Michael Ironside has made a strong and indelible impression with his
often incredibly intense and explosive portrayals of fearsome villains
throughout the years. He was born as Frederick Reginald Ironside on
February 12, 1950 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Ironside was a
successful arm wrestler in his teenage years. His initial ambition was
to be a writer. At age fifteen, Michael wrote a play called "The
Shelter" that won first prize in a Canada-wide university contest; He
used the prize money to mount a production of this play. Ironside
attended the Ontario College of Art, took acting lessons from Janine
Manatis, and studied for three years at the Canadian National Film
Board. Ironside worked in construction as a roofer prior to embarking
on an acting career.
Ironside first began acting in movies in the late 1970s. He received
plenty of recognition with his frightening turn as deadly and powerful
psychic Darryl Revok in
David Cronenberg's
Scanners - Ihre Gedanken können töten (1981). He was likewise very
chilling as vicious misogynistic psychopath Colt Hawker in the
underrated Das Horror-Hospital (1982).
Other memorable film roles include weary Detective Roersch in the sadly
forgotten thriller
Gehetzt (1983), the crazed
Overdog in the immensely enjoyable
Spacehunter - Jäger im All (1983),
the hard-nosed Jester in the blockbuster smash
Top Gun (1986), ramrod Major Paul Hackett
in Ausgelöscht (1987),
loner Vietnam veteran "Ben" in
Die Unbarmherzigen (1987), the
ferocious Lem Johnson in
Watchers - gnadenlos gejagt (1988), and lethal immortal
General Katana in
Highlander II - Die Rückkehr (1991).
Moreover, Ironside has appeared in two highly entertaining science
fiction features for
Paul Verhoeven: At his savage
best as the evil Richter in
Die totale Erinnerung - Total Recall (1990) and typically
excellent as the rugged Lieutenant Jean Rasczak in
Starship Troopers (1997).
Ironside showed a more tender and thoughtful side with his lovely and
touching performance as a hardened convict who befriends a disabled man
in the poignant indie drama gem
Raw Deal (1991); he also co-wrote
the script and served as an executive producer for this beautiful
sleeper. Michael was terrific as tough mercenary Ham Tyler on the epic
miniseries V: Die außerirdischen Besucher kommen zurück (1984), its follow up
V: Die außerirdischen Besucher kommen (1984),
and subsequent short-lived spin-off series.
Ironside also had a recurring role on the television series
SeaQuest (1993). Among the
television series he has done guest spots on are
Das A-Team (1983),
Polizeirevier Hill Street (1981),
Mike Hammer (1984),
Hitchhiker - Unglaubliche Geschichten (1983),
Geschichten aus der Gruft (1989),
Superman (1996),
Walker, Texas Ranger (1993),
Outer Limits: Die unbekannte Dimension (1995),
Emergency Room: Die Notaufnahme (1994),
Smallville (2001),
Emergency Room: Die Notaufnahme (1994),
Desperate Housewives (2004),
Die Liga der Gerechten (2001) and
Masters of Horror (2005).
More recently, Ironside garnered a slew of plaudits and a Gemini Award
nomination for his outstanding portrayal of shrewd biker gang leader
Bob Durelle in the acclaimed Canadian miniseries
Mein Freund Jeff (2002).
In addition to his substantial film and television work, Ironside has
also lent his distinctive deep voice to TV commercials and video games.
