Dean Norris | |
|---|---|
 Norris at the 2024Rose City Comic Con | |
| Born | Dean Joseph Norris (1963-04-08)April 8, 1963 (age 61) South Bend, Indiana, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Political party | Democratic[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
Dean Joseph Norris (born April 8, 1963)[2][3][4] is an American actor. He is known for playingHank Schrader on theAMC seriesBreaking Bad (2008–2013), James "Big Jim" Rennie on theCBS seriesUnder the Dome (2013–2015),[5] and Clay "Uncle Daddy" Husser on theTNT seriesClaws (2017–2022). Throughout his career, he has amassed over 154 credits across film and television.
Norris has appeared in films such asLethal Weapon 2 (1989),Hard to Kill (1990),Total Recall (1990),Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991),The Firm (1993),Starship Troopers (1997),The Cell (2000),Little Miss Sunshine (2006),Evan Almighty (2007),Sons of Liberty (2015),The Book of Henry (2017),Death Wish (2018),Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) andCarry On (2024).
Dean Joseph Norris was born inSouth Bend, Indiana,[2] in a family of Hungarian descent; his grandfather lived inTiszadob.[6] He graduated fromClay High School in 1981, where he was theclass valedictorian.[4][7] While in high school, he was a member of the award-winning student-produced comedy showBeyond Our Control, which ran onWNDU-TV.[8][9] He is a 1985 graduate ofHarvard College, where he studied the interdisciplinary concentration ofSocial Studies and was a member ofHasty Pudding Theatricals.[10][11][12] He also earned a diploma from theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1987.[11][13][14]
Norris starred inTremors: The Series and the filmWithout Limits. He has had guest spots in other television series includingNYPD Blue,The X-Files,The West Wing, andLost, and has appeared in films includingGattaca andTerminator 2: Judgment Day. He playedDrug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agentHank Schrader onBreaking Bad from the show'spremiere in 2008 to its final season in 2013. Norris' performance onBreaking Bad has received critical acclaim.[15][16]
Norris also starred in theCBS seriesUnder the Dome. He plays selectman James "Big Jim" Rennie, the only town council member in the area which is cut off from the rest of the United States. As of June 2017, he plays mob boss Clay "Uncle Daddy" Husser in theTNT seriesClaws.
In 2020, Norris reprised the role of Agent Hank Schrader on-screen in theBreaking Bad prequelBetter Call Saul during the show'sfifth season.[17]
Norris was cast in a lead role for theCBS sitcomUnited States of Al.
Norris and his wife, Bridget, a former entertainment attorney, live with their five children inTemecula, California.[13] In 2018, the couple opened the Norris Performing Arts Center inMurrieta.[18]
Norris is a fan of his hometown team theNotre Dame Fighting Irish.[19]
In 2019, he helped launch Schraderbräu, Hank Schrader's in-universe home-brewed craft beer, as an official product.[20]
In 2022, Dean and Bridget Norris purchased The Swing Inn Cafe, a long-standing restaurant inOld Town, Temecula, for $6 million.[21]
Norris is a committed member of theDemocratic Party and has publicly denounced and criticizedDonald Trump.[1] He is known to have attended the2016 and2024 Democratic National Conventions.[1][22]
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Beyond Our Control | Company Member | 13 episodes |
| 1987 | The Equalizer | Martin | Episode: "Christmas Presence" |
| 1988 | Leap of Faith | Richard | Television film |
| Police Story: Gladiator School | Ralph Thomas | ||
| 1989 | Beauty and the Beast | Biggs | Episode: "A Kingdom by the Sea" |
| 1990 | Montana | Foreman | Television film |
| 1991 | Murderous Vision | Lieutenant Martin | |
