TV shows such as 30 Rock,
that upon his return to Seattle 18 months later, he re-
The Drew Carey Show, and ER, including reoccurring roles
fused to speak the language except to translate for his
on The Hughleys, Third Watch and Law & Order: Criminal In-
younger sister, who only spoke French. He began acting
tent.
as a child in the Seattle area doing community and school
He has been cast frequently in dramatic roles, playing
theater. As a teenager, he stumbled upon the film set of
a detective in the Coen Brothers film The Man Who Wasn’t
Scorchy (1976) in downtown Seattle. After seeing some of
There and Martin Scorsese’s The Departed and Police Cap-
the movie being filmed, jumping into a few shots as an
tain Hill in Tony Scott’s The Taking of Pelham 123. In 2003,
extra and meeting the star, Connie Stevens, he decided to
he was cast in the television pilot for the CBS one hour
pursue a career in show business.
drama The Brotherhood of Poland New Hampshire as one of
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Brian Haley
three brothers along with Randy Quaid and John Carroll • The Departed (2006) - Detective #2 Tailing Queenan
Lynch, but was replaced later by Chris Penn due to story • Gran Torino (2008) - Mitch Kowalski
restructuring and his lack of similarity to the other two • The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) - Police Captain Hill
brothers.[3] In 2009 he played Clint Eastwood’s discon- (MTA)
tented son Mitch in the award winning movie "Gran Tori- • The Adjustment Bureau" (2011) - Officer Maes
no".
In February 2007, he appeared on Broadway as tennis
commentator Ryan Becker in the Terrence McNally play
References
Deuce, directed by Michael Blakemore. [1] Brian Haley Biography (1963-)
He currently lives in New York and has a production [2] http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
company, Haleywood Productions. article?AID=/20090806/PEOPLE/908069969 Roger
He is currently doing the commentary, along with Ebert Chicago Sun Times article - John Hughes: In
Tim Kitzrow for NFL Blitz. Memory, August 6, 2009
[3] http://www.eonline.com/news/
No__quot_Brotherhood_quot__for_Kelley_Actor/
Personal life 45302 Eonline article No "Brotherhood" For Kelley
Haley owns the Frank Sinatra booth and several other Actor, June 11, 2003
items from Chasen’s restaurant. He is active with the re- [4] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43800768/ns/
lief organization World Vision[4] us_news-giving/t/brian-haley-lends-hand-
poverty-relief/ MSNBC article Brian Haley Lends
Hand To Poverty Relief July, 20th 2011
Filmography
• The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988) - Party Guest
External links
• Always (1989) - Alex • Brian Haley at the Internet Movie Database
• Into the Sun (1992) - Lieutenant DeCarlo • Official website
• Clean Slate (1994) - Patient Persondata
• Baby’s Day Out (1994) - Veeko
Name Haley, Brian
• Little Giants (1994) - Mike Hammersmith
• Mars Attacks! (1996) - Mitch, Secret Service Agent Alternative names
• That Darn Cat (1997) - Marvin Short description Actor, Comedian
• "Wings (NBC TV series)" (1995-1996) - Budd Bronski Date of birth February 12, 1963
• McHale’s Navy (1997) - Christy
Place of birth Seattle, Washington, U.S.
• The Weird Al Show (1997) - The Hooded Avenger
• The Thirteenth Year (1999) - Coach Date of death
• Pearl Harbor (2001) - Training Captain Place of death
• The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) - Officer Krebs
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brian_Haley&oldid=465693699"
Categories:
• 1963 births
• Actors from Washington (state)
• American film actors
• American comedians
• American television actors
• Living people
• People from Seattle, Washington
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