Mitch Pileggi

Mitchell Pileggi (; born April 5, 1952) is an American actor. He played Horace Pinker in Shocker, Walter Skinner on The X-Files, Colonel Steven Caldwell on Stargate Atlantis, Ernest Darby in Sons of Anarchy, and Harris Ryland in the TNT revival of Dallas (2012–2014).

Early life and education Pileggi was born in Portland, Oregon, the son of Maxine, a homemaker, and Vito Pileggi, a defense contractor. Pileggi's family moved frequently because of his father's occupation, and Pileggi lived in Oregon, California, and Texas before spending most of his adolescence in Turkey.

Career Pileggi began acting while he was a high school student in Turkey, playing musical theater. After returning to Austin from Iran, he performed in local theaters and continued his acting career with small roles in B-movies and guest roles in television series, such as Dallas, China Beach, Code of Vengeance, and Walker, Texas Ranger.

In the 1980s, Pileggi starred in several films, including Three O'Clock High, as Duke "The Duker" Herman, an overzealous tough-as-nails high school parking lot security guard. In 1988, he starred in "Brothers In Arms" as one of the villains (Caleb) and in Shocker as body-possessing serial killer Horace Pinker. The latter was directed by horror icon Wes Craven. Pileggi played the villain in the 1991 television film, Knight Rider 2000, a sequel to the original television series Knight Rider. He also appeared briefly in the 1992 film Basic Instinct as an investigating police officer in the interrogation scene of Michael Douglas. He also appeared in the 1995 vampire film Vampire in Brooklyn (also directed by Craven) as an Italian mobster.

His most notable role was as the FBI's Assistant Director Walter Skinner on The X-Files. The role was originally recurring, but the part expanded, and in 2001 he became a regular member of the cast. The character gradually became the most integral character besides the two leads. He remained with the series until its end in 2002. Pileggi played the character in the 1998 The X-Files film and in the 2008 film The X-Files: I Want to Believe. He also reprised the role in the 2016 miniseries.

Pileggi's later work has included starring in the short-lived series Tarzan and co-starring with Barbara Hershey and Oliver Hudson in the short-lived series The Mountain. He played the recurring role of character Colonel Steven Caldwell, Commander of the Earth Battlecruiser, Daedalus, in the second (2005) and subsequent seasons of the television series Stargate Atlantis. He also appeared in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and in 2006 had a regular guest role on Day Break as Robbery/Homicide Detective Spivak. Pileggi also appeared on the Cold Case episode "Offender", as a father accused of molesting and murdering his own son, who then threatens to murder one child sex offender per day until the case is reopened and solved. Pileggi also played the role of Larry Jennings, chairman of the board of the hospital, in Grey's Anatomy. In a first-season episode of That '70s Show he played Red Forman's swinger, navy buddy, Bull, alongside his real life wife, Arlene.

Pileggi appeared in two episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as DEA agent Jack Hammond. Since 2008, Pileggi has played Ernest Darby, the head of a white supremacist gang called the "Nordics", in the FX drama Sons of Anarchy. He also played spree killer Norman Hill (AKA The Road Warrior) on a season four episode of Criminal Minds, titled "Normal". Pileggi has also done some voice acting. His voice was featured as the githzerai Dak'kon in the video game Planescape: Torment. He voices Commissioner James Gordon on the Kids' WB series The Batman. Pileggi also hosted the Fox specials Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed and Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon?. He also played the recurring role of Sam and Dean Winchester's maternal grandfather, Samuel Campbell, in the TV series Supernatural.

Pileggi starred in the TNT drama series Dallas as Harris Ryland. He was promoted to series regular in the second season.

As of 2014, Pileggi is on the advisory board of Sci-Fest, the first annual Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival, held in May 2014.

Since 2021, Pileggi has played Bonham Walker, the father of the titular Cordell Walker, in The CW crime drama series Walker reboot.

Filmography

Films Year Title Role Notes 1982 Mongrel Woody 1987 Three O'Clock High Duke Herman Death Wish 4: The Crackdown Cannery Lab Foreman 1988 Return of the Living Dead Part II Sergeant 1989 Shocker Horace Pinker 1991 Guilty as Charged Dominique 1992 Basic Instinct Internal Affairs Investigator 1994 Dangerous Touch Vince It's Pat Concert Guard #2 1995 Vampire in Brooklyn Tony 'The Hitman' Uncredited 1998 The X-Files Walter Skinner Legion of Fire: Killer Ants! Police Chief Jeff Croy 2000 Gun Shy DEA Agent Dexter Helvenshaw 2007 Man in the Chair Floyd 2008 The X-Files: I Want to Believe Walter Skinner Flash of Genius Macklin Tyler 2010 Woodshop Miller 2015 The Girl in the Photographs Sheriff Porter 2017 Transformers: The Last Knight TRF Group Leader 2019 Polaroid Sheriff Thomas Pembroke 2021 American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally John Kelley 2022 Desert ShadowsProfessor Charles M. Ridley

