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 Gaunt character actor Brad Dourif was born Bradford Claude Dourif on March 18, 1950 in Huntington, West Virginia. He is the son of Joan Mavis Felton (Bradford) and Jean Henri Dourif, a French-born art collector who owned and operated a dye factory. His father died when Dourif was three years old, after which his mother married Bill Campbell, a champion golfer, who helped raise Brad, his brother, and his four sisters. From 1963 to 1965, Dourif attended Aiken Preparatory School in Aiken, South Carolina, where he pursued his interests in art and acting. Although he briefly considered becoming a professional artist, he finally settled on acting as a profession, inspired by his mother's participation as an actress in community theater.Beginning in school productions, he progressed to community theater, joining up with the Huntington Community Players, while attending Marshall University of Huntington. At age 19, he quit his hometown college and headed to New York City, where he worked with the Circle Repertory Company. During the early 1970s, Dourif appeared in a number of plays, off-Broadway and at Woodstock, New York, including Milos Forman who cast him in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). Although this film is frequently cited as his film debut, in fact, Dourif made his first big-screen appearance with a bit part in W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975). Nevertheless, his portrayal of the vulnerable Billy Bibbit in Forman's film was undoubtedly his big break, earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Acting Debut, a British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.Skeptical of his instant stardom, Dourif returned to New York, where he continued in theater and taught acting and directing classes at Columbia University until 1988 when he moved to Hollywood. Despite his attempts to avoid typecasting, his intensity destined him to play eccentric or deranged characters, starting in Eyes of Laura Mars (1978), John Huston's Wise Blood (1979) (arguably his best performance to date), and Milos Forman's Ragtime (1981). Dourif then teamed up with director David Lynch for Dune (1984) and Blue Velvet (1986). His high-strung style also served him well in a number of horror films, notably as the voice of the evil doll Chucky in Child's Play (1988) and its sequels.Dourif broke from the horror genre with roles in Fatal Beauty (1987), Mississippi Burning (1988), Hidden Agenda (1990) and London Kills Me (1991). Recent film work includes the role of Grima Wormtongue in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Since his television debut in the PBS film The Mound Builders (1976), Dourif has made sporadic appearances on a number of television series, such as The X-Files (1993), Babylon 5 (1993), Star Trek: Voyager (1995), Millennium (1996) and Ponderosa (2001). He also appeared in the music video "Stranger in Town" (1984) by the rock band TOTO.
Bio:
Gaunt character actor Brad Dourif was born Bradford Claude Dourif on March 18, 1950 in Huntington, West Virginia. He is the son of Joan Mavis Felton (Bradford) and Jean Henri Dourif, a French-born art collector who owned and operated a dye factory. His father died when Dourif was three years old, after which his mother married Bill Campbell, a champion golfer, who helped raise Brad, his brother, and his four sisters. From 1963 to 1965, Dourif attended Aiken Preparatory School in Aiken, South Carolina, where he pursued his interests in art and acting. Although he briefly considered becoming a professional artist, he finally settled on acting as a profession, inspired by his mother's participation as an actress in community theater.Beginning in school productions, he progressed to community theater, joining up with the Huntington Community Players, while attending Marshall University of Huntington. At age 19, he quit his hometown college and headed to New York City, where he worked with the Circle Repertory Company. During the early 1970s, Dourif appeared in a number of plays, off-Broadway and at Woodstock, New York, including Milos Forman who cast him in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). Although this film is frequently cited as his film debut, in fact, Dourif made his first big-screen appearance with a bit part in W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975). Nevertheless, his portrayal of the vulnerable Billy Bibbit in Forman's film was undoubtedly his big break, earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Acting Debut, a British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.Skeptical of his instant stardom, Dourif returned to New York, where he continued in theater and taught acting and directing classes at Columbia University until 1988 when he moved to Hollywood. Despite his attempts to avoid typecasting, his intensity destined him to play eccentric or deranged characters, starting in Eyes of Laura Mars (1978), John Huston's Wise Blood (1979) (arguably his best performance to date), and Milos Forman's Ragtime (1981). Dourif then teamed up with director David Lynch for Dune (1984) and Blue Velvet (1986). His high-strung style also served him well in a number of horror films, notably as the voice of the evil doll Chucky in Child's Play (1988) and its sequels.Dourif broke from the horror genre with roles in Fatal Beauty (1987), Mississippi Burning (1988), Hidden Agenda (1990) and London Kills Me (1991). Recent film work includes the role of Grima Wormtongue in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Since his television debut in the PBS film The Mound Builders (1976), Dourif has made sporadic appearances on a number of television series, such as The X-Files (1993), Babylon 5 (1993), Star Trek: Voyager (1995), Millennium (1996) and Ponderosa (2001). He also appeared in the music video "Stranger in Town" (1984) by the rock band TOTO.
