Donald Carl Swayze (born August 10, 1958) is an American actor, noted for acting in dramatic series and soap operas as well as several feature films, and theatrical work.
Early life Swayze was born in Houston, Texas, the middle child of Patsy Swayze (née Karnes; 1927–2013), a dance teacher; and Jesse Wayne Swayze (1925–82), an engineering draftsman. Patsy owned a dance studio where neighborhood students took dance lessons. Donald and his older brother Patrick Swayze (1952–2009), both attended and graduated from Frank Black Junior High School and then Waltrip High School in northwest Houston. He also had an older sister, Vickie Lynn (1949–94). Donald also has one younger brother, Sean Kyle (1962–2025), and one younger sister Bora Song "Bambi" (born 1966), who was adopted by the Swayzes.
Career Film Swayze's film work has included an appearance as a dancer in the 1980 film Urban Cowboy, as Ruben in the film Father for Charlie, and as Mark in the film Shy People, along with a role alongside Corey Feldman in a movie called Edge of Honor where he played the part of Ritchie, a "Homicidal Lumberjack". He had a brief (2 minute) cameo appearance role as Obnoxious Guy in The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold (Video 2006) - IMDb. He also played Col. Sherman Rutherford in a western–noir hybrid titled Heathens and Thieves in 2012.Heathensandthieves.com He also starred in the film Death Ring, and as the Alamo courier James Bonham in Alamo: The Price of Freedom, an IMAX film shown in San Antonio, Texas.
Television Swayze played Pug in episode 13 of the 1985 show Street Hawk, and Tommy Jenks in the 1989 episode of Matlock "The Thoroughbred". He performed the role of James (Jim) Mackey in the seventh episode of season five on the Netflix series Longmire. He appeared in two soap operas: The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives. In 2010, Swayze guest-starred in six episodes in a recurring role as Gus, a werewolf, on the HBO series True Blood.More True Blood Casting News and Over a Dozen New Images His television drama work includes multiple appearances in Murder, She Wrote, The X-Files, NYPD Blue, NCIS, Carnivàle, and dozens of other programs. Swayze had a role as an intellectually disabled man suspected of murder in an episode of the television drama Matlock. In 1989 he portrayed a member of a gang that held hostages in the hotel in the Western drama Paradise. He played Jesse James in a season-two episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He played the demon Lucius in an episode of Charmed in 2005. He had a recurring role on Criminal Minds, specifically the episodes "The Big Game" and "Revelations", in which he played Charles Hankel, the father and alternate personality of serial killer Tobias Hankel. On Cold Case, Swayze played the adult Grant Hall. Swayze had a small guest appearance on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as a crazy boat captain. He has also appeared on Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction as Anatole in the twelfth episode of the third season and The Bridge. Swayze also appeared in an episode of Sons of Anarchy. In 2017, he joined the cast of General Hospital for a stint in the role of Buzz. Additional roles include a non-speaking role as rapist William Dollar on L.A. Law. In 2019, Swayze appeared in the season premiere of American Horror Story: 1984, the ninth installment of the FX horror anthology television series American Horror Story, and played Dennis Seacrest, a murderous henchman working for George Hearst, in Deadwood: The Movie that same year.
Stage
In 2001, Swayze was on stage as Pedro in Man of La Mancha at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. In 2005, he played Roy in the comedy Lone Star at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. In the fall of 2011, he co-starred with Anne Archer in an original stage play titled Jane Fonda: In the Court of Public Opinion at the Edgemar Theater in Santa Monica, California; he played U.S. Army Sgt. Don Simpson (retired), a wounded veteran of the Vietnam War.
Personal life Don Swayze is an avid cyclist and skydiver, and races cross country mountain bikes in his spare time. Don is married to Charlene Swayze. Don has one child. Don and Charlene have established an animal therapy ranch in San Diego County, California, known as Swayze Ranch. Charlene has also established the Swayze Foundation.
Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes1987 Shy People Mark Death Blow: A Cry for Justice Andy 1988 Alamo: The Price of Freedom James Bonham Short1989 Driving Force Nelson Trapper County War Walt Luddigger 1991 Edge of Honor Ritchie Payback Jeremy 1992 Death Ring John Blackwell Video 1993 Body of Influence Biker Eye of the Stranger Rudy Beach Babes from Beyond Gork Broken Trust Sgt. Barnes 1994 The Other Man Curran Forced to Kill Dwayne Pontiac Moon Local 1995 Digital Man Billy 1996 Squanderers Scott 1998 Evasive Action Ian Kellen2000 The Prophet's Game Joseph Highsmith2003 Lady Jayne: Killer Fred2004 Knuckle Sandwich Larry2005 Waterborne Otis2006 The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold Obnoxious Guy Video The Visitation Abe2007 The Colony State Dept. Official #1" Short2008 Prairie Fever James Video2009 Powder Blue Bouncer2010 Quit Ward 2011 Miss Feet Jesus Short2012 Lizzie Daniel Allen Heathens and Thieves Sherman Ambush at Dark Canyon Chale Lord2014 Iniquitios John Duncan Short The Appearing Sheriff Hendricks Nellie Nellie Mr. Townsend Short2015 The Night Crew Big Willy2019 Beneath the Leaves Whitley Senior2024 On Swift Horses Terence 2025 Honey Don't! Gary (piano bar) All Saints Day Kier Connolly Post-production
Television Year Title RoleNotes1984 I Married a Centerfold Actor #2 TV movie1985 Street Hawk Pug Episode: "Follow the Yellow Gold Road" J.O.E. and the Colonel Max Carney TV movie1986 Prince of Bel Air Darryl Tall Tales & Legends Groom Episode: "My Darlin' Clementine" The Fall Guy Stretch Episode: "War on Wheels" 1st & Ten Clay Daniels Episode: "A Second Chance" L.A. Law William Dollar Episode: "Pilot"1988 Dead or Alive Brewer TV movie1989 Paradise Langston Episode: "A House Divided" Matlock Tommy Jenks Episode: "The Thoroughbred" Hunter Lyle Episode: "On Air"1990 The World According to Straw Abalone TV movie 1991 Dragnet Pete Brown