Gary busey date of birth

Biography of Gary Busey

Gary Busey, born William Gareth Jacob Busey on June 29, 1944, in Goose Creek, Texas, is an American actor and director. He grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where his father worked as a design manager and his mother was a homemaker. Busey attended Nathan Hale High School and graduated in 1962.

While studying at the University of Pittsburgh, Busey developed an interest in acting after a knee injury led him to discover the dramatic arts. He decided to pursue a career in theatre and enrolled at the Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. In 1966, Busey co-founded a rock band, which released its debut album in 1969. However, the band eventually disbanded due to lack of success.

Busey's breakthrough as an actor came with the release of the low-budget film "Angels Hard as They Come" in 1971, where he portrayed the lead character, hippie Scott Glenn. The same year, he married Judy Helkenberg and they welcomed their son, William Gareth Jacob Busey (Jake Busey). Although Busey became well-known after his first success, he spent several years living in Tulsa, appearing in minor roles in TV series and working as a drummer in Leon Russell's band.

In 1978, Busey received critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for his role in the biographical drama "The Buddy Holly Story" about the legendary rock musician of the 1950s. He also starred in the drama "Big Wednesday" with Jan-Michael Vincent and William Katt the same year. Following these successes, Busey started receiving more leading roles, often portraying villains and negative characters.

Throughout his career, Busey appeared in notable films such as "Lethal Weapon" with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, where he played a maniacal killer, and "Under Siege" with Steven Seagal, where he portrayed Commander Krill. In 1988, Busey was involved in a motorcycle accident, sustaining a serious skull fracture. Despite the severity of his injury, he continued to advocate against helmet use and appeared in Christian television programs.

After returning to the screen in 1990 alongside his "Lethal Weapon" co-star Danny Glover in "Predator 2," Busey gained attention for his role as a psychiatric patient in the thriller "Hiding Out" in 1991. He also appeared in the popular action film "Point Break" with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze in the same year.

In 1995, Busey was hospitalized following a drug overdose. He later stated that the incident was fabricated by journalists and that he was a devout believer. However, the incident affected his acting career. In 1997, he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor.

Busey continued to appear in action films such as "Drop Zone" and "Action Jackson" after his recovery. He gained acclaim for his role as General Joseph Wheeler in the film "The Rough Riders," which depicted the Spanish-American War in 1898. However, his career faced another setback when he was accused of assaulting his second wife, Tiani, in 1999. The couple divorced in 2001, and Busey faced additional accusations of assault. The charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.

In recent years, Busey has appeared in minor roles in various films. However, producers have approached him with caution and consider him somewhat unpredictable. Busey has a daughter named Electra from a previous relationship.

On December 9, 2009, it was announced that Busey and his partner, Stephanie Sampson, were expecting their first child in May 2010. Their son, Luke Sampson Busey, was born on February 23, 2010.