Steve Railsback

Steve Railsback

Born 1945-11-16 (age 80) Dallas, Texas, USA
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Biography

Steve Railsback (born November 16, 1945, in Dallas, Texas) is an American theatre, film, and television actor. He is best known for his performances in the films The Stunt Man and Lifeforce, and his portrayal of Charles Manson in the 1976 television mini-series Helter Skelter.

Railsback was a student of Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio and in the late 1960s and early 1970s spent 10 years working in theatre in New York City. He once said that he found Strasberg extremely difficult to work with.

He made his film debut in The Visitors, directed by Elia Kazan. He portrayed two notorious murderers, appearing as Charles Manson in the 1976 television miniseries Helter Skelter and as Ed Gein in the 2000 film In the Light of the Moon. He also served as executive producer of the latter film.

Other notable roles include the part of Cameron in The Stunt Man with Peter O'Toole, the astronaut Tom Carlsen in Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce, Duane Barry in two episodes of The X-Files, and Joseph Welch in the pilot episode of Supernatural.

In 2008, he appeared in the science fiction/horror movie film Plaguers.

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Known For

American Pie Presents: The Book of Love
Lifeforce
Lifeforce

1985

as Col. Tom Carlsen

In the Line of Fire
In the Line of Fire

1993

as CIA Agent David Coppinger (uncredited)

The Devil's Rejects
The Devil's Rejects

2005

as Sheriff Ken Dwyer

Barb Wire
Barb Wire

1996

as Colonel Pryzer

Disturbing Behavior
Disturbing Behavior

1998

as Officer Cox

Turkey Shoot
Turkey Shoot

1982

as Paul Anders

Armed and Dangerous
Armed and Dangerous

1986

as The Cowboy

Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point

1997

as Sergeant Preston

Cockfighter
Cockfighter

1974

as Junior

Save Me
Save Me

1994

as Robbins

Scissors
Scissors

1991

as Alex Morgan / Cole Morgan

Angela
Angela

1977

as Jean

Neo Ned
Neo Ned

2005

as Mr. Day

Final Mission
Final Mission

1994

as Colonel Glen Anderson

Storytelling
Storytelling

2001

as Mr. Kirk

The Forgotten
The Forgotten

1989

as Lt. Jesse Brady

Forever
Forever

1992

as William Desmond Taylor

Helter Skelter
Helter Skelter

1976

as Charles Manson

Not Quite Hollywood