
Jonathan Banks
2 FOLLOWERS • 73 CREDITS • JAN 31, 1947 • 78
Biography
Jonathan Banks (born January 31, 1947) is an American character actor in film and television.
Banks dropped out of Indiana University to join a touring company as a stage manager. He went to Australia with the company and stayed on working in theatre there. In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles and performed on stage before picking up bit parts on television. Probably his best-known movie roles are in two films starring Eddie Murphy: 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop. In 48 Hrs. he plays a character who is a friend of the lead and is killed by the villain, beginning the lead characters' story. In Beverly Hills Cop, he plays a villain who kills the lead characters' friend and begins his story. Other movie roles include appearances in Armed and Dangerous, Freejack, Flipper, Airplane!, Gremlins, Murder Me, Murder You, and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory.
His biggest break on television, came with the series Wiseguy, in which he played Frank McPike for four years, a role which led to an Emmy award nomination. Although his character was primarily the hero's mentor, stories occasionally featured McPike as hero. In 1981 he appeared as Dutch Schultz on the NBC series the Gangster Chronicles. He also starred on the short-lived science fiction TV series Otherworld, as Kommander Neveen Kroll and in the sitcom Fired Up.
Banks has also made guest appearances on TV shows including Alias, CSI, Day Break, Highlander: The Series, Matlock, SeaQuest DSV, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Women of the House and Walker Texas Ranger. Most recently, Banks appeared in the final Season Two episodes of Dexter, and in episodes of ER, Cold Case, and Shark, Modern Family. In the second season finale of Breaking Bad, Banks appeared as a mysterious character named Mike. Banks was made a series regular for the third season.
Known For

Cold Case

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

ER

Without a Trace

Ghost Whisperer

Walker, Texas Ranger

Simon & Simon

Matlock

Tales from the Crypt

Falcon Crest

Cagney & Lacey

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Two and a Half Men

T. J. Hooker

Castle

Crazy like a Fox

Diagnosis: Murder

Gravity Falls

The District

Parks and Recreation

Alias

Shark

seaQuest DSV

Life

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

The Waltons

Hunter

Lie to Me

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Dexter

Lou Grant

Modern Family

Little House on the Prairie

E-Ring

Sanford

MythBusters

Talking Saul

Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure

Hill Street Blues

The Expanse

Major Lazer

Constellation

The Word

Gremlins

Harvey

Identity Thief

Breaking Bad

Airplane!

48 Hrs.

Under Siege 2: Dark Territory

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Horrible Bosses 2

A Tale Dark & Grimm

Community

No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad

Beverly Hills Cop

Incredibles 2

The Gangster Chronicles

There Goes the Neighborhood

Mudbound

Kite Man: Hell Yeah!

The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Otherworld

Fired Up

Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles

The Commuter

Term Life

Wiseguy

The Comey Rule

Skylanders Academy

Catwoman: Hunted

Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul Employee Training
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