| Locked Up: A Mother's Rage | Mike | ||
| 1992 | Till Death Us Do Part | Matt Hobert | |
| Secrets | Henderson | ||
| Homefront | Second Coworker | Episode: "Take My Hand" | |
| 1993 | Barbarians at the Gate | Scientist | Television film |
| 1993–1994 | NYPD Blue | Father Jerry Downey | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | Married... with Children | Rodent | Episode: "Dud Bowl" |
| Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee | Red Arrow | Television film | |
| 1995 | The X-Files | Marshal Tapia | Episode: "F. Emasculata" |
| Fallen Angels | Allen | Episode: "Tomorrow I Die" | |
| The Marshal | Tyler Dumas | Episode: "Kissing Cousins" | |
| In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice | Levasseur | Television film | |
| Texas Justice | Luke Wheeler | Television film | |
| 1995–1996 | Murder One | Rusty Arnold | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Dark Skies | Clayton Lewis | Episode: "We Shall Overcome" |
| Innocent Victims | Frank Sarezin | Television film | |
| It Came from Outer Space II | Dave Grant | ||
| Seduced by Madness | Detective Pike | ||
| Forgotten Sins | Detective Carl Messenger | ||
| Death Benefit | Rod Montgomery | ||
| After Jimmy | Ray Johnson | ||
| 1997 | Riot | Kalena | |
| On the Line | Manny Denikolas | ||
| The Pretender | Tommy Larson | Episode: "Prison Story | |
| Nash Bridges | William Robard | Episode: "Deliverance" | |
| 1998 | V.I.P. | Jackson LaSarr | Episode: "Beats Working at a Hot Dog Stand" |
| ER | Clark | Episode: "They Treat Horses, Don't They?" | |
| Walker, Texas Ranger | Deke Powell | Episode: "War Cry" | |
| 1999 | Millennium | Del Boxer | Episode: "Seven and One" |
| Pensacola: Wings of Gold | 'Spider' / Colonel Laweson | 3 episodes | |
| The Practice | Detective | Episode: "Free Dental" | |
| Charmed | Dr. Stone | Episode: "They're Everywhere" | |
| Nash Bridges | Frank Maddigan | Episode: "Smash and Grab" | |
| 2000 | The Pretender | Sheriff Whalen | Episode: "Corn Man" |
| 2001 | Boston Public | Matthew Gordon | Episode: "Chapter Sixteen" |
| Six Feet Under | Detective Shea | Episode: "Familia" | |
| The District | Charles N. Burke | Episode: "Bulldog's Ghost" | |
| 2002 | JAG | Jury member | Episode: "Odd Man Out" |
| Philly | Detective Duff | Episode: "Mojo Rising" | |
| 2002–2004 | American Dreams | Frank Moran | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | 24 | General Bowden | 2 episodes |
| Tremors | Agent W.D. Twitchell | Main role, 10 episodes | |
| Dragnet | Leon Tate | Episode: "Slice of Life" | |
| 2004–2011 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Bob Durham Jr. / Phil Baker | 4 episodes |
| 2004 | NCIS | Gunnery Sergeant Vesta | Episode: "My Other Left Foot" |
| Crossing Jordan | Liam Moore | Episode: "Dead in the Water" | |
| Medical Investigation | David Weiner | Episode: "Team" | |
| Boston Legal | Byron Kaneb | Episode: "Catch and Release" | |
| LAX | Danny | Episode: "Secret Santa" | |
| 2005 | Without a Trace | Officer Tim Orley | Episode: "Penitence" |
| Medium | Detective Rickey | 2 episodes | |
| Over There | Mr. Parker | Episode: "Situation Normal" | |
| The West Wing | Republican National Committee Chairman Steve Hodder | 2 episodes | |
| Mrs. Harris | Sporting Goods Clerk | Television film | |
| Las Vegas | Ray Brennan | Episode: "Everything Old Is You Again" | |
| 2006 | Cold Case | Wayne Nelson | Episode: "Death Penalty: Final Appeal" |
| Windfall | Damien's Father | 4 episodes | |
| Just Legal | Judge | Episode: "The Code" | |
| Nip/Tuck | Mark Noble | Episode: "Shari Noble" | |
| Justice | Jack Clark | Episode: "Crucified" | |
| 2007 | Grey's Anatomy | Vince | 2 episodes: "Walking on Water," "Drowning on Dry Land" |
| The Unit | Supervisor Marsh | 2 episodes | |
