Miguel Ferrer
{{short description|American actor (1955–2017)}}
{{for|other people named Miguel Ferrer|Miguel Ferrer (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Miguel Ferrer
| image = Miguel Ferrer 2015.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Ferrer in 2015
| birth_name = Miguel José Ferrer
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1955|2|7}}
| birth_place = Santa Monica, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|1|19|1955|2|7}}
| death_place = Santa Monica, California, U.S.
| resting_place = Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1981–2017
| spouse ={{ubl|{{marriage|Leilani Sarelle|1991|2003|end=div}}|{{marriage|Lori Weintraub|2005}}}}
| children = 2
| parents ={{ubl|José Ferrer|Rosemary Clooney}}
| relatives ={{ubl||Betty Clooney (aunt)|Nick Clooney (uncle)|George Clooney (cousin)|Tessa Ferrer (niece)}}
}}
Miguel José Ferrer (February 7, 1955{{cite book|last1=Crossland|first1=Ken|title=Late Life Jazz|date=2013|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0199798575|page=64}} – January 19, 2017) was an American actor. His breakthrough role was as Bob Morton in the 1987 film RoboCop. Other film roles include Harbinger in Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993), Quigley in Blank Check, Eduardo Ruiz in Traffic (2000) and Vice President Rodriguez in Iron Man 3 (2013). Ferrer's notable television roles include FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield on Twin Peaks (1990–1991, 2017), Dr. Garret Macy on Crossing Jordan (2001–2007) and NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger on NCIS: Los Angeles (2012–2017).
Ferrer also performed voice acting in animated projects, including Shan Yu in Mulan (1998), Tarakudo on Jackie Chan Adventures (2000–2005), and Vandal Savage in Young Justice (2010–2012).
Early life
Ferrer was born on February 7, 1955, in Santa Monica, California. He was the oldest of five children born to Puerto Rican actor José Ferrer and American singer Rosemary Clooney.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vintagemusic.fm/artist/12486/|title = Rosemary Clooney}}
Ferrer's siblings were sisters Maria and Monsita, and brothers Gabriel (later the husband of singer Debby Boone) and actor Rafael. He also had an older half-sister, Letty (Leticia) Ferrer, from his father José's prior marriage to Uta Hagen. Ferrer was a cousin of actor George Clooney and nephew of journalist Nick Clooney.
Ferrer was raised in Hollywood and Beverly Hills and attended Beverly Hills High School.{{cite magazine |last=Braslow |first=Samuel |date=February 11, 2019 |title=Bezos's Investigator Gavin de Becker Is a Legend of Celebrity Security |url=https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/who-is-gavin-de-becker/ |magazine=Los Angeles Magazine |location=Culver City, CA}} As a teenager, his interests tended toward music; he played the drums on Keith Moon's Two Sides of the Moon.{{cite magazine |last1=Lawrence |first1=Derek |title=Miguel Ferrer: 7 things you need to know| url=https://ew.com/tv/2017/01/19/miguel-ferrer-facts/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=January 19, 2017 |access-date=January 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119142954/https://ew.com/tv/2017/01/19/miguel-ferrer-facts/ |archive-date=January 19, 2022 |url-status=live}} After high school, Ferrer studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.{{cite book |last=Hischak |first=Thomas S. |date=2011 |title=Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e1RTP8thtR0C&pg=PA72 |location=Jefferson, NC |publisher=McFarland & Company |pages=72–73 |isbn=978-0-7864-8694-6 |via=Google Books}}
Career
Ferrer's friend Bill Mumy cast him as a drummer in the series Sunshine, his first television role.{{cite web|url=https://www.startrek.com/article/remembering-star-trek-iii-actor-miguel-ferrer-1955-2017|title=Remembering Star Trek III Actor Miguel Ferrer, 1955-2017|publisher=StarTrek.com|author=|date=January 19, 2017|access-date=July 18, 2019|archive-date=December 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218092812/https://www.startrek.com/article/remembering-star-trek-iii-actor-miguel-ferrer-1955-2017|url-status=dead}} Ferrer was also Mumy's bandmate in Seduction of the Innocent, a band that also consisted of Steve Leialoha, and Max Allan Collins.{{cite web|last=David|first=Peter|date=January 19, 2017|url=http://www.peterdavid.net/2017/01/19/miguel-ferrer/|title=Miguel Ferrer|publisher=PeterDavid.net}} Sharing a love of comics Ferrer and Mumy co-created Comet Man and Trypto the Acid Dog plus co-wrote the Marvel Graphic Novel The Dreamwalker.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comics.org/creator/9405/|title=GCD :: Creator :: Miguel Ferrer (b. 1955)|website=www.comics.org}}
Ferrer began his acting career in the early 1980s, making guest appearances on episodic television. He played the younger version of his father's character on Magnum, P.I. in 1981. In 1983, he was given a small part as a waiter in The Man Who Wasn't There. He also had a minor role in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) as the U.S.S. Excelsior first officer. In 1984, he directed the Mark Medoff play “When Ya Coming Back, Red Ryder?” at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami, Florida. He had a major role in the 1987 action film RoboCop as the corporate executive Bob Morton, the young, ambitious executive of Omni Consumer Products' Security Concepts and project leader of the RoboCop program.
Ferrer's notable later roles include a sinister biker in Valentino Returns, an overzealous engineer in DeepStar Six (1989), a resourceful vigilante in Revenge (1990), Commander Arvid Harbinger in the comedy Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993), Lloyd Henreid in the Stephen King miniseries The Stand (1994), and a drug informant in Traffic (2000). He occasionally took on lead parts as well, such as The Harvest and The Night Flier.
In the early 1990s, Ferrer appeared on three primetime TV series simultaneously: as D.A. Todd Spurrier in Shannon's Deal (1989–1991), as Cajun cop Beau Jack Bowman in Broken Badges (1990–1991), and as cynical, wittily abrasive FBI forensics specialist Albert Rosenfield in Twin Peaks (1990–91). Ferrer reprised the role of Rosenfield in the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Ferrer played a super-villain called "The Weatherman" in the 1997 TV pilot Justice League of America. Later in the same year, he provided the voice for a similar character, the Weather Wizard, in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Speed Demons". In 1999, Ferrer voiced Aquaman in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "A Fish Story." The same year, at the 41st Grammy Awards, Ferrer was nominated for "Best Spoken Word Album for Children" in Disney's The Lion King II, "Simba's Pride Read-Along." He was also the protagonist of the American rock band Toto's music video for the song "I Will Remember", appearing alongside actor Edward James Olmos.
In 2000, Ferrer was slated to appear in the CBS live television play of Fail Safe alongside his cousin George Clooney. Cast in the role of U.S. Air Force Colonel Cascio, Ferrer rehearsed the live production with the rest of the cast for three weeks and was featured in promotional materials for the teleplay, but had to drop out before the live broadcast due to a commitment to shoot a pilot for NBC named "Sheriff's Homicide" based on the James Ellroy book "My Dark Places." Ferrer was replaced in the role by John Diehl.{{Citation|title=CBS Live Broadcast Of Clooney's "Fail Safe" Airs April 9, 9-11 PM ET|url=https://v.playbill.com/article/cbs-live-broadcast-of-clooneys-fail-safe-airs-april-9-9-11-pm-et-com-88376|access-date=27 March 2025}} The following year, Ferrer again played a medical examiner on the small screen, Dr. Garret Macy, in the television crime/drama series Crossing Jordan (2001–07). In August 2003, Ferrer made his New York stage debut in the off-Broadway production of The Exonerated.{{cite news|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/tv-cops-play-inmates-in-off-broadways-the-exonerated-through-june-29-com-113958|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719022647/http://www.playbill.com/article/tv-cops-play-inmates-in-off-broadways-the-exonerated-through-june-29-com-113958|archive-date=July 19, 2019|url-status=live|title=TV Cops Play Inmates in Off-Broadway's The Exonerated Through June 29|work=Playbill|first=Ernio|last=Hernandez|date=June 25, 2003|access-date=July 18, 2019}} In 2004, Ferrer performed as the voice of the Heretic leader in the video game Halo 2. Ferrer took voice-over roles in the TV series Robot Chicken (2006) and American Dad! (2007). He played Jonas Bledsoe on NBC's Bionic Woman series and in 2009 also starred in another NBC series, Kings, as a military commander of Gath.
Ferrer played Los Angeles Police Lieutenant Felix Valdez in the 2011 Lifetime police procedural drama, The Protector. Also, in 2011, he had a multiple-episode guest role on the final season of Desperate Housewives. Signed to a recurring role in NCIS: Los Angeles as Naval Criminal Investigative Service Assistant Director Owen Granger, Ferrer was promoted to a series regular for the fifth season on February 6, 2013.{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2013/02/miguel-ferrer-to-become-regular-on-ncis-la-and-also-co-star-in-ncis-la-spinoff-423179/|title=Miguel Ferrer To Become Regular On 'NCIS: LA' And Also Co-Star In 'NCIS: LA' Spinoff|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=February 6, 2013|work=Deadline Hollywood}} Ferrer continued working on NCIS: Los Angeles even after he was diagnosed with cancer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/20221005153375/late-ncis-star-miguel-ferrer-very-famous-relative-speaks-out-death-tragic/|title=Late NCIS star's very famous relative revealed - all he's said about tragic family loss|date=October 5, 2022|website=HELLO!}}{{Cite web|url=https://entertainmentnow.com/news/lori-weintraub-miguel-ferrer-wife-married-who-is-to-dead-died-death/|title=Lori Weintraub, Miguel Ferrer's Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|website=entertainmentnow.com|first=Lauren|last=Weigle|date=January 19, 2017}} He also appeared in the 2013 film Iron Man 3 as the Vice President of the United States. Ferrer reprised his role of Albert Rosenfield in the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks.
Death
On January 19, 2017, Ferrer died at his Santa Monica home from complications of throat cancer at the age of 61.{{cite magazine|last=Saperstein|first=Pat|title=Miguel Ferrer, 'NCIS: Los Angeles' Actor, Dies at 61|magazine=Variety|location=Los Angeles|date=January 19, 2017|access-date=January 19, 2017|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/miguel-ferrer-dead-dies-ncis-los-angeles-1201964233/}}{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/01/miguel-ferrer-dead-ncis-los-angeles-crossing-jordan-1201890002/|title=Miguel Ferrer Dies: 'NCIS: Los Angeles' & 'Crossing Jordan' Star Was 61|first=Erik|last=Pedersen|work=Deadline Hollywood|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|location=Los Angeles|date=January 19, 2017|access-date=January 19, 2017}}{{cite news|title=Miguel Ferrer, 'NCIS: Los Angeles' actor, dies at 61|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/tv/ct-miguel-ferrer-dead-20170119-story.html|agency=Tribune News Services|work=Chicago Tribune|date=January 19, 2017|access-date=January 19, 2017}} At the time of his death, Ferrer was married to producer Lori Weintraub. He had two sons and two stepsons.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/23/miguel-ferrer-obituary|title=Miguel Ferrer obituary|date=January 23, 2017|website=the Guardian}}
Legacy
Miguel O'Hara, the alter ego of the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man 2099, was named after Ferrer by his friend, writer Peter David, who co-created the character.
The Young Justice episode "Evolution" was dedicated to Ferrer. Following Ferrer's death, David Kaye took over his role as Vandal Savage as well as his role as Jonathan Rook/Stretch Monster in Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters.{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/young-justice-outsiders-questions-episodes-7-9/2/|title=Young Justice: Outsiders - 14 Big Questions From Episodes 7-9|publisher=Screen Rant|first=Matt|last=Morrison|date=January 18, 2019|access-date=July 18, 2019}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class = "unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan=2| 1982
| Truckin' Buddy McCoy | Pete | |
| And They Are Off
| | |
| rowspan=2| 1983
| Angel | |
| The Man Who Wasn't There
| Waiter | |
| rowspan=3| 1984
| Star Trek III: The Search for Spock | USS Excelsior first officer | |
| Flashpoint
| Roget | |
| Lovelines
| Dragon | |
| 1987
| RoboCop | Bob Morton | |
| rowspan=2| 1989
| Snyder | |
| Valentino Returns
| Sinister biker | |
| rowspan=2| 1990
| Revenge | Amador | |
| The Guardian
| Ralph Hess | |
| rowspan=2| 1992
| Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me | Albert Rosenfield | |
| The Harvest
| Charlie Pope | |
| rowspan=5| 1993
| Bill | Short film |
| Point of No Return
| Director Kaufman | |
| Hot Shots! Part Deux
| Commander Harbinger | |
| Another Stakeout
| Tony Castellano | |
| It's All True: Based on an Unfinished Film by Orson Welles
| Narrator (voice) | Documentary |
| 1994
| Carl Quigley | |
| 1995
| In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice | Tom Manning |
| rowspan=3| 1997
| The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca | Centeno | |
| The Night Flier
| Richard Dees | |
| Mr. Magoo
| Mr. Ortega Peru | |
| rowspan=2| 1998
| Mulan | Shan Yu (voice) |
| Where's Marlowe?
| Joe Boone | |
| 2000
| Traffic | Eduardo Ruiz | |
| 2002
| Lester | |
| rowspan=2| 2004
| Colonel Garret | |
| Silver City
| Cliff Castleton | |
| 2005
| The Man | Agent Peters | |
| 2008
| Justice League: The New Frontier | J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter (voice) |
| 2009
| Vincent | |
| 2010
| Hard Ride to Hell | Jefe | |
| rowspan="2" |2011
| Delgado (voice) |
| Four Assassins
| Eli | |
| rowspan=3| 2012
| Noah | Kabos (voice) | |
| The Courier
| Mr. Capo | |
| Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta!
| Delgado (voice) |
| 2013
| Vice President Rodriguez | |
| 2014
| Rio 2 | Big Boss (voice) |
| 2017
| Teen Titans: The Judas Contract | Slade Wilson / Deathstroke (voice) |
=Television=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role !class="unsortable" |Notes |
|---|
| 1981
| Ensign Robert 'Bobby' Wickes, USN | Episode: "Lest We Forget" |
| 1982–85
| Trauma Team Doctor, Dr. Austin, Darby Thud | 3 episodes |
| 1983
| CHiPs | Bean | Episode: "Firepower" |
| rowspan=2| 1984
| Nunzio | Episode: "Choices" |
| Hill Street Blues
| Carlos | Episode: "Ewe and Me, Babe" |
| 1985
| Sonny Unger | Episode: "Love Story" |
| rowspan="5" | 1987
| Virgilio | Episode: "Scarecrow" |
| CBS Summer Playhouse
| Mic | Episode: "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" |
| Hotel
| Brian | Episode: "All the King's Horses" |
| Ohara
| Kramer | Episode: "Artful Dodgers" |
| Downpayment on Murder
| Martin | Television film |
| 1987, 1989
| Ramon Pedroza, District Attorney | 2 episodes |
| rowspan=3| 1988
| Scott Kapus | Episode: "Chariots of Fire" |
| Badlands 2005
| Rex | Pilot |
| C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf
| Paul Kiley | rowspan=3| Television film |
| rowspan=2| 1989
| Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North | Scott Toney |
| Shannon's Deal
| Todd Spurrier |
| 1990
| Drug Wars: The Camarena Story | Tony Riva | 3 episodes |
| rowspan=3| 1990–91
| FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield | 8 episodes |
| Shannon's Deal
| D.A. Todd Spurrier | 9 episodes |
| Broken Badges
| Beau Jack Bowman | 7 episodes |
| 1990–94
| Gary; Hitman; Mitch Bruckner | 3 episodes |
| 1991
| Murder in High Places | Wilhoite | rowspan=2| Television film |
| rowspan=2| 1992
| In the Shadow of a Killer | District Attorney Steven Walzer |
| On the Air
| Bud Budwaller | 7 episodes |
| Cruel Doubt
| Lewis Young | 2 episodes |
| 1993
| Scam | Barry Landers | rowspan=3| Television film |
| rowspan=7| 1994
| Royce | Gribbon |
| Incident at Deception Ridge
| Ray Hayes |
| Biography
| Narrator (voice) | Episode: "Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon" |
| The Stand
| Lloyd Henreid | 4 episodes |
| ER
| Mr. Parker | Episode: "24 Hours"; uncredited |
| Jack Reed: A Search for Justice
| Win Carter | rowspan=4| Television film |
| A Promise Kept: The Oksana Baiul Story
| Stanislav |
| rowspan=3| 1995
| The Return of Hunter: Everyone Walks in L.A. | Jack Valko |
| In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice
| Thomas Manning |
| Fallen Angels
| Prologue Narrator, Abbazzia | 6 episodes |
| 1996
| Dexter Moyers | Television film |
| rowspan=2| 1997
| Pilot |
| The Shining
| Mark James Torrance (voice) | Episode: "#1.2"; uncredited |
| 1997–99
| Superman: The Animated Series | Aquaman, Weather Wizard, De'Cine (voice) |
| rowspan=3| 1998
| Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning | Television film |
| Men in Black: The Series
| Dr. Lupo (voice) | Episode: "The Take No Prisoners Syndrome" |
| Hercules
| Antaeus (voice) | Episode: "Hercules and the Hostage Crisis" |
| 1998–99
| LateLine | Victor 'Vic' Karp | 17 episodes |
| 1999
| Nathan Berry | Episode: "Saving Grace" |
| 2000
| Jack | Episode: "Youth Is Wasted on the Dick" |
| 2001
| Matisse & Picasso: A Gentle Rivalry | Pablo Picasso (voice) | Television short |
| 2001–07
| Dr. Garret Macy | 117 episodes |
| rowspan=3| 2002
| Dr. Dan Critchley | Episode: "Patterns" |
| Shadow Realm
| Dr. Daniel Critchley | rowspan=3| Television film |
| Sightings: Heartland Ghost
| Allen |
| 2003
| L.A. County 187 | Sgt. Walter Drazin |
| 2003–04
| Tarakudo/Shadowkhan King (voice) | 8 episodes |
| 2006
| Danny Ocean, Basher Tarr (voice) | Episode: "1987" |
| rowspan=4| 2007
| Agent Hopkins (voice) | Episode: "American Dream Factory" |
| El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera
| El Tigre I (voice) |
| Bionic Woman
| Jonas Bledsoe | 9 episodes |
| The Batman
| Sinestro (voice) |
| rowspan=2| 2008
| Medium | Joey, Teddy Carmichael | Episode: "Being Joey Carmichael" |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent
| Gus Kovak | Episode: "Ten Count" |
| rowspan=4| 2009
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Defense Attorney Whitten | Episode: "Miscarriage of Justice" |
| The Spectacular Spider-Man
| Silvio Manfredi / Silvermane (voice) |
| Kings
| General Mallick | Episode: "Prosperity" |
| Lie to Me
| FBI ASAC Bill Steele | Episode: "Tractor Man" |
| rowspan=2| 2010
| Psych | Fred Collins Boyd | Episode: "Think Tank" |
| Edgar Floats
| Bob | Pilot |
| 2010–13
| Vandal Savage, Bibbo Bibbowski (voice) |
| rowspan=4| 2011
| Magister Hulka (voice) | Episode: "Basic Training" |
| ThunderCats
| Duelist (voice) |
| The Protector
| Lieutenant Felix Valdez | 13 episodes |
| Desperate Housewives
| Andre Zeller | 5 episodes |
| 2011–14
| Death, Grob Gob Glob Grod (voice) |
| 2012
| Applebaum | Detective Pepper Ferrer | Pilot |
| 2012–17
| NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger | 115 episodes |
| 2017
| Albert Rosenfield | 11 episodes |
| 2017–18
| Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters | Stretch Monster (voice) |
=Video games=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1998
| Disney's Animated Storybook: Mulan | Shan Yu | |
| 2004
| Halo 2 | Sesa Refume | |
| 2013
| Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know! | Death | |
=Music video=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Artist |
|---|
| 1986
| "Pizza Face" |
| 1995
| "I Will Remember" | Toto |
| 1997
| "Sorry" | Nerf Herder{{cite news |title=Nerf Ball |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-09-ca-26859-story.html |access-date=18 March 2024 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=9 February 1997}} |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Puerto Rico|Biography}}
- {{IMDb name|1208}}
- [http://voicechasers.com/database/showactor.php?actorid=1843 Voice chasers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831104344/http://voicechasers.com/database/showactor.php?actorid=1843 |date=August 31, 2018 }}
- [https://www.avclub.com/miguel-ferrer-1798218523 The A.V. Club interview]
{{Rosemary Clooney}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrer, Miguel}}
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American people of German descent
Category:American people of Irish descent
Category:American people of Spanish descent
Category:American actors of Puerto Rican descent
Category:Hispanic and Latino American male actors
Category:Burials at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery
Category:Deaths from throat cancer in California
Category:Ferrer family (show business)
Category:Male actors from Santa Monica, California
Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners