Bob Gunton

Bob Gunton Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: November 15, 1945

Age: 79 years old

Birth Place: Santa Monica, California

Like all good character actors, Bob Gunton is probably known more by his face than his name - his craggy, often impassive visage has essayed a score of tough, taciturn, often morally questionable men, the best known of which was the cold-hearted warden in "The Shawshank Redemption." But the California native has given life to a wide variety of roles during his four decades as an actor, including several award-winning musical performances on Broadway and in several comedies, including "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls" on the big screen and the cult series "Greg the Bunny" (2002) on the small screen.

Born Robert Gunton, Jr. in Santa Monica, CA on Nov. 15, 1945, he attended St. Peter's College in Maryland and the University of California at Irvine, graduating in 1968. Soon after, the young man served in the Army from 1969 to 1971, where he received the Viet Service Medal and Bronze Star for Valor.

Upon his return to civilian life, Gunton gravitated towards theater work; his earliest credit is the off-Broadway production "Who Am I?" in 1971. Over the next decade, he amassed an impressive list of stage credits in dramas, comedies, and musicals, including "King of Hearts," "Evita" (opposite Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin), "Big River," "How I Got That Story," and the 1989 revival of "Sweeney Todd." For his work, Gunton received a Drama Desk Award in 1980 for "Evita" and an Obie that same year for "How I Got That Story," as well as Tony nominations for "Evita" and "Sweeney Todd."

Gunton began working in front of cameras in the early 1980s, starting with a supporting role in Alan J. Pakula's "Rollover" (1981). He would divide his time between film and television for the next decade, with occasional inroads onto a TV series, including a stint on the little-seen sketch improv show "Comedy Zone" (CBS, 1983-84) which also featured Joe Mantegna and Mark Linn-Baker. Gunton's screen persona was quickly established during this period; he was drawn to and effectively portrayed strong-willed men of power - like Jacqueline Bouvier's stepfather Hugh Auchincloss in "A Woman Called Jackie" (NBC, 1991), Governor George Wallace in "Unconquered" (CBS, 1989) - or calculating heels, like his villainous company spy in John Sayles' "Matewan" (1987).

He also covered his share of military men ("Glory" (1989) and "Mission of the Shark" (CBS, 1991)) and government types ("The Public Eye" (1992)), before catching the attention of Oliver Stone, who cast him in smaller roles in "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989) and "JFK" (1991). Higher profile projects seemed to follow, including turns in Stone's miniseries "Wild Palms" (ABC, 1993), "Patriot Games" (1992), the excellent Charles Starkweather biopic "Murder in the Heartland" (ABC, 1993), and the TV miniseries "Sinatra" (CBS, 1992) in which he played bandleader Tommy Dorsey.

In 1994, Gunton caught audiences' attention as Warden Norton in Frank Darabont's "The Shawshank Redemption," an adaptation of a Stephen King novella that developed a sizable following in the decade after its release. Gunton's roles grew somewhat meatier after "Shawshank," though his characters remained essentially the same - he played Franklin D. Roosevelt in the TV movie "Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long" (TNT, 1995), Richard Nixon in the comic revisionist TV movie "Elvis Meets Nixon" (Showtime, 1997) and prosecuting attorney Finley Largent in Clint Eastwood's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" (1997).

Gunton also appeared in the feature films "The Perfect Storm" (1999), John Woo's "Broken Arrow" (1996), and perhaps his most hissable antagonist in the Robin Williams melodrama, "Patch Adams" (1998). Gunton also logged considerable hours on episodic television and made-for-TV features, including recurring roles on "Nip/Tuck" (FX 2003-2010) and "Desperate Housewives" (ABC 2004-2012), as well as a turn as Woodrow Wilson in the HBO production "Iron-Jawed Angels" (2004).

He also appeared in high profile films including "I Heart Huckabees" (2004), Matthew McConaughey's comeback vehicle "The Lincoln Lawyer" (2011), Best Picture Oscar winner "Argo" (2012), and miner rescue drama "The 33" (2015). He also began a recurring role on the comic book series "Daredevil" (Netflix 2015- ) as supervillain Leland Owlsley.

