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Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor and artist  best known for his roles in science fiction horror and action movies and series such as the Alien film franchise and Millenium. He also was in the movie Scream 3. He worked multiple times with James Cameron.

Biography[]

Henriksen was born in New York City. His father, James Marin Henriksen, was a Norwegian merchant sailor and boxer nicknamed "Icewater" who spent most of his life at sea. His mother, Margueritte Werner, struggled to find work as a dance instructor, waitress, and model.[ His parents divorced when he was two years old, and he was raised by his mother. As he grew up, Henriksen found himself in trouble at various schools and even saw the inside of a children's home.

Henriksen left home and dropped out of school at the age of twelve. He would not learn to read until he was 30, when he taught himself by studying film scripts. Henriksen served in the United States Navy from 1955-1958 and attained the rank of Petty Officer Third Class.

Henriksen's first job in the theater world was as a designer of theatrical sets; in fact, he received his first role because he built the set for the production. In his early 30s, Henriksen graduated from the prestigious Actors Studio and began acting in New York City. In film, he first appeared in It Ain't Easy in 1972. Henriksen went on to portray a variety of supporting roles in noteworthy genre films such as Dog Day Afternoon, Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Damien: Omen II (1978).

When James Cameron was writing the movie The Terminator (1984), he had originally envisioned Henriksen, whom he had worked with on Piranha II: The Spawning, playing the title role. Cameron was to paint a picture of the Terminator using Henriksen's face. Regardless, the role ultimately went to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Henriksen did appear in the film, albeit in the minor role of Detective Hal Vukovich. Henriksen is perhaps best known for portraying the android Bishop, an artificial life-form, in Aliens (1986, another Cameron film) and Alien 3 (1992). He would go on to play Charles Bishop Weyland, the man Bishop's appearance was based on, in Alien vs. Predator (2004).

Horror filmography[]

Film Character Year Notes
1976 Mansion of the Doomed Dr. Dan Bryan
1978 Damien: Omen II Sergeant Neff
1979 The Visitor Raymond Armstead
1981 Piranha II: The Spawning Police Chief Steve Kimbrough
1983 Nightmares MacLeod
1986 Aliens Bishop
1987 Near Dark Jesse Hooker
1988 Pumpkinhead Ed Harley
1989 The Horror Show Detective Lucas McCarthy
1991 The Pit and the Pendulum Torquemada
1992 Alien 3 Bishop / Bishop II
1993 Man's Best Friend Dr. Jarrett
1995 Mind Ripper Stockton a.k.a. The Outpost
2000 Scream 3 John Milton
2002 The Mangler 2 Headmaster Bradeen Direct-to-video
The Untold Harlan Knowles
Unspeakable Pitchford
2003 Mimic 3: Sentinel Garbageman
2004 Madhouse Dr. Franks
Alien vs. Predator Charles Biship Weyland
2005 Hellraiser: Hellworld The Host Direct-to-video
2006 Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes Ed Harley TV Movie
When a Stranger Calls The Stranger (voice)
The Garden Ben Zachary Direct-to-video
Abominable Ziegler Dane
2007 Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud Ed Harley TV Movie
2008 Deadwater Col. John Willets Direct-to-video, a.k.a. Black Opps
Dying God Chance Direct-to-video
Dark Reel Connor Pritchett
Alone in the Dark II Abner Lundbert Direct-to-video
2009 Screamers: The Hunting Orsow
The Seamstress Sheriff Virgil Logan
Jennifer's Body Passing Motorist Cameo
2010 Cyrus Emmett
The Lost Tribe Gallo Direct-to-video
Scream of the Banshee Broderick Duncan
2011 Monster Brawl God voice
2013 Gingerclown Braineater
2014 Hollows Grove Bill Direct-to-video
2015 Harbinger Down Graff
Stung Caruthers
2016 Daylight's End Frank
Lake Eerie Pop
2017 Mom and Dad Mel
2018 Gehenna: Where Death Lives Morgan Direct-to-video
2020 A Place Among The Dead L


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