# M. C. Gainey

Michael Connor Gainey (born January 18, 1948) is an American character actor best known for his appearances in Lost, Con Air, Sideways, Tangled, and Django Unchained.

## Early life

Gainey was born in Jackson, Mississippi. In the early 1970s, he attended the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California, with Ken Hixon. Prior to this, he attended the University of Southern Mississippi. He worked as a mortician's apprentice before he decided to study acting. He served in the U.S. Army and was the company mailman at his post in Chakmakli, Turkey in 1969.

## Career

In 1981, he made his big-screen debut in Herbert Ross's musical Pennies from Heaven starring Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters. Since the early 1980s, he has been in over 50 films, including Two Idiots in Hollywood (1988), The Mighty Ducks (1992), The Fan (1996), Breakdown (1997), Con Air (1997), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), Sideways (2004), Are We There Yet? (2005), The Dukes of Hazzard (2005), Wild Hogs (2007) and Mr. Woodcock (2007).
Gainey was one of the stars of the short-lived series Against the Law and played Tom Friendly on the series Lost. He also played murderous drug dealer Bo Crowder in season one on the hit FX series Justified. He has guest starred on over 40 television shows, including The Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, Designing Women, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., Walker, Texas Ranger, Criminal Minds, CSI, Girl Meets World, Cheers, Days of Our Lives, The X-Files, Desperate Housewives, The Mentalist, Burn Notice, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
In 2003, Gainey appeared in The Last Cowboy, playing the role of Lance Henriksen's friend, along with Bradley Cooper and Jennie Garth. In 2004, Gainey appeared as a cuckolded husband in full frontal nudity in the award-winning arthouse film Sideways. He played Kurtz / The Wizard in the controversial road-revenge short film Apocalypse Oz. In 2007, he appeared in Mr. Woodcock, Wild Hogs, and Unearthed. In 2010, he appeared in Love Ranch and voiced the Captain of the Palace Guard in Tangled and he reprised this role for the TV series Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure in 2017–2020. In 2012, he appeared in Quentin Tarantino's film Django Unchained.

## Personal life

He has been married to his wife Kim Novicki since 2002.
On being typecast, Gainey stated:
   With a face like this, there aren't a lot of lawyers or priest roles coming my way. I've got a face that was meant for a mug shot and that's what I've been doing for the past thirty years. If I play a cop, it's always a racist cop, or a trigger-happy cop or a crooked cop - but by and large I play cowboys, bikers, and convicts.
On his favorite of the villainous characters he has played, Gainey said:
   "Swamp Thing" in Con Air. In a movie that has so many villains, take a look at my character closely - not that it supports the weight of a careful examination - and you'll see that I don't really get in anyone's face, I don't really kill anyone, I'm not really a bad guy - I'm just a guy who likes to fly. He made the mistake of landing his plane full of controlled substances in the wrong place and finds himself in the system. In terms of bad guys though, the character I played in Breakdown was a very bad human being. There's nothing redeeming about that character.

## Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | Hard Times | Party Guest At Mansion | (uncredited) |
| 1979 | Time After Time | London Bobby | (credited as Mike Gainey) |
| 1981 | Pennies from Heaven | Policeman | |
| 1982 | Frances | Reporter / Publicist / Photographer | |
| 1984 | Starman | Cop #2 | |
| 1986 | Ratboy | Police Officer | |
| 1986 | Soul Man | Man In Cell | |
| 1987 | Fatal Beauty | Detective Barndollar | |
| 1988 | Spellbinder | Brock | |
| 1988 | Two Idiots in Hollywood | Sergeant Albert | |
| 1989 | An Innocent Man | Malcolm | |
| 1989 | Caddie Woodlawn | Hankinson | |
| 1992 | The Mighty Ducks | Lewis | |
| 1992 | Ulterior Motives | Max | |
| 1992 | Leap of Faith | "Tiny" | |
| 1993 | Geronimo: An American Legend | Unafraid Miner | |
| 1995 | Citizen Ruth | Harlan | |
| 1996 | One Tough Bastard | Hank | |
| 1996 | The Fan | Man Behind Man | |
| 1996 | The Secret Agent Club | Jock Dad | |
| 1997 | Breakdown | Earl | |
| 1997 | Con Air | Earl "Swamp Thing" Williams | |
| 1998 | Meet the Deedles | Major Ed Flowers | |
| 1998 | Ringmaster | Trucker | |
| 1999 | Happy, Texas | Bob Allen Maslow | |
| 1999 | The Haunting | Large Man | |
| 1999 | Tyrone | Sheriff Haggard | |
| 2001 | Diary of a Sex Addict | Theatre Manager | (Video) |
| 2002 | Run Ronnie Run! | Hark Trellis | |
| 2002 | Highway | Steven | |
| 2002 | The New Guy | Clem | |
| 2002 | The Country Bears | Roadie | |
| 2003 | The Cooler | Highway Officer | |
| 2003 | King of the Ants | Coach Rack | |
| 2003 | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines | Roadhouse Bouncer | |
| 2003 | Wonderland | Detective Billy Ward | |
| 2004 | Club Dread | Hank | |
| 2004 | Sideways | Cammi's Husband | |
| 2004 | Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | The Bartender | (Video) |
| 2005 | At Last | Earl Singleton | |
| 2005 | Are We There Yet? | Al | |
| 2005 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane | |
| 2006 | Two Tickets to Paradise | Barbosa | |
| 2006 | The TV Set | Hutch | |
| 2006 | Beerfest | Priest | |
| 2006 | Relative Strangers | Spicer | |
| 2006 | Apocalypse Oz | Kurtz | (Short) |
| 2007 | Wild Hogs | Murdock | |
| 2007 | Unearthed | Rob Horn | |
| 2007 | The Death and Life of Bobby Z | "Boom-Boom" | |
| 2007 | Mr. Woodcock | Hal | |
| 2009 | Tripping Forward | Jim Rose, Interviewer | |
| 2009 | All About Steve | Norm, The Truck Driver | |
| 2010 | The Not Goods Anthology: This Is Absolutely Not Good | M.C. Not Good | (Video short) |
| 2010 | Love Ranch | Warren Stamp | |
| 2010 | Tangled | Captain of The Guard | |
| 2010 | Trim | Ron | |
| 2011 | Leave | Gus | |
| 2012 | Stolen | Hoyt | |
| 2012 | The Babymakers | Officer Malloy | |
| 2012 | Django Unchained | John "Big John" Brittle | |
| 2012 | Ghost Quake | Principal Alger Danforth | |
| 2013 | The Pardon | Gibbs Duhon | |
| 2015 | Father's Day | Dad | (Short) |
| 2015 | The Week | Doc | |
| 2016 | Greater | Coach Ford | |
| 2017 | The Corridor Defended | The Bartender | (Short) |
| 2018 | Shifting Gears | D.H. "Dirty Harry" Hawkins | |
| 2018 | Town of Samhain | Marquee (voice) | (Short) |
| 2018 | Boogeyman Pop | Ed | |
| 2018 | Deadman Standing | Hugh Anderson | |
| 2019 | The Orchard Girl | "Wheelchair" | (Short) |
| 2019 | Bit | Enoch | |
| 2020 | Emperor | Randolph Stevens | |
| 2021 | The Cleaner | Doug | |

## Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | Dynasty | Worker | Episode: "The Bordello" |
| 1982 | Bring 'Em Back Alive | Miller | Episode: "Escape from Kampoon" |
| 1982 | Father Murphy | Foreman | Episode: "The Reluctant Runaway: Part 2" |
| 1982 | Happy Days | Elmo | Episode: "Hi Yo, Fonzie Away" |
| 1982 | Knight Rider | Jason Keller | Episode: "A Plush Ride" |
| 1982 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Peters | Episode: "Bad Day in Hazzard" |
| 1982 | The Blue and the Gray | Sykes | Episode: "Part 1" |
| 1983 | T. J. Hooker | Earl Banks | Episode: "Too Late for Love" |
| 1983 | Wizards and Warriors | | Episode: "The Kidnap" |
| 1983 | The A-Team | C.W. Watkins | Episode: "A Nice Place to Visit" |
| 1983 | Night Partners | Rapist | TV movie |
| 1984 | Blue Thunder | Saver | Episode: "Arms Race" |
| 1984 | Hart to Hart | Hayward | Episode: "The Shooting" |
| 1984 | Whiz Kids | | Episode: "The Sufi Project" |
| 1984 | The New Mike Hammer | "PeeWee" | Episode: "Too Young to Die" |
| 1985 | Street Hawk | Frankie Monroe | Episode: "The Arabian" |
| 1985 | The Rape of Richard Beck | Sonny | TV movie |
| 1986 | Cheers | Irving | Episode: "Suspicion" |
| 1986 | Knight Rider | Jerry Nash | Episode: "Out of the Woods" |
| 1988 | Frank Nitti: The Enforcer | | TV movie |
| 1988 | Police Story: Gladiator School | Rafferty | TV movie |
| 1988 | Something Is Out There | Deputy | Episode: "The Keeper" |
| 1983-1988 | Simon & Simon | Clarence "Buzz-Saw" Cooder / Mr. Bad / Dexter | 3 episodes |
| 1989 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Benger | Episode: "Elysian Fields" |
| 1989 | Major Dad | Zaff | Episode: "Just Polly & Me, and the Kids Make Five" |
| 1989 | The Young Riders | Gabe Colter | Episode: "Ten-Cent Hero" |
| 1990 | Doctor Doctor | Darren DuFine | Episode: "Doctors and Other Strangers" |
| 1990 | Hunter | Magruder | Episode: "Street Wise: Part 2" |
| 1990 | El Diablo | "Bebe" Patterson | TV movie |
| 1989-1990 | Hardball | "Moose" Dobson | 2 episodes |
| 1988-1991 | Designing Women | T. Tommy Reed / Junior | 3 episodes |
| 1990-1991 | Against the Law | J.T. "Miggsy" Meigs | 17 episodes |
| 1991 | Matlock | Marty Jensen | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | The Commish | Si Prince | Episode: "Nothing to Fear But Fear" |
| 1991 | L.A. Law | Jack Markell | Episode: "Monkey on My Back Lot" |
| 1992 | Night Court | Eddie "The Machete" | Episode: "Shave and a Haircut" |
| 1992 | Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life | Jack "One-Armed Jack" Sample | TV movie |
| 1992 | Raven | "Fat Boy" Ochoa | Episode: "Return of the Black Dragon" |
| 1993 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Luther | Episode: "Robbing the Banks" |
| 1993 | Danger Theatre | George "Mad Dog" Munson (segment "Vengeance in the Grass") | Episode: "Comes a Searcher/Vengeance in the Grass" |
| 1993 | The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. | "Big" Smith | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Hearts Afire | M.C. | Episode: "The Stud Club" |
| 1994 | Renegade | Mick Russell | Episode: "The Posse" |
| 1994 | Dead Man's Revenge | | TV movie |
| 1994 | Blind Justice | "Bull" | TV movie |
| 1994 | Thunder Alley | Mr. Ohrt | Episode: "Give 'Em Hell, Bobbi" |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel | "Smoky" | Episode: "The Heart of the Matter" |
| 1994 | New Eden | Thor | TV movie |
| 1995 | Women of the House | Moving Man #2 | Episode: "Miss Sugarbaker Goes to Washington" |
| 1995 | Marker | Floyd | Episode: "High & Wild" |
| 1995 | Naomi & Wynonna: Love Can Build a Bridge | Gaylon | TV movie |
| 1995 | Misery Loves Company | "Scar" | Episode: "Uneasy Rider" |
