Mike Starr

A tall (6'3"), burly, and remarkably versatile character actor, Mike Starr built an impressive career with a steady stream of work, appearing consistently on screens big and small with dozens of memorable supporting performances. A Queens native who attended Hofstra University on both drama and football scholarships, Starr worked as a bartender and bouncer and appeared in regional theater productions while waiting for his acting break. The actor lensed a role in his first film "The Bushido Blade" (released in 1981) in 1978, working with veteran actor Richard Boone, an experience Starr has noted as an influence on his career. While the film remained shelved for years, he subsequently debuted to audiences as a patrolman in William Friedkin's controversial crime drama "Cruising" (1980). The actor appeared onstage in the 1983 Broadway flop "The Guys in the Truck," but rebounded the following year with roles in CBS' "Terrible Joe Moran" (James Cagney's TV-movie debut) and Barry Levinson's baseball homage "The Natural."