Actor / Director Profile

Excellent, prolific and dependable character actor Terry Kiser was born on August 1, 1939 in Omaha, Nebraska. Terry attended the University of Kansas on both football and dramatic scholarships. He graduated in 1962 with a degree in Industrial Engineering and worked for three years in this profession in his hometown of Omaha. Kiser also acted in some 50 plays around this same time. Terry then moved to New York and studied his craft at the Actors Studio, where he was mentored by legendary Method acting teacher Lee Strasberg. Following several gigs in TV commercials, he made his film debut as a preacher in the 1968 movie "Rachel, Rachel." Although often cast as sleazy and unlikable jerks, Terry has shown on occasion that he can portray more sympathetic parts with equal skill and conviction. Kiser gave an especially strong and engaging performance in a rare substantial starring role in the little seen drama "Lapin 360." Best known as the deceased, but still active Bernie Lomax in the hilarious "Weekend at Bernie's" pictures, Terry's other memorable roles include Chuck Norris' ill-fated cop partner Dave Pierce in the exciting "An Eye for an Eye," shady businessman Freddy Barrett in the entertaining made-for-TV science fiction disaster romp "Starflight One," petty no-count hoodlum Jesse Hardwick in the superior horror anthology opus "The Offspring," slimy psychiatrist Dr. Crews in "Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood," and the evil Colonel Spretzle in "Mannequin: On the Move." Kiser had a recurring part on the TV series "The Doctors." Among the many TV shows Terry has done guest spots on are "Will & Grace," "Walker, Texas Ranger," "Baywatch Nights," "Dream On," "The Golden Girls," "L.A. Law," "Hunter," "Murder, She Wrote," "Riptide," "Knight Rider," "The Fall Guy," "Magnum, P.I.," "Hill Street Blues," "CHiPs," "All in the Family," "Maude," "Hawaii Five-O," "The Bionic Woman," "The Six Million Dollar Man," and "Baretta." In addition to his film and TV work, Kiser has acted on stage in the Broadway plays "God's Favorite" (Terry received a Tony nomination for his performance in this Neil Simon comedy), "Shelter," "The Castro Complex," and "Paris Is Out!". Terry won both an Obie and a Theater World Award for his exemplary acting in the dramatic play "Fortune and Men's Eyes." Terry Kiser now lives in Ouray, Colorado.