Jonathan Banks
2 FOLLOWERS • 73 CREDITS • JAN 31, 1947 • 77
Biography
Jonathan Banks (born January 31, 1947) is an American character actor in film and television.
Banks dropped out of Indiana University to join a touring company as a stage manager. He went to Australia with the company and stayed on working in theatre there. In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles and performed on stage before picking up bit parts on television. Probably his best-known movie roles are in two films starring Eddie Murphy: 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop. In 48 Hrs. he plays a character who is a friend of the lead and is killed by the villain, beginning the lead characters' story. In Beverly Hills Cop, he plays a villain who kills the lead characters' friend and begins his story. Other movie roles include appearances in Armed and Dangerous, Freejack, Flipper, Airplane!, Gremlins, Murder Me, Murder You, and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory.
His biggest break on television, came with the series Wiseguy, in which he played Frank McPike for four years, a role which led to an Emmy award nomination. Although his character was primarily the hero's mentor, stories occasionally featured McPike as hero. In 1981 he appeared as Dutch Schultz on the NBC series the Gangster Chronicles. He also starred on the short-lived science fiction TV series Otherworld, as Kommander Neveen Kroll and in the sitcom Fired Up.
Banks has also made guest appearances on TV shows including Alias, CSI, Day Break, Highlander: The Series, Matlock, SeaQuest DSV, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Women of the House and Walker Texas Ranger. Most recently, Banks appeared in the final Season Two episodes of Dexter, and in episodes of ER, Cold Case, and Shark, Modern Family. In the second season finale of Breaking Bad, Banks appeared as a mysterious character named Mike. Banks was made a series regular for the third season.
Known For
Cold Case
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
ER
Without a Trace
Ghost Whisperer
Walker, Texas Ranger
Simon & Simon
Matlock
Tales from the Crypt
Falcon Crest
Cagney & Lacey
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Two and a Half Men
T. J. Hooker
Castle
Crazy like a Fox
Gravity Falls
Diagnosis: Murder
The District
Parks and Recreation
Alias
Shark
seaQuest DSV
Life
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The Waltons
Hunter
Lie to Me
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Dexter
Lou Grant
Modern Family
Little House on the Prairie
E-Ring
Sanford
MythBusters
Talking Saul
Hill Street Blues
Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure
The Expanse
Major Lazer
Constellation
The Word
Gremlins
Harvey
Identity Thief
Airplane!
Breaking Bad
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
48 Hrs.
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
A Tale Dark & Grimm
Horrible Bosses 2
No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad
Beverly Hills Cop
Incredibles 2
Community
Mudbound
There Goes the Neighborhood
The Gangster Chronicles
The Comey Rule
Kite Man: Hell Yeah!
The Commuter
Term Life
Fired Up
Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Otherworld
Wiseguy
Skylanders Academy
Catwoman: Hunted
Better Call Saul Employee Training
Better Call Saul
Originals for Netflix
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