The Kurgan
Tonight’s episode featured Clancy Brown as an intelligence agent of some kind, named Joe Inman. I first noticed Clancy in his role as the Kurgan in the movie Highlander. Since then, I’ve been vaguely aware that he’s been an unusually prolific actor, but little else about him.
Turns out Clancy’s a very interesting guy. Besides Highlander, he’s played more than a hundred roles in all kinds of movies and TV, one notable recent role being Brother Justin Crowe in Carnivàle. There are lots of other roles, some major, some minor, but too many to mention here. In any event, when you see Clancy on the screen, you know you’re in for a good performance. His acting career is given an added dimension by the story of his life outside of show biz.
Like me, he’s a graduate of Northwestern University, where he studied in the school’s prestigious theater program. His father and grandfather served in the U.S. Congress representing Ohio, both members of the Republican party. The family also owns a newspaper chain, Brown Publishing, and Clancy is currently chairman of the board.
Even though he comes from a background of privilege, this is a guy who never just rests on the accomplishments of his past or his family’s past. He’s always working, whether on a new role, on the family business, or for a worthy cause. Although he’s been around a while, I doubt we’ve seen the best he has to offer. I’m going to keep my eyes peeled.
He was un-freaking-believable in Carnivale. I don’t know if you were into that show, but he was absolutely terrifying in it. (and yet, it probably shows how twisted I am that the more evil Brother Justin got, the hotter I thought he was. Anyway…)
Brother Justin routinely summoned people to become his minions through his radio program. Oddly enough, Clancy Brown is now the voice of Home Depot, so every time I hear an HD radio spot, it’s really eerily distracting. I know someone who works with the studio where he records those… apparently he is indeed a class act all the way.
Which makes me happy.