John Diehl

John Diehl

John Diehl (born May 1, 1950) is an American character actor with over 150 credits to his name in film and television. He is best known for his roles as Charles Kawalsky in the 1994 film Stargate, Det. Larry Zito on the 1980s cop show Miami Vice, Assistant Chief Ben Gilroy on The Shield, and as "the Cruiser" in Stripes. His other notable roles include Pvt. Bucklin, the spokesman of the 2nd Maine mutineers in Gettysburg, Cooper in Jurassic Park III (2001), as G. Gordon Liddy in the Oliver Stone movie Nixon, the Klansman informant ("Mickey Mouse") in A Time to Kill, and as Keith, a credit card company supervisor in Mo Money. He also appeared as the spirit of Harley Earl in a series of commercials for Buick. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated from St. Xavier High School in 1968. For a time, he flirted with a professional boxing career, leaving Miami Vice to pursue it.

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Known For

Filmography

2025

Train Dreams
Train Dreams
as Billy
Movie - Released: 11/6/2025

2022

Armageddon Time
Armageddon Time
as Fred Trump
Movie - Released: 10/28/2022
Dark Winds
Dark Winds
as B.J. Vines
TV - Released: 6/12/2022

2020

La Sirena
La Sirena
as Nino
Movie - Released: 5/22/2020
Serpent in the Bottle
Serpent in the Bottle
as Marvin Decker
Movie - Released: 4/20/2020

2018

Castle Rock
Castle Rock
as John
TV - Released: 7/25/2018

2017

Out of the Wild
Out of the Wild
as Henry McBride
Movie - Released: 12/5/2017
Snowfall
Snowfall
as Colonel Robert McDonald
TV - Released: 7/5/2017

2016

The North Star
The North Star
as Master Anderson
Movie - Released: 3/1/2016

2015

Forever
Forever
as Neil
Movie - Released: 10/27/2015

2014

A Long Way Off
A Long Way Off
Movie - Released: 6/6/2014

2013

Singularity Principle
Singularity Principle
as Jack Brenner
Movie - Released: 3/13/2013
Almost Human
Almost Human
as Edward Kennex
TV - Released: 11/17/2013

2012

Apartment 1303 3D
Apartment 1303 3D
as Detective
Movie - Released: 12/6/2012
The Obama Effect
The Obama Effect
as Steve Warren
Movie - Released: 7/13/2012
Scandal
Scandal
as Ray Dwyer
TV - Released: 4/5/2012

2011

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe
Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe
as Rear Admiral Lawrence
Movie - Released: 4/17/2011
Natural Selection
Natural Selection
as Abe
Movie - Released: 3/13/2011

2010

Road to Nowhere
Road to Nowhere
as Bobby Billings
Movie - Released: 9/11/2010
Rizzoli & Isles
Rizzoli & Isles
as Arthur Dunbar
TV - Released: 7/12/2010

2009

Drifter: Henry Lee Lucas
Drifter: Henry Lee Lucas
as Sheriff Larabie
Movie - Released: 9/1/2009
Follow the Prophet
Follow the Prophet
as Ted
Movie - Released: 1/23/2009

2008

The Lucky Ones
The Lucky Ones
as Tom Klinger
Movie - Released: 9/26/2008

2007

Women's Murder Club
Women's Murder Club
TV - Released: 10/12/2007

2006

The House Is Burning
The House Is Burning
as Mr. Garson
Movie - Released: 11/16/2006
The Far Side of Jericho
The Far Side of Jericho
as Cash Thornton
Movie - Released: 12/10/2006
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise
as Jerry Snyder
Movie - Released: 4/30/2006
Jericho
Jericho
as Governor Trader
TV - Released: 9/20/2006
Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights
as Richard Sherman
TV - Released: 10/3/2006

2005

Down in the Valley
Down in the Valley
as Steve
Movie - Released: 5/13/2005
Point Pleasant
Point Pleasant
TV - Released: 1/19/2005

2004

Land of Plenty
Land of Plenty
as Paul
Movie - Released: 9/10/2004
I Pass for Human
I Pass for Human
as Ex-husband
Movie - Released: 3/21/2004

