Person
Tom Bower
Acting · 1938–2024 · Denver, Colorado, USA
Biography
Ralph Thomas Bower (January 3, 1938 – May 30, 2024) was an American actor who appeared in a wide variety of television and film roles from 1973 to 2023. On television, he played physician Curtis Willard (husband of Mary-Ellen) on The Waltons (1975 - 1978). Bower also appeared in numerous series in guest roles, including Hill Street Blues, The X-Files, The West Wing, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In film, he had prominent supporting roles in notable films such as River's Edge (1986), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Die Hard 2 (1990), Nixon (1995), Pollock (2000), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), Appaloosa (2008), Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009), The Killer Inside Me (2010), and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019). Bower was also an award-winning stage actor.
Known for
Grey's Anatomy
Mr. Schultz
Law & Order
Whitten
NCIS
Miller Thompson
Criminal Minds
Damon Miller
The Office
Heinrich
The X-Files
Sheriff Harden
Monk
Bennie Wentworth
Dallas
Mancuso
The West Wing
General Barrie
Bosch
John Caffrey
Filmography
- 2025HurricannaDentist
- 2024Double Down SouthOld Nick
- 2023We Have a GhostErnest Scheller
- 2022The Real Spies Among FriendsSelf
- 2022Raymond & RayHarris
- 2020Two Ways HomeWalter
- 2020Fully Realized HumansRichard
- 2019El Camino: A Breaking Bad MovieLou
- 2019Senior Love TriangleWilliam Selig
- 2019Light of My LifeTom
- 2019Making a Deal with the DevilMacGivens
- 2019The Last Big SaveRobert
- 2017As You Like ItJaques
- 2016IceJonah Kreshman
- 2016GoliathJim
- 2015LambFoster
- 2015Digging for FireTom the Neighbor
- 2015RunoffScratch
- 2015The Ever AfterFather O'Meara
- 2015BoschJohn Caffrey
- 201413 SinsFather
- 2013Out of the FurnaceDan Dugan
- 2013Dark Around the StarsSilky
- 2013Ray DonovanJudge Roger Wettick
- 2011I Melt with YouCaptain Bob
- 2011Vegas Baby!Production Design
- 2011SessionDr. Albert Solomon
- 2010The Land of the AstronautsMr. Esteridge
- 2010Rizzoli & IslesRedmond Jones
- 2010The Killer Inside MeSheriff Bob Maples
- 2010After the DenimJames Packer
- 2009Crazy HeartBill Wilson
- 2009Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New OrleansPat McDonagh
- 2008Familiar StrangersFrank Worthington
- 2008AppaloosaAbner Raines
- 2008Gospel HillJack Herrod
- 2007UndoingDon
- 2007Private PracticeDennis Hoffman
- 2007Pain WithinJoseph
- 2006FeelBuck
- 2006Flannel PajamasBill
- 2006Brothers of the HeadEddie Pasqua
- 2006The AmateursFloyd
- 2006The Hills Have EyesGas Station Attendant
- 2005Criminal MindsDamon Miller
- 2005It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaPop-Pop
- 2005Fathers and SonsVito (uncredited)
- 2005Grey's AnatomyMr. Schultz
- 2005The OfficeHeinrich
- 2005North CountryGray Suchett
- 2004Battlestar GalacticaJoe
- 2004In the Land of Milk and MoneyLenny Cochran
- 2003NCISMiller Thompson
- 2003The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab StorySheriff Fender
- 2002The BadgeBull Hardwick
- 2002MonkBennie Wentworth
- 2002High CrimesFBI Agent Mullins
- 2002The Laramie ProjectFather Roger Schmit
- 2001Hearts in AtlantisLen Files
- 2001The GuardianRay 'Rufus' Schmiel
- 2001Going GreekBill
- 2001The DivisionBishop
- 2000PollockDan Miller
- 2000The Million Dollar HotelHector
- 1999RoswellEverett Hubble
- 1999The West WingGeneral Barrie
- 1999MalevolenceJim Bradley
- 1999A Slipping Down LifeMr. Decker
- 1998Monday After the MiracleUncle Ed
- 1998The NegotiatorOmar (uncredited)
- 1998Poodle SpringsArnie Burns
- 1997Buffalo SoldiersGen. Pike
- 1997The Killing JarDet. Jake Pestone
- 1997The PracticeJohn Pierce
- 1997Follow Me HomeLarry
- 1996Shaughnessy: The Iron MarshalMarshall
- 1996Riders of the Purple SageJudkins (uncredited)
- 1995NixonFrank Nixon
- 1995White Man's BurdenStanley
- 1995GeorgiaErwin Flood
- 1995The Avenging AngelBill Hickman
- 1995Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow DogJohn Gale
- 1994Clear and Present DangerClark's Pilot (uncredited)
- 1994Against the WallEd
- 1993ShimmerMr. Speck
- 1993NYPD BlueVictor Ugo
- 1993The X-FilesSheriff Harden
- 1993Teenage Bonnie and Klepto ClydePeter Baker
- 1993The Ballad of Little JoLyle Hogg (uncredited)
- 1993Relentless 3Captain Phelan
- 1992Love Can Be MurderMike Riordan
- 1992Revenge on the HighwayOfficer Russell Yates
- 1992Raising CainSgt, Cully
- 1991Talent for the GameRev. Bodeen
- 1991Love, Lies and MurderLeverette
- 1991DillingerCaptain Matt Leach
- 1990Law & OrderWhitten
- 1990Die Hard 2Marvin
- 1989The Road to TerrorHimself - Reporter
- 1989Desperado: The Outlaw WarsBilly Dobbs
- 1989WiredDetective
- 1989NightbreakerDan Cutter
- 1989True BelieverCecil Skell
- 1988Distant ThunderLouis
- 1988Split DecisionsDetective Walsh
- 1988Promised a MiracleMichael Elliot
- 1988China BeachArchie Winslow
- 1988Lady in WhiteSheriff Saunders
- 1988What Price VictoryEldon Ray
- 1987Family SinsSheriff
- 1987Beverly Hills Cop IIRuss Fielding
- 1986River's EdgeBennett
- 1985The Lightship"Coop" Cooper
- 1985Misfits of ScienceJeffries
- 1984Crazy like a FoxTrumble
- 1984Murder, She WroteJonathan Bailey
- 1984Miami ViceC.I.A. Agent Carter
- 1984Massive RetaliationKirk Fredericks
- 1984WildroseRick
- 1983Hardcastle and McCormickMarty Torrance
- 1983The Ballad of Gregorio CortezBoone Chate
- 1982Life of the Party: The Story of BeatriceTom
- 1982Tales of the Apple Dumpling GangEli Nugent
- 1982American PlayhouseBoone Choate
- 1981Hill Street BluesDe Petrus
- 1979When Hell Was in SessionLt. Jim Norton
- 1978The Winds of Kitty HawkWilliam Tate
- 1978The Dain CurseSgt. O'Gar
- 1978DallasMancuso
- 1977Lou GrantLind
- 1977The 3,000 Mile ChaseRichette
- 1977Kingston: ConfidentialVincent Ross
- 1976Quincy, M.E.Mr. Royce
- 1976The CommitmentAbe
- 1975A Woman for All MenConstruction Worker
- 1975BarettaEddie Ryan
- 1974The Rockford FilesOfficer Hensley
- 1973Incident at VichyPolice Guard
- 1973KojakBrenner
- 1973Barnaby JonesBaxter
- 1972The WaltonsDr. Curtis Willard
- 1954The Wonderful World of DisneyEli Nugent
- —The Spittin' Image
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