| 1995 | M.A.N.T.I.S. | Cabin Dweller | Episode: "Ghost of the Ice" |
| 1996 | Silk Stalkings | Lucien "Bayou" Boudreau | Episode: "Uncivil Wars" |
| 1996 | Death Benefit | D.K. Graham | TV movie |
| 1996 | Don't Look Back | "Red" | TV movie |
| 1996 | The Lazarus Man | Everett Henderson | Episode: "The Angel Maker" |
| 1997 | Nash Bridges | Neil Gallow | Episode:: "Payback" |
| 1998 | The Pretender | Sharpton | Episode: "Amnesia" |
| 1998 | Last Rites | "Quinn" Quint | TV movie |
| 1998 | Buddy Faro | Dyer | Episode: "Get Me Cody Swift" |
| 1999 | The Magnificent Seven | Earl | Episode: "The New Law" |
| 1999 | Pensacola: Wings of Gold | Clyde Donaldson | Episode: "Sortie" |
| 1999 | Horse Sense | "Twister" | TV movie |
| 1993-2000 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Craig / Tingley | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | The X-Files | Bo Taylor | Episode: "Vienen" |
| 2001 | Dead Last | Hagerty | Episode: "Teen Spirit" |
| 2001 | UC: Undercover | "Cubby" | Episode: "Zero Option" |
| 2002 | Days of Our Lives | Chauncey "Big Chauncey" O'Hanrahan | 5 episodes |
| 2003 | The Last Cowboy | Amos Russell | TV movie |
| 2003 | The Pitts | Curtis | Episode: "Ticket to Riot" |
| 2003 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Frank Maddox | Episode: "Homebodies" |
| 2005 | Criminal Minds | Moretti | Episode: "Derailed" |
| 2005–2008 | Lost | Tom Friendly | 19 episodes |
| 2008 | Bones | Braxton Smalls | Episode: "The Man in the Mud" |
| 2008 | The Young and the Restless | Dick Dentner | 2 episode |
| 2008 | Cold Case | Coach Walters '08 | Episode: "Glory Days" |
| 2009 | Burn Notice | Jacob Orr | Episode: "Seek and Destroy" |
| 2009 | Life | William Ford | Episode: "I Heart Mom" |
| 2009 | ER | Darrion Walters | Episode: "Shifting Equilibrium" |
| 2010 | Happy Town | Sheriff Griffin Conroy | 6 episodes |
| 2010 | Human Target | Donnelly | Episode: "The Wife's Tale" |
| 2010-2011 | Justified | Bo Crowder | 6 episodes |
| 2011 | Enlightened | Rick | Episode: "The Weekend" |
| 2012 | The Finder | Pete Steck | Episode: "Eye of the Storm" |
| 2012 | Haunted High | Danforth | TV movie |
| 2013 | Glee | Santa | Episode: "Previously Unaired Christmas" |
| 2014 | Revolution | General Frank Blanchard | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | The Walking Dead | Walker | Episode: "Slabtown" (uncredited) |
| 2010-2015 | The Mentalist | Pete Barsocky / Pete | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Married | Ed | Episode: "Thanksgiving" |
| 2015 | Girl Meets World | Pappy Joe | 2 episodes |
| 2014-2015 | Kingdom | Rick | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | The Magicians | Stanley | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Lopez | Broughton Goodson | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Maron | Gus | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | American Gothic | Al Jenkins | Episode: "The Oxbow" |
| 2017 | Outcast | Bob "Junkyard Bob" Caldwell | 8 episodes |
| 2017 | Speechless | Dominic "Dom" | Episode: "S-H-- SHIPPING" |
| 2018 | Riverdale | Papa Poutine | |
| 2017-2018 | Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure | Captain of The Guard | 14 episodes |
| 2018 | 9-1-1 | Charlie | Episode: "Under Pressure" |
| 2018 | The Conners | Group Leader | Episode: "The Separation of Church and Dan" |
| 2019 | The Passage | Bob | Episode: "Last Lesson" |
| 2019 | Bosch | Ryan Rodgers | 5 episodes |
| 2020 | A Teacher | Wyatt Wilson | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | Tacoma FD | McSwiggins | Episode "Gone Dutch" |

## Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | Lost: Via Domus | Tom Friendly (voice) | |