Television Year Title Role Notes 1990 Dallas Morrisey 4 episodes 1984 The Sky's No Limit Jerry Morrow Television film 1985 The A-Team Paul Winkle Episode: "The Road to Hope" 1987 Falcon Crest Saunder's Henchman #2 2 episodes Downtown Nick Episode: "1.13" Hooperman Large Biker Episode: "Baby Talk" Ohara Webster Episode: "Hot Rocks" 1989 Dragnet Bridgewater Hamilton Episode: "Where's Sadie?" Alien Nation John Paul Sartre Episode: "The Night of the Screams" China Beach E.O.D. Sergeant Episode: "With a Little Help from My Friends" Falcon Crest Eddie Episode: "God of the Grape" 1990 Mancuso, FBI Prisoner Episode: "Death and Taxes" Hunter Chuck Danko Episode: "The Incident" Doctor Doctor Coach Episode: "Ice Follies" 1991 Knight Rider 2000 Thomas Watts Television film Paradise Rafe Episode: "The Valley of Death" The Antagonists Detective Haley Episode: "Full Disclosure" Drexell's Class Ex-Boyfriend Episode: "Bully for Otis" 1992 Get a Life Nax Episode: "Chris' Brain Starts Working" Roc White Officer Episode: "Roc Works for Joey" 1994–2002, 2016–2018 The X-Files Walter Skinner 91 episodes 1995 Pointman Benny Dirkson Episode: "My Momma's Back" Models Inc. The Hit Man Episode: "Sometimes a Great Commotion" 1997 Players Jake Morgan Episode: "Contact Sport" 1997–1998 Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed Host all episodes 1998 Walker, Texas Ranger Paul Grady Episode: "Money Talks" 1999 That '70s Show 'Bull' Episode: "The Good Son" 2000 ER Terry Waters Episode: "Viable Options" Batman Beyond Dr. Stanton Voice, episode: "Payback" 2001 The Lone Gunmen Walter Skinner 2 episodes 2002 Dharma & Greg Himself Episode: "The Tooth Is Out There" In Search Of... Himself 8 episodes Birds of Prey Al Hawke Episode: "Nature of the Beast" 2003 Tarzan Richard Clayton 9 episodes 2003–2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit DEA Agent Jack Hammond 2 episodes 2004–2005 The Mountain Colin Dowling 13 episodes 2005 Eyes Robert Sutherland Episode: "Whereabouts" The West Wing Senator Dresden Episode: "Mr. Frost" Nip/Tuck Dr. Russell Marcus Episode: "Sal Perri" 2005–2007 The Batman Commissioner James Gordon Voice, 13 episodes 2007 Cold Case Mitch Hathaway Episode: "Offender" Boston Legal U.S. Attorney Mark Freestone Episode: "Guantanamo by the Bay" Reaper Detective Dan Stafford Episode: "The Cop" 2007–2010 Grey's Anatomy Larry Jennings 9 episodes 2008 Brothers & Sisters Browne Carter 3 episodes Criminal Minds Norman Hill Episode: "Normal" Recount Bill Daley Television film 2008–2013 Sons of Anarchy Ernest Darby 14 episodes 2008–2011 Supernatural Samuel Campbell / Azazel 8 episodes 2008–2009 Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed Narrator 13 episodes 2009 In Plain Sight Al Dennison Episode: "Rubble with a Cause" 2009–2010 Medium Dan Burroughs 4 episodes 2010 Human Target Leonard Kreese Episode: "Lockdown" Castle Hans Brauer Episode: "A Deadly Game" 2011 Leverage Colin Saunders Episode: "The Hot Potato Job" 2012 The Finder Eddie Ross Episode: "Bullets" 2012–2014 Dallas Harris Ryland 35 episodes 2015 Blue Bloods Donald DeCarlo Episode: "Sins of the Father" 2019 NCIS Wynn Crawford 2 episodes American Horror Story: 1984 Art Sawyer 2 episodes Supergirl Rama Khan Recurring role The Rookie Rex Episode "The Night General" 2020 Helstrom Papa Episode: "Hell Storm" 2021–2024 Walker Bonham Walker 56 episodes

Video games Year Title Role Notes 1998 The X-Files Game Walter Skinner 1999 Planescape: Torment Dak'kon 2004 The X-Files: Resist or Serve Walter Skinner

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result 1997 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series The X-Files Viewers for Quality Television Best Recurring Player 1998 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 1999 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series