Bernie Casey


Actor

About

Also Known As
Bernard Terry Casey
Birth Place
Wyco, West Virginia, USA
Born
June 08, 1939

Biography

One of the first and most successful professional athletes to transition into the acting profession, Bernie Casey was born in Wyco, West Virginia in 1939. He excelled in football and track and field at Bowling Green State University, where he won three consecutive Mid-American Conference titles in the high-hurdles. After being drafted by the NFL in 1961, Casey played for six seasons with...

Biography

One of the first and most successful professional athletes to transition into the acting profession, Bernie Casey was born in Wyco, West Virginia in 1939. He excelled in football and track and field at Bowling Green State University, where he won three consecutive Mid-American Conference titles in the high-hurdles. After being drafted by the NFL in 1961, Casey played for six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and for two with the Los Angeles Rams, finishing in the top ten NFL receivers four times over the course of his career. Casey was also an avid artist, studying painting in college. He would grow as an artist, especially after retiring from football in 1968, and hosted several prestigious exhibitions of his work. Casey also began taking an interest in drama, and pursued acting jobs following his NFL retirement. He appeared in the thriller "...tick...tick...tick.." (1970) in 1970, and in Martin Scorsese's "Boxcar Bertha" (1973) two years later. After appearing alongside David Bowie in "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976), Casey was cast to play the longstanding role of American agent Felix Leiter in the Bond film "Never Say Never Again" (1983). An even more memorable role for Casey would come the following year, when he played the president of the Lamba Lamba Lamba fraternity in the smash comedy hit "Revenge of the Nerds" (1984). Following a memorable turn as John Slade in "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" (1988) and an appearance in the action blockbuster "Under Siege" (1992), Casey stepped behind the camera to write, produce, and direct the film "The Dinner" (1997), which featured African-American men discussing issues of racism in American society over the dinner table. The thought provoking film was perceived as something of a departure by some, but those familiar with Casey's reflective mind were not at all surprised-he did publish two books of poetry, after all. Casey's final film appearance was in a film directed by legendary actor and filmmaker Fred Williamson, the horror romp "Vegas Vampires" (2007). Bernie Casey died on September 19, 2017. He was 78 years old.

Filmography

 

Director (Feature Film)

The Dinner (1997)
Director

Cast (Feature Film)

When I Find the Ocean (2008)
Tomcats (2001)
The Last Brickmaker in America (2001)
The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn (1999)
The Dinner (1997)
Good Brother
Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored (1995)
Mr Walter
In the Mouth of Madness (1995)
The Glass Shield (1994)
Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love (1994)
The Cemetery Club (1993)
Street Knight (1993)
Under Siege (1992)
Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation (1992)
Chains of Gold (1991)
Another 48 Hrs. (1990)
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
Backfire (1988)
Clinton James
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)
Rent-A-Cop (1988)
Steele Justice (1987)
Spies Like Us (1985)
The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins (1984)
J T Collins
Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
Never Say Never Again (1983)
Hear No Evil (1982)
Monday
Sharky's Machine (1981)
Love Is Not Enough (1978)
Mike Harris
Ring of Passion (1978)
Brothers (1977)
Mary Jane Happer Cried Last Night (1977)
Dave Williams
Ants (1977)
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
Cornbread, Earl & Me (1975)
Dr. Black and Mr. Hyde (1975)
Dr Henry Pride; Hyde
Panic on the 5:22 (1974)
Wendell Weaver
Cleopatra Jones (1973)
Boxcar Bertha (1972)
Von Morton
Hit Man (1972)
Tyrone Tackett
Black Gunn (1972)
Seth
Gargoyles (1972)
Head Gargoyle
Black Chariot (1971)
The drifter
Brian's Song (1971)
...tick...tick...tick... (1970)
George Harley
Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969)
Cassie

Writer (Feature Film)

The Dinner (1997)
Screenwriter

Producer (Feature Film)

The Dinner (1997)
Producer

Cast (Special)

The 7th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards (1992)
Performer
Sexual Considerations (1992)
Hammer, Slammer, and Slade (1990)
16th Annual Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame (1989)
Performer
First Offender (1987)
Pros and Cons (1986)
Harris and Company (1979)
Mike Harris

Cast (TV Mini-Series)

Mother's Day (1989)
The Sophisticated Gents (1981)
Shurley Walker
Roots: The Next Generations (1979)

Life Events

1968

Retired from professional football after having set receiving records for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams

1969

Made screen-acting debut in "The Guns of the Magnificent Seven"

1971

Made TV-movie acting debut in "Brian's Song"

1972

Played Von Morton in the Martin Scorsese film "Boxcar Bertha."

1972

Had first starring role in "Hit Man," opposite Pam Grier

1975

Starred in the comedy-drama "Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde" in the dual roles of Dr. Pride and Mr. Hyde

1979

Made TV series debut as assembly line worker Mike Harris on "Harris and Company", one of TV's first black family drama series (aired for only a month)

1983

Cast as a regular on "The Bay City Blues", a short-lived NBC drama about a minor-league baseball team

1984

Played U.N. Jefferson, president of the Lamba Lamba Lamba fraternity in the massively successful "Revenge of the Nerds."

1985

Cast as Colonel Rhumbus in "Spies Like Us"

1988

Played John Slade in "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka."

1989

Had a small-but-memorable role in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure"

1989

Appeared on an episode of "Murder, She Wrote"

1990

Cast in "48 Hrs." sequel "Another 48 Hrs."

1990

Reprised John Slade role in "Hammer, Slammer, & Slade"

1992

Returned to the "Nerds" franchise for "Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation"

1992

Co-starred in the action hit "Under Siege."

1994

Had a guest role on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"

1994

Reprised U.N. Jefferson role yet again for "Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love"

1995

Cast as Mr. Walter in the drama "Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored"

1999

Voiced Tyrus Block on an episode of "Batman Beyond"

2002

Co-starred with Ice T and Gary Busey in action flick "On the Edge"

2007

Co-starred in the Fred Williamson directed horror film "Vegas Vampires."

Videos

Movie Clip

Black Gunn (1972) -- (Movie Clip) Black Action Group Shooting on location in Culver City, mob-hired goons led by Kriley (Bruce Glover, with William Campbell, Don Borisenko) hunting the brother of the title character (Jim Brown) have come to the right place, headquarters of the militant “Black Action Group,” but are faced-down by Seth (Bernie Casey) and crew, in Black Gunn, 1972.
Boxcar Bertha (1972) -- (Movie Clip) Leave It To Harvey Rake (Barry Primus), Von (Bernie Casey) and Bill (David Carradine), all friends of Barbara Hershey (title character), have wound up on the same chain gang, guarded by lame Harvey (Harry Northrup), in Martin Scorsese's Boxcar Bertha, 1972.
Cleopatra Jones (1973) -- (Movie Clip) TWA Flight 405 From Istanbul Having received word that the drug rehab center she supports was raided back in LA, big-time federal narcotics agent Tamara Dobson (title character) arrives at LAX, where goons representing the heroin kingpin she’s been pursuing (Shelley Winters) are waiting, in Cleopatra Jones, 1975.
Cleopatra Jones (1973) -- (Movie Clip) No Fireworks For 72 Hours Title character Tamara Dobson, a big time jet-setting federal drug agent, visiting with her boyfriend Reuben (Bernie Casey), who runs an LA drug rehab center that was just raided by crooked cops, counseling caution, and enemies lying in wait, in Cleopatra Jones, 1973.
Boxcar Bertha (1972) -- (Movie Clip) I'll Bring You A Star The prologue from Martin Scorsese's Roger Corman quickie, Barbara Hershey (title character) gazing skyward at her crop-dusting dad, with mechanic Von (Bernie Casey), Big Bill (David Carradine) working nearby, opening Boxcar Bertha, 1972.

Trailer

Bibliography