Tivia:
Many of his co-stars in the Lord of the Rings trilogy were under the impression that he was actually English because of the British accent he used as Grima Wormtongue throughout filming. As a method actor, he kept the accent even when he was not filming. They were shocked to hear him speak in an American accent after filming was complete. Bernard Hill believed Dourif was speaking in the worst American accent he "had ever heard in his life".Has appeared in two Best Picture Academy Award winners: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).Though Dourif had not been on stage in nearly three decades, he chose to star alongside Amanda Plummer in the Off-Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Two-Character Play that played to critical acclaim at the New World Stages. He explained, in a filmed interview released by the producers, why he broke his 29-year hiatus from acting in live theater: "I hated the stage, did not want to do it. And then somebody said, 'Will you do a play? It's with Amanda Plummer', and I said, 'Oh shit! No. Oh God, I'm gonna have to do this...'". It opened on June 10, 2013 and closed on September 29, 2013. The play was subject to a number of performance cancellations, one relating to Dourif's absence, due to a death in the family. Plummer refused to perform without Dourif, notwithstanding the presence of an understudy.Has heard his own movie Dune (1984) described as "science fiction's answer to Heaven's Gate (1980)" (which Dourif also starred in), and he agrees totally with this summation.Is the only actor to be in all seven Child's Play films, although he only appeared onscreen in Child's Play (1988) and Curse of Chucky (2013). In all the other films, his performance was voice acting only. Out of all the Child's Play films - Bride of Chucky (1998) is his favorite.Has taught acting and directing classes at Columbia University in the City of New York.In 1981, Vincent Canby listed Dourif as one of twelve actors to watch, calling Dourif "one of the most intense, most interesting young film actors of his generation".Made five trips to New Zealand while the Lord of the Rings trilogy was being filmed. He had to shave off his eyebrows each time for his role as Grima Wormtongue.In 2012, he contributed spoken word vocals to three songs on the album Misery Together by the Norwegian duo Thinguma*jigSaw.Attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia but dropped out (1969).Has two daughters: Fiona Dourif and Kristina Dourif Tanoue.His father, Jean Henri Dourif, was born in France, and was of three quarters French and one quarter English-Irish ancestry. His mother, Joan Mavis Felton (Bradford), was born in New York, to parents from Virginia, who also had English ancestry (including deep colonial American roots).His father, who owned and operated a dye factory, died when Brad was three.He missed out on two roles that went to John Savage. He was Michael Cimino's original choice to play Steven in The Deer Hunter (1978) and Milos Forman originally wanted him for the role of Claude Hooper Bukowski in Hair (1979).He was initially cast as the Scarecrow in Batman Forever (1995) while Tim Burton was attached to the project (Burton had also wanted to cast Dourif as The Joker in Batman (1989), but the studio refused). However, Joel Schumacher eventually took over the project and instead cast Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face and Jim Carrey as the Riddler.Grandchild: Caden Kalani Kahalewai Dourif-Tanoue (born 2001).He was considered for the role of Max Cady in the remake Cape Fear (1991), which went to Robert De Niro.Has appeared with Samuel L. Jackson in four films: Ragtime (1981), The Exorcist III (1990), Jungle Fever (1991) and Amos & Andrew (1993).As of 2017, he has appeared in four films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Mississippi Burning (1988), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - though he only appears in the extended version of the last film (and not the one screened to the Academy). Of those, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) are winners in the category.Has worked with director Werner Herzog in four films: Scream of Stone (1991), The Wild Blue Yonder (2005), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009).Attended and graduated from Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, Colorado (1968).He played the role of Stephen in a stage production of the play "When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder". Dourif was asked to reprise the role for the film version, but turned said offer down because he didn't want to work with Marjoe Gortner. The role went to Peter Firth.Is one of four cast members of David Lynch's Dune (1984) who have appeared on the Star Trek series: Sir Patrick Stewart played Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Brad Dourif and Virginia Madsen have appeared on Star Trek: Voyager (1995), and Dean Stockwell has appeared on Star Trek: Enterprise (2001).Moved to New York City at age 19 and worked with the Circle Repertory Company, appearing in many off-Broadway and Woodstock, New York productions. Moved to Los Angeles, California (1988). |
| Name: |
Brad Dourif |
Type: |
Actor (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
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Business scope: |
Actor |
| Products for sale: |
Actor |
| Model rank: |
178 |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 03:16:35 |
| Height: |
5' 9' (1.75 m) |
| Biography: |
Gaunt character actor Brad Dourif was born Bradford Claude Dourif on March 18, 1950 in Huntington, West Virginia. He is the son of Joan Mavis Felton (Bradford) and Jean Henri Dourif, a French-born art collector who owned and operated a dye factory. H |
| Trivia: |
Many of his co-stars in the Lord of the Rings trilogy were under the impression that he was actually English because of the British accent he used as Grima Wormtongue throughout filming. As a method actor, he kept the accent even when he was not filming. They were shocked to hear him speak in an American accent after filming was complete. Bernard Hill believed Dourif was speaking in the worst American accent he "had ever heard in his life".Has appeared in two Best Picture Academy Award winners: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).Though Dourif had not been on stage in nearly three decades, he chose to star alongside Amanda Plummer in the Off-Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' The Two-Character Play that played to critical acclaim at the New World Stages. He explained, in a filmed interview released by the producers, why he broke his 29-year hiatus from acting in live theater: "I hated the stage, did not want to do it. And then somebody said, 'Will you do a play? It's with Amanda Plummer', and I said, 'Oh shit! No. Oh God, I'm gonna have to do this...'". It opened on June 10, 2013 and closed on September 29, 2013. The play was subject to a number of performance cancellations, one relating to Dourif's absence, due to a death in the family. Plummer refused to perform without Dourif, notwithstanding the presence of an understudy.Has heard his own movie Dune (1984) described as "science fiction's answer to Heaven's Gate (1980)" (which Dourif also starred in), and he agrees totally with this summation.Is the only actor to be in all seven Child's Play films, although he only appeared onscreen in Child's Play (1988) and Curse of Chucky (2013). In all the other films, his performance was voice acting only. Out of all the Child's Play films - Bride of Chucky (1998) is his favorite.Has taught acting and directing classes at Columbia University in the City of New York.In 1981, Vincent Canby listed Dourif as one of twelve actors to watch, calling Dourif "one of the most intense, most interesting young film actors of his generation".Made five trips to New Zealand while the Lord of the Rings trilogy was being filmed. He had to shave off his eyebrows each time for his role as Grima Wormtongue.In 2012, he contributed spoken word vocals to three songs on the album Misery Together by the Norwegian duo Thinguma*jigSaw.Attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia but dropped out (1969).Has two daughters: Fiona Dourif and Kristina Dourif Tanoue.His father, Jean Henri Dourif, was born in France, and was of three quarters French and one quarter English-Irish ancestry. His mother, Joan Mavis Felton (Bradford), was born in New York, to parents from Virginia, who also had English ancestry (including deep colonial American roots).His father, who owned and operated a dye factory, died when Brad was three.He missed out on two roles that went to John Savage. He was Michael Cimino's original choice to play Steven in The Deer Hunter (1978) and Milos Forman originally wanted him for the role of Claude Hooper Bukowski in Hair (1979).He was initially cast as the Scarecrow in Batman Forever (1995) while Tim Burton was attached to the project (Burton had also wanted to cast Dourif as The Joker in Batman (1989), but the studio refused). However, Joel Schumacher eventually took over the project and instead cast Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face and Jim Carrey as the Riddler.Grandchild: Caden Kalani Kahalewai Dourif-Tanoue (born 2001).He was considered for the role of Max Cady in the remake Cape Fear (1991), which went to Robert De Niro.Has appeared with Samuel L. Jackson in four films: Ragtime (1981), The Exorcist III (1990), Jungle Fever (1991) and Amos & Andrew (1993).As of 2017, he has appeared in four films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Mississippi Burning (1988), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - though he only appears in the extended version of the last film (and not the one screened to the Academy). Of those, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) are winners in the category.Has worked with director Werner Herzog in four films: Scream of Stone (1991), The Wild Blue Yonder (2005), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009).Attended and graduated from Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, Colorado (1968).He played the role of Stephen in a stage production of the play "When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder". Dourif was asked to reprise the role for the film version, but turned said offer down because he didn't want to work with Marjoe Gortner. The role went to Peter Firth.Is one of four cast members of David Lynch's Dune (1984) who have appeared on the Star Trek series: Sir Patrick Stewart played Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Brad Dourif and Virginia Madsen have appeared on Star Trek: Voyager (1995), and Dean Stockwell has appeared on Star Trek: Enterprise (2001).Moved to New York City at age 19 and worked with the Circle Repertory Company, appearing in many off-Broadway and Woodstock, New York productions. Moved to Los Angeles, California (1988). |
| Trademarks: |
Deep raspy ominous voice
Often plays eccentric or deranged characters
Frightening, expressive interpretations
The voice of Chucky in the Child's Play films
Receding hairline and wild blue eyes |
| Quotes: |
[on if he prefers to play edgier twisted characters] Well, I've been cast as them... and I like to work, so I take those roles. You know, you try to be diverse, and try to have fun and round things out.
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I'm formally trained, I don't know what classically trained really means. I've worked with Sanford Meisner. And I've worked at Circle Rep with Marshall W. Mason and Lanford Wilson and some really good people. I was lucky. I had a lot of really good influences.
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<hr>
I prefer film to the stage. I always like the rehearsal better than I like performing.
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<hr>
I'm a whore. If they have a check and camera and a script and stuff for me to say, I am mostly there, unless I just can't take it. No, really, I do like to work. It just depends on whether there is a whole lot of stuff for me to choose from, because if there is I am choosy. If there's not a lot of work, then I try to find some redeeming value in the parts being offered. If it is awful, then, of course, I can't do it. But I have to say, I am pretty lucky in that there are usually things coming in. That said, sometimes it is slow.
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<hr>
I am good when there is something central about the character. There is always a human theme I attach myself to. I am really looking for something that is moving or enlightening or something with depth as an actor. I look for these kinds of roles. |
| Job title: |
Actor |
| Others works: |
Played didgeridu, an ethnic Australian wind instrument, on 2 CDs: 1. "Eating Jello With a Heated Fork" by Deviants ixvi (Alive/Total Energy) 2. "The Deathray Tapes" by Mick Farren and Jack Lancaster.
Played the role of Saavedro in the |
| Spouse: |
Jonina Bernice ? (divorced, 1 child)Janet Stephanie Charmatz (? - June 20, 1980) (divorced, 1 child) |
| Children: |
Kristina DourifFiona Dourif |
| Parents: |
Joan Mavis Felton Dourif (Bradford)
Jean Henri Dourif
Bill Campbell |
| Relatives: |
Caden Kalani Kahalewai Dourif-Tanoue (Grandchild)
Sibling (Sibling)
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