Jonathan Banks
Known for Acting · 165 credits
- Born
- 1947-01-31 (age 79)
- Place of birth
- Washington, D.C., USA
- Also known as
- Jonathan Ray Banks · 조나단 뱅스
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
TV Shows (80)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Bobby Jensen
Breaking Bad
2008
as Mike Ehrmantraut
Modern Family
2009
as Donnie Pritchett
CSI: Miami
2002
as Oscar Duarte
Dexter
2006
as Max Adams
Castle
2009
as Bruce Kirby
Two and a Half Men
2003
as Sid
INVINCIBLE
2021
as Brit (voice)
Better Call Saul
2015
as Mike Ehrmantraut
ER
1994
as Robert Truman
Without a Trace
2002
as Sal Marcello
The Expanse
2015
as Executive Officer
Falcon Crest
1981
as Frank Kolinski
Phineas and Ferb
2007
as Driving Instructor (voice)
Diagnosis: Murder
1993
as Bruce Locatelli / Max Jupe
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
as Shel-la
Ghost Whisperer
2005
as Lyle Chase
Cold Case
2003
as John 'Shameless' Clark (2009)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
2014
as Self
Gravity Falls
2012
as Filbrick Pines (voice)
Parks and Recreation
2009
as Steve Wyatt
Little House on the Prairie
1974
as Jed
Community
2009
as Professor Buzz Hickey
Strong Medicine
2000
as Frank Hardwhyck
Highlander: The Series
1992
as Mako
Hill Street Blues
1981
The Waltons
1972
MythBusters
2003
as Self
T. J. Hooker
1982
as Freddy Baker
Simon & Simon
1981
Matlock
1986
as Jack Starling
Due South
1994
as Garret
Lie to Me
2009
as Agent Richard Squire
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993
as Shelby Valentine
Cagney & Lacey
1982
Tales from the Crypt
1989
as William
Shark
2006
as Jason Normandy
Hunter
1984
as Det. Gary Krewson
The District
2000
as Monya Pastov
Lou Grant
1977
as Cyrus
seaQuest DSV
1993
as Maximillian Scully
Hardcastle and McCormick
1983
Matt Houston
1982
Wiseguy
1987
as Frank McPike
Life
2007
as Nathan Gray
Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure
2017
as Quirin (voice)
Joan of Arcadia
2003
as Sheriff Mike Rakowski
Designing Women
1986
Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
2023
as Silvermane (voice)
Crazy like a Fox
1984
as Vice Squad Captain Hawkins
Eli Stone
2008
as Agent Jonathan Maine
Dr. Ken
2015
as Dr. Erwin
The Beast in Me
2025
as Martin Jarvis
Kite Man: Hell Yeah!
2024
as Noonan (voice)
Constellation
2024
as Henry Caldera / Bud Caldera
Day Break
2006
as Shadow Man / Conrad Detweiler
Alias
2001
as Frederick Brandon
E-Ring
2005
Fired Up
1997
as Guy Mann
Ringer
2011
as Remy Osterman
Movies (85)
Incredibles 2
2018
as Rick Dicker (voice)
Airplane!
1980
as Gunderson
Gremlins
1984
as Deputy Brent
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
2019
as Mike
Beverly Hills Cop
1984
as Zack
Horrible Bosses 2
2014
as Detective Hatcher
48 Hrs.
1982
as Algren
Identity Thief
2013
as Paul
The Commuter
2018
as Walt
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
1984
as Lizardo Hospital Guard
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
1995
as Scotty
Reign Over Me
2007
as Stelter
Mudbound
2017
as Pappy McAllan
Freejack
1992
as Mark Michelette
Redbad
2018
as Pepijn
Advanced Television Production - 5 Days, 2 Scripts, No Sleep
2014
as Self
Stir Crazy
1980
as Jack Graham
Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
2001
as Milos Drubnik
Boiling Point
1993
as Max Waxman
Catwoman: Hunted
2022
as Roman Sionis / Black Mask (voice)
Dark Blue
2002
as James Barcomb
Armed and Dangerous
1986
as Clyde Klepper
Bullet
2014
as Carlito Kane
Blind Side
1993
as Aaron
Flipper
1996
as Dirk Moran
Frances
1982
as Hitchhiker
Assassin
1986
as Earl Dickman
Coming Home
1978
as Marine At Party
Robot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Magical Friendship
2015
as Composite Superman (voice)
Term Life
2016
as Harper
Ike
1979
as 1st Sergeant
The Cheap Detective
1978
as Cabbie
The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
2019
as Self
Outlaw Justice
1999
as Sheriff Conklin
Downward Angel
2001
as Herod
Rage!
1980
as Resident #2
The Macahans
1976
as Woodward
The Night They Took Miss Beautiful
1977
as Buck
Nadia
1984
as Gheorge Comaneci
Who'll Stop the Rain
1978
as Marine
Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal
1993
as Dr. William Shell
Dark Breed
1997
as Joseph Shay
Murder Me, Murder You
1983
as Janos Saracen
For Better or for Worse
1989
as Pitt
The Rose
1979
as Television Promoter
Pin
1988
as PIN (voice)
Let the Devil Wear Black
1999
as Satch
Cold Steel
1987
as Iceman
Gangster Wars
1981
as Dutch Schultz
Authors Anonymous
2014
as David Kelleher
Body Shot
1994
as Simon Devereaux / Blake Donner
Puff, Puff, Pass
2006
as Lance
Trash
1999
as Judge Callum
There Goes the Neighborhood
1992
as Handsome Harry
Dollar for the Dead
1998
as Col. Skinner
The Ordeal of Patty Hearst
1979
as Pato
Harvey
1996
as C.J. Lofgren
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love
1987
as Luke Dickson
Last Man Standing
1995
as Doc
Shadow of Obsession
1994
as Trevor Keegan
Proximity
2001
as Price
Don't Touch My Daughter
1991
as Charles Ryter
Watercolor Postcards
2013
as Ledball
Who Is Julia?
1986
as Jack Bodine
The Fifth Missile
1986
as Ray Olson
Foolish
1999
as Numbers
Downpayment on Murder
1987
as Det. McKenzie
A Thousand Men and a Baby
1997
as Father O'Riley
R.S.V.P.
2002
as Walter Franklin
Marilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair
1993
as Joe Scoman
Walker Texas Ranger 3: Deadly Reunion
1994
as Shelby Valentine
Murder 101: College Can be Murder
2007
as Det. Frank Chambers
Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn
1977
as Michael
Proud American
2008
as Mr. Moretti
The Girl in the Empty Grave
1977
as Courtland Gates
The Wolf: True Alpha
2018
as The Fixer
Circadian Rhythm
2005
as Trejo
Desperate Voyage
1980
as Louis
She's Dressed to Kill
1979
as Rudy Striker
Wiseguy: Pilot
1987
as Frank McPike
Wiseguy
1996
as Frank McPike
The Invisible Woman
1983
as Darren
Millennium Man
1999
Linda's Film on Menstruation
1974
as Johnny Stanton
I'm Brave!
2015
as Fire Engine
About Jonathan Banks
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 vill… With 165 credits spanning from 1972 to 2025, Jonathan Banks has appeared in 85 films and 80 TV shows.
Fans searching for Jonathan Banks movies, Jonathan Banks filmography, or the latest projects starring Jonathan Banks can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Jonathan Banks Movies
- Incredibles 2 (2018) — as Rick Dicker (voice)
- Airplane! (1980) — as Gunderson
- Gremlins (1984) — as Deputy Brent
- El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) — as Mike
- Beverly Hills Cop (1984) — as Zack
Where to Watch Jonathan Banks Films
Most Jonathan Banks movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Jonathan Banks, check our movies catalogue and browse page.