John Diehl

A consummate character actor for over three decades, John Diehl essayed edgy, often unpredictable men whose status and profession often belied a penchant for dangerous behavior in such films as "Stargate" (1994), "Nixon" (1995), "A Time for Killing" (1995) and "Jurassic Park III" (2001). He began his career playing unmoored young men, from the hapless soldier Cruiser in "Stripes" (1981) to a psychopath targeting prostitutes in "Angel" (1984). A supporting role on "Miami Vice" (NBC, 1984-89) as Detective Larry Zito brought him stardom, but he left the pastel-hued series to hone his craft on stage and in independent films. By the 1990s, he had become a familiar and frequent face in features and on television, often as tough authority figures in the aforementioned films, as well as more nuanced turns in "Gettysburg" (1993) and Wim Wenders' "Land of Plenty" (2004) as an emotionally distraught veteran. Television was his most prolific showcase, but Diehl's versatility and range made him a welcome and consistently skillful performer in all acting mediums.