| 2008–2013 | Breaking Bad | DEA AgentHank Schrader | Main role, 51 episodes |
| 2008 | Saving Grace | Ross Ford | Episode: "Have a Seat, Earl" |
| Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Nelson | 2 episodes | |
| Bones | Don Timmons | Episode: "The Finger in the Nest" | |
| 2009 | Lost | Howard Grey | Episode: "Some Like It Hoth" |
| True Blood | Leon | Episode: "Shake and Fingerpop" | |
| The Cleaner | Mr. Fisher | Episode: "Path of Least Resistance" | |
| 2010 | Criminal Minds | Detective John Barton | Episode: "...A Thousand Words" |
| The Glades | Michael Nelson | Episode: "Doppleganger" | |
| Lie to Me | Dawkins | Episode: "Darkness and Light" | |
| Dark Blue | Cahill | Episode: "Jane Wayne" | |
| Chase | Sheriff Keagan | Episode: "The Posse" | |
| The Good Guys | Pike | Episode: "Cop Killer" | |
| The Whole Truth | Mike Taylor | Episode: "Cold Case" | |
| Medium | Paul Scanlon | 2 episodes | |
| Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Shell Tong | Episode: "Chrimbus Special" (deleted scene) | |
| 2011 | Fairly Legal | Coach Gardner | Episode: "Benched" |
| The Defenders | Donnie Barrett | Episode: "Nevada v. Donnie the Numbers Guy" | |
| Off the Map | Morris Cooper | Episode: "It's a Leaf" | |
| The Stoned Ages | Narrator | Documentary | |
| Law & Order: LA | Bob Kentner | Episode: "Westwood" | |
| CSI: NY | Lieutenant Mitchell Adler | Episode: "Officer Involved" | |
| Castle | Captain Peterson | Episode: "Cops & Robbers" | |
| The Mentalist | Sergeant Don Henderson | Episode: "Pink Tops" | |
| 2012 | Body of Proof | Special Agent Brendan Johnson | 2 episodes |
| Eagleheart | Deke | Episode: "Blues" | |
| Key & Peele | Mexican Drug Cartel Leader | Episode: "When You Don't Know How to Count Money" | |
| The Cleveland Show | Fire Chief | Voice; Episode: "Flush of Genius" | |
| 2013 | Whitney | Wayne Miller | Episode: "Nesting" |
| 2013–2015 | Under the Dome | James 'Big Jim' Rennie | Main role, 39 episodes |
| 2014 | American Dad! | Head of Security | Voice; Episode: "Big Stan on Campus" |
| 2015 | Sons of Liberty | Benjamin Franklin | 3 episodes |
| Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | M. Le Loup | Episode: "Kimmy's In a Love Triangle!" | |
| 2015–2016 | Sofia the First | Mazzimo | Voice; 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Mack & Moxy | Admirable Dean | Episode: "You're My Hero" |
| 2016–2018 | The Big Bang Theory | Colonel Richard Williams | 6 episodes |
| 2017 | Girlboss | Jay Marlowe | 5 episodes |
| Get Shorty | Bob Grace | Episode: "Grace Under Fire" | |
| 2017–2022 | Claws | Uncle Daddy | Main role, 40 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Scandal | Fenton Glackland | 5 episodes |
| 2019 | The Act | Russ | Episode: "Two Wolverines" |
| 2020 | Better Call Saul | DEA AgentHank Schrader | Episodes: "The Guy for This", "Namaste" |
| Superstore | Howard Fox | Episode: "Myrtle"[23] | |
| 2021–2022 | United States of Al | Art Dugan | Main role, 35 episodes |
| 2021 | Nova Vita | Devon Washington | 10 episodes |
| 2024 | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Randall Stabler | Recurring role (season 4) |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | Judge Whittaker | Episode: "No Lessons Learned" | |
| Ghosts | Frank | Episode: "Sam's Dad" |
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actor on Television[15] | Breaking Bad | Nominated |
| 2012 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | Won[16] | |||
| Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actor on Television | Under the Dome | Nominated |
Birth Name: Dean Joseph Norris. Birth Place: South Bend, Indiana, United States.
His birthday is April 8.
...the 50-year-old actor is trying to keep from being pigeonholed in the future.
Now 47