2003

Movie
Dragnet: Sticks and Stones
as Dr. Rupert Miles
Movie - Released: 3/30/2003
Bookies
Bookies
as Vincent
Movie - Released: 1/20/2003
Cold Case
Cold Case
as Isaac Keller
TV - Released: 9/28/2003

2002

Tully
Tully
as Mal "Mac" MacAvoy
Movie - Released: 11/1/2002
The Shield
The Shield
as Assistant Chief Ben Gilroy
TV - Released: 3/12/2002
Without a Trace
Without a Trace
as Doyle
TV - Released: 9/26/2002

2001

Jurassic Park III
Jurassic Park III
as Cooper
Movie - Released: 7/18/2001
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
as Senior Doctor
Movie - Released: 5/21/2001
Falling Like This
Falling Like This
as Eddie Gallagher
Movie - Released: 9/7/2001
The Zeros
The Zeros
as Burl
Movie - Released: 3/10/2001
The Guardian
The Guardian
as Fortunato
TV - Released: 9/25/2001

2000

Fail Safe
Fail Safe
as Col. Cascio
Movie - Released: 4/9/2000
Lost Souls
Lost Souls
as Henry Birdson
Movie - Released: 10/13/2000
Strong Medicine
Strong Medicine
as Mr. Lawson
TV - Released: 7/23/2000

1999

Anywhere but Here
Anywhere but Here
as Jimmy
Movie - Released: 11/12/1999
Purgatory
Purgatory
as Badger
Movie - Released: 1/10/1999
Get Real
Get Real
as Harris Forman
TV - Released: 9/8/1999
The West Wing
The West Wing
as Claypool
TV - Released: 9/22/1999

1998

The Hi-Lo Country
The Hi-Lo Country
as Les Birk
Movie - Released: 12/30/1998
Monument Ave.
Monument Ave.
as Digger
Movie - Released: 9/25/1998
Amanda & the Alien
Amanda & the Alien
as Colonel Rosencrans
Movie - Released: 2/1/1998
The Rat Pack
The Rat Pack
as Joe DiMaggio
Movie - Released: 8/22/1998

1997

Most Wanted
Most Wanted
as Police Captain
Movie - Released: 10/10/1997
Casualties
Casualties
as Polito
Movie - Released: 4/15/1997
The End of Violence
The End of Violence
as Lowell
Movie - Released: 9/12/1997
Female Perversions
Female Perversions
as Jake Rock
Movie - Released: 4/25/1997
Fire Down Below
Fire Down Below
as Frank Elkins
Movie - Released: 9/5/1997

1996

A Time to Kill
A Time to Kill
as Tim Nunley
Movie - Released: 7/24/1996
The Grave
The Grave
as J.C. Cole
Movie - Released: 1/18/1996
Foxfire
Foxfire
as Mr. Buttinger
Movie - Released: 8/23/1996
Managua
Managua
Movie - Released: 4/9/1996
The Destiny of Marty Fine
The Destiny of Marty Fine
as Deke
Movie - Released: 3/16/1996
The Pretender
The Pretender
as Sheriff Delmont
TV - Released: 9/19/1996
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story
TV - Released: 8/21/1996
Nash Bridges
Nash Bridges
as Albert foss
TV - Released: 3/29/1996
Profiler
Profiler
as Toby 'The Wick' Wood
TV - Released: 9/21/1996

1995

Mind Ripper
Mind Ripper
as Alex
Movie - Released: 10/8/1995
Three Wishes
Three Wishes
as Leland's Dad
Movie - Released: 10/27/1995
Buffalo Girls
Buffalo Girls
as Gen. Custer (1995)
Movie - Released: 4/30/1995
Nixon
Nixon
as Gordon Liddy
Movie - Released: 12/22/1995
JAG
JAG
as Jack Raglan
TV - Released: 9/23/1995
The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits
as Joe
TV - Released: 3/26/1995

1994

The New Age
The New Age
as Lyle
Movie - Released: 9/16/1994
Stargate
Stargate
as Lieutenant Kawalsky
Movie - Released: 10/28/1994
Almost Dead
Almost Dead
as Eddie Herbek
Movie - Released: 3/20/1994
The Client
The Client
as Jack Nance
Movie - Released: 7/20/1994
ER
ER
as Johnson's Son
TV - Released: 9/19/1994

1993

Gettysburg
Gettysburg
as Pvt. Bucklin
Movie - Released: 10/8/1993
Remote
Remote
as Delbert McCoy
Movie - Released: 9/22/1993
Falling Down
Falling Down
as Dad (Back Yard Party)
Movie - Released: 2/26/1993
The Paint Job
The Paint Job
as Father
Movie - Released: 9/30/1993
The X-Files
The X-Files
as Wilson Pinker Rawls
TV - Released: 9/10/1993
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
as Joe brady
TV - Released: 9/21/1993
The John Larroquette Show
The John Larroquette Show
as Chris
TV - Released: 9/2/1993

1992

Mo' Money
Mo' Money
as Keith Heading
Movie - Released: 7/24/1992
Mikey
Mikey
as Neil Trenton
Movie - Released: 11/12/1992

1991

Whore
Whore
as Derelict
Movie - Released: 6/21/1991
Kickboxer 2: The Road Back
Kickboxer 2: The Road Back
as Jack
Movie - Released: 1/30/1991
Motorama
Motorama
as Phil
Movie - Released: 9/10/1991
A Climate for Killing
A Climate for Killing
as Wayne Paris
Movie - Released: 7/18/1991
TV
Eddie Dodd
TV - Released: 3/12/1991

1990

The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon
as Philip Jennings
Movie - Released: 5/30/1990
MadHouse
MadHouse
as Fred
Movie - Released: 2/16/1990
Cool Blue
Cool Blue
as Clayton
Movie - Released: 2/27/1990

1988

Glitz
Glitz
as Teddy Magyk
Movie - Released: 9/28/1988
Monsters
Monsters
as Miles magnus
TV - Released: 10/22/1988
In the Heat of the Night
In the Heat of the Night
as John sevrance
TV - Released: 3/6/1988

1987

Walker
Walker
as Stebbins
Movie - Released: 12/4/1987
The Hanoi Hilton
The Hanoi Hilton
as Murphy
Movie - Released: 3/27/1987
White of the Eye
White of the Eye
as Mr Dupree
Movie - Released: 6/19/1987
Miami Vice ‘The Prodigal Son’
Miami Vice ‘The Prodigal Son’
as Detective Larry Zito
Movie - Released: 7/18/1987
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
TV - Released: 9/25/1987

1986

L.A. Law
L.A. Law
as Kevin Delahanty
TV - Released: 9/15/1986
L.A. Law
L.A. Law
as Tim
TV - Released: 9/15/1986

1984

Angel
Angel
as The Killer
Movie - Released: 4/19/1984
Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
as Det. Larry Zito
Movie - Released: 9/16/1984
Miami Vice
Miami Vice
as Larry Zito
TV - Released: 9/16/1984

1983

Joysticks
Joysticks
as Arnie
Movie - Released: 3/4/1983
National Lampoon's Vacation
National Lampoon's Vacation
as Assistant Mechanic
Movie - Released: 7/29/1983
D.C. Cab
D.C. Cab
as Head Kidnapper
Movie - Released: 12/16/1983

1982

The Ambush Murders
The Ambush Murders
as Ferguson
Movie - Released: 1/5/1982
Hysterical
Hysterical
as Taxi Driver
Movie - Released: 12/22/1982
Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey
TV - Released: 3/25/1982

1981

Stripes
Stripes
as Cruiser
Movie - Released: 6/26/1981
Escape from New York
Escape from New York
as Punk
Movie - Released: 5/23/1981
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest
as Gus Wallach
TV - Released: 12/4/1981
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
TV - Released: 1/15/1981

1980

Movie
A Cry for Love
Movie - Released: 10/20/1980
Falling in Love Again
Falling in Love Again
as Beaver (1940's)
Movie - Released: 11/21/1980