Edwin Neal
{{Short description|American actor (born 1945)}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Edwin Neal
| image = Ed Neal by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Edwin Neal in 2024
| birth_name = Joseph Edwin Neal Jr.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1945|07|12}}{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0623605/bio/ | title=Edwin Neal - Biography | website=IMDb }}
| birth_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.
| occupation = Actor{{cite web | url=https://watch.plex.tv/person/edwin-neal | title=Edwin Neal }}
| years_active = 1972–present
}}
Joseph Edwin Neal Jr. (born July 12, 1945) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the hitchhiker in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre{{cite news|title=Edwin Neal|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/52022/Edwin-Neal/filmography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305133924/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/52022/Edwin-Neal/filmography|url-status=dead|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=The New York Times|date=2014|archive-date=5 March 2014}} and has been a voice talent, appearing on screen and off, including three voices in Wii's Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and three voices in the DC Universe Online game; those of Two-Face, Killer Croc, and Harvey Bullock. Neal set a record of doing 26 different voices in the only completely unedited version of all 103 episodes of Gatchaman (Battle of the Planets), which included the lead villain Berg Katse.
Early life and career
Neal, after high school, studied at Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas. While there, he auditioned for the role of the Hitchhiker in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and got it. He has said that, when auditioning, he acted as an eccentric relative of his. The movie gained major popularity over the years and went on to become a cult classic{{Cite news |last=Bradshaw |first=Peter |date=2024-06-13 |title=The Texas Chain Saw Massacre review – original 1974 shocker is grotesque but brilliant masterpiece |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/jun/13/the-texas-chain-saw-massacre-review |access-date=2024-08-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |title=The Texas Chain Saw Massacre {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1021112-texas_chainsaw_massacre |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Phipps |first=C. T. |date=2020-04-23 |title=MOVIE REVIEW: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) |url=https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/movie-review-the-texas-chainsaw-massacre-1974/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Grimdark Magazine |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |title=The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Texas-Chainsaw-Massacre-The-(1974) |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=The Numbers}}
Neal still continues to act. His most notable roles since The Texas Chain Saw Massacre were playing the Mercer interrogator in Oliver Stone's JFK, and one of Big Chuck's Henchmen in the 1993 movie My Boyfriend's Back. He has also done voice work, for films, games, and cartoons. Neal annually tours worldwide making many public appearances as "The Hitchhiker" at horror conventions and related gatherings.
Honors
Neal was inducted into the "Hollywood Horror Hall of Fame" in 1993 alongside Vincent Price, and owns one of the world's largest movie poster collections, from the year 1900 to the present day. He received a Bronze Star for Valor during his service in Vietnam in 1969.
Filmography
=Film=
{{div col|colwidth=26em}}
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) - Nubbins Sawyer
- Future-Kill (1985) - Splatter
- My Two Loves (1986) - Telephone Man
- Good Girl, Bad Girl (1990){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099681/ | title=Neurotic Cabaret | website=IMDb }} - Nolan
- JFK (1991) - Mercer
- My Boyfriend's Back (1993) - Big Chuck's Henchman
- The American Nightmare (2000){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259182/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 | title=The American Nightmare | website=IMDb }} - self
- Mr Hell (2001) - Freemont
- The M.O. Of M.I. (2002){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367995/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_36_act | title=The M.O. Of M.I. | website=IMDb }} - Bill
- Zombiegeddon (2003){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0316946/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 | title=Zombiegeddon | website=IMDb }} - God
- Murder-Set-Pieces (2004){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0422779/ | title=Murder-Set-Pieces | website=IMDb }} - Good Samaritan
- Mr. Hell (2005){{cite web | url=https://mubi.com/en/ae/films/mr-hell | title=Mr. Hell (2005) | MUBI }} - Toxic Waste Worker{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418905/characters/nm0623605?ref_=tt_cl_c_14 | title=Mr. Hell (2006) - IMDb | website=IMDb }}
- Satan's Playground (2006) - Boy
- The Man Who Came Back (2007){{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1202592-man_who_came_back | title=The Man Who Came Back | Rotten Tomatoes | website=Rotten Tomatoes }} - Ugly guard
- It Came from Trafalgar (2008){{cite web | url=https://www.tvtime.com/movie/798f56ec-55b8-4add-8500-38aeba8d9e35 | title=It Came from Trafalgar }} - Chester
- Holy Hell (2009){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1337109/ | title=Holy Hell | website=IMDb }} - Bolton
- Dropping Evil (2012){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1220224/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_0_q_Dropping%2520Evil%2520 | title=Dropping Evil | website=IMDb }} - President Strode
- Butcher Boys (2013){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740476/ | title=Butcher Boys | website=IMDb }} - Freddy
- Kill or Be Killed (2014){{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2364774/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_11_act | title=Kill or be Killed | website=IMDb }} - Bargsley{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2364774/characters/nm0623605?ref_=tt_cl_c_10 | title=Kill or be Killed (2015) - IMDb | website=IMDb }}
- The Best Laid Plans (2019) - Jimmy [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5838376/ The Best Laid Plans (2019) - IMDb]
{{div col end}}
=Anime=
{{div col|colwidth=26em}}
- Blade of the Phantom Master
- Final Fantasy: Unlimited - Pist Shaz
- Gatchaman - Berg Katse (ADV dub){{cite episode|title=The Giant Mummy That Summons Storms|url=http://www.hulu.com/watch/544363#i0,p0,d0|series=Gatchaman|season=1|series-link=Science Ninja Team Gatchaman|work=ADV|episode-link=List of Science Ninja Team Gatchaman episodes#ep3|number=3|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826161557/http://www.hulu.com/watch/544363|archive-date=2014-08-26}} - closing credits
- Gatchaman: The Movie - Berg Katse (BTVA Award for Best male supporting vocal performance in an anime movie/special.[http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/btva-anime-awards/2015/movies/ BTVA Anime Dub Awards 2015 – Movies – Behind The Voice Actors])
- GetBackers - Mr. Sasakida
- Getter Robo Armageddon - Gai
- Happy Lesson - Tanuki
- Jing: King of Bandits - Emcee{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Edwin-Neal/|title=Edwin Neal (visual voices guide)|website=BTVA|access-date=July 18, 2019|type= A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information}}
- Lost Universe - Drunk, Barker, Superintendent General, Roy Glen
- Mazinger - Professor Morimori, Nuke
- Moeyo Ken TV - Nekomaru
- Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water || Jean's Uncle, Newspaper Editor
- Ninja Resurrection - Souiken Mori
- Sakura Wars - Financier, Gojii
- Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie - Dr. Robotnik, President, Metal Robotnik
- Soul Hunter - Lisei
- Steam Detectives - Dr. Guilty
- Wedding Peach - Jamapon
- Zaion: I Wish You Were Here - Dr. Domeki
{{div col end}}
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi | The Emperor (voice) | |
| 1995 | Crusader: No Remorse | Dr. Gregor Hoffman (voice) | |
| 2000 | Starlancer | Admiral Petrov | |
| 2001 | Conquest: Frontier Wars | Spinelayer / ESP Coil / Troopship | |
| 2003 | Deus Ex: Invisible War | Generic Citizen #5 / WTO Guard #1 | |
| 2007 | Metroid Prime 3: Corruption | Ghor, Trooper, Noncom | |
| 2011 | DC Universe Online | Two-Face, Killer Croc, Harvey Bullock | |
| 2023 | The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | The Hitchhiker |
Voice Work
- Love Lost In a Boat (2009){{Citation |last=Angelo |first=Michael |title=Love Lost in a Boat |type=Short, Drama, Horror |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1563577/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 |access-date=2024-08-13 |others=Tommy Bo, Amy Rene LaFavers, Paul H. Fielder |publisher=Raging Dogs Productions}} - Narrator
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Biography}}
- {{IMDb name|0623605}}
- {{anime News Network|people|4371}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neal, Edwin}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male video game actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American military personnel of the Vietnam War
Category:American people of Irish descent
Category:Lon Morris College alumni
Category:Male actors from Texas
Category:20th-century American male actors