Credits

The Inheritance

Actor
Charles Abernathy
Movie
2024

The Cool KidsStream

Guest Star
Colonel Christianson
Series
2018
75%

Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Actor
Major Zeigler
Movie
2018

The List

Actor
Mr. Stern
Movie
2018

World War II: Confidential

Actor
Franklin Roosevelt
Show
2017

Isaac Hecker and the Journey of Catholic America

Voice
Show
2017

Trial & ErrorStream

Guest Star
Jeremiah Jefferson Davis
Series
2017

Mountain Top

Actor
Maxwell Forrest
Movie
2017

Marvel's DaredevilStream

Actor
Leland Owlsley
Series
2015

Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant

Actor
Flight School Instructor
Movie
2015

The 33

Actor
President Sebastián Piñera
Movie
2015

Trophy WifeStream

Guest Star
Francis Harrison
Series
2013
76%

The BlacklistStream

Guest Star
Series
2013
91%

Decoding Annie Parker

Actor
Dr. Benton
Movie
2013

Live at the Foxes Den

Actor
Tony O'Hara
Movie
2013

Highland Park

Actor
Burt
Movie
2013

Runner RunnerStream

Actor
University Dean
Movie
2013
8%

Jimmy

Actor
Sheriff Brinson
Movie
2013

ElementaryStream

Guest Star
Frederick Wentz
Series
2012
95%

ArgoStream

Actor
Cyrus Vance
Movie
2012
96%

Trouble With the Curve

Actor
Watson
Movie
2012

Get the GringoStream

Actor
Thomas Kaufman
Movie
2012
80%

New GirlStream

Guest Star
Ed
Series
2011
95%

Up All NightStream

Guest Star
Series
2011
67%

Criminal Minds: Suspect BehaviorStream

Guest Star
Marshall Phelps
Series
2011
42%

The Lincoln LawyerStream

Actor
Cecil Dobbs
Movie
2011
83%

World War II: Behind Closed Doors

Actor
Show
2010

The Trial

Actor
Joe Whetstone
Movie
2010

Royal PainsStream

Guest Star
Ret. General William Collins
Series
2009

Tenure

Actor
William Thurber
Movie
2009

The MentalistStream

Guest Star
Alexander Harrington
Series
2008

Player 5150

Actor
Nick Villa
Movie
2008

24: RedemptionStream

Actor
Ethan Kanin
Movie
2008
80%

The Lazarus Project

Actor
Father Ezra
Movie
2008

The Least of These

Actor
Father Thomas Peters
Movie
2008

Women's Murder Club

Guest Star
Show
2007

Pandemic

Actor
Dr. Max Sorkosky
Show
2007

Fracture

Actor
Judge Frank Gardner
Movie
2007

Dead Silence

Actor
Edward Ashen
Movie
2007

Pandemic

Actor
Dr. Max Sorkosky
Movie
2007

Numb

Actor
Dr. Townshend
Movie
2007

Believe in Me

Actor
Hugh Moreland
Movie
2006

NUMB3RSStream

Guest Star
Boyd Resnick
Series
2005

Desperate HousewivesStream

Guest Star
Noah Taylor
Series
2004
72%

Boston LegalStream

Guest Star
Attorney William Connolly
Series
2004
86%

Veronica MarsStream

Guest Star
Series
2004
92%

Ichabod!

Actor
Baltus Van Tassel
Movie
2004

Iron Jawed AngelsStream

Actor
President Woodrow Wilson
Movie
2004
56%

I Heart HuckabeesStream

Actor
Mr. Silver
Movie
2004
63%

Judas

Actor
High Priest Caiaphas
Movie
2004

Nip/TuckStream

Guest Star
Agent Sagamore
Series
2003
74%

Mister Sterling

Guest Star
Show
2003

Dallas 362

Actor
Joe
Movie
2003

MonkStream

Guest Star
Dwight Ellison
Series
2002
89%

Greg the BunnyStream

Actor
Junction Jack Mars
Series
2002

The Pact

Actor
James
Movie
2002

24Stream

Actor
Ethan Kanin
Series
2001
87%

24Stream

Guest Star
Ethan Kanin
Series
2001
87%

61*Stream

Actor
Dan Topping
Movie
2001
86%

When Billie Beat Bobby

Actor
Jerry Perenchio
Movie
2001

Scenes of the Crime

Actor
Steven
Movie
2001

CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationStream

Guest Star
Director Robert Carvallo
Series
2000

Running Mates

Actor
Sen. Terrence Randall
Movie
2000

The Perfect StormStream

Actor
Alexander McAnally III
Movie
2000
46%

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Guest Star
Lawrence Hendricks Sr.
Series
1999
78%

Family Law

Guest Star
Series
1999

Judging Amy

Guest Star
Series
1999

Family Guy

Guest Voice
Gefängnisdirektor
Show
1999

Family GuyStream

Guest Voice
Warden
Series
1999

Bats

Actor
Dr. Alexander McCabe
Movie
1999

Patch AdamsStream

Actor
Dean Walcott
Movie
1998
21%

Ally McBealStream

Guest Star
Series
1997
61%

Changing Habits

Actor
Bishop Creighton
Movie
1997

Elvis Meets Nixon

Actor
Richard M. Nixon
Movie
1997

Buffalo SoldiersStream

Actor
Col. Grierson
Movie
1997

Spin City

Guest Star
Series
1996
68%

Broken ArrowStream

Actor
Pritchett
Movie
1996
53%

The Glimmer ManStream

Actor
Frank Deverell
Movie
1996
11%

Courthouse

Actor
Judge Homer Conklin
Show
1995

The Outer LimitsStream

Actor
Clute Nichols
Series
1995

In Pursuit of Honor

Actor
Col. John Hardesty
Movie
1995

Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long

Actor
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Movie
1995

Dolores ClaiborneStream

Actor
Mr. Pease
Movie
1995
86%

Ace Ventura: When Nature CallsStream

Actor
Burton Quinn
Movie
1995
21%

L'Honneur de la cavalerie

Actor
Movie
1995

Touched by an AngelStream

Actor
Series
1994

La Redención de Shawshank

Actor
Movie
1994

Roswell

Actor
Frank Joyce
Movie
1994

The Shawshank RedemptionStream

Actor
Warden Samuel Norton
Movie
1994
89%

Wild Palms

Actor
Show
1993

Murder in the Heartland

Actor
Governor Anderson
Movie
1993

Father HoodStream

Actor
Lazzaro
Movie
1993

Demolition ManStream

Actor
Chief George Earle
Movie
1993
64%

Sinatra

Actor
Show
1992

The Public Eye

Actor
Older Agent
Movie
1992

Sinatra

Actor
Tommy Dorsey
Movie
1992

Missing Pieces

Actor
Mr. Gabor
Movie
1992

Mission of the Shark

Actor
Chaplain
Movie
1991

Law & OrderStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

Judgment

Actor
Monsignor Beauvais
Movie
1990

The Bride in Black

Actor
Sydney
Movie
1990

Cookie

Actor
Richie Segretto
Movie
1989

Vaincre à tout prix

Actor
Movie
1989

GloryStream

Actor
Gen. Harker
Movie
1989
95%

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStream

Guest Star
Capt. Benjamin Maxwell
Series
1987
92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation 2.0

Guest Star
Show
1987

Matewan

Actor
C.E. Lively
Movie
1987
94%

The Pick-Up Artist

Actor
Fernando Portacarrero
Movie
1987
58%

The Equalizer

Guest Star
Cronin
Series
1985

Miami ViceStream

Guest Star
Series
1984
71%

Lois Gibbs and the Love Canal

Actor
Harry Gibbs
Movie
1982

RolloverStream

Actor
Sal Naftari
Movie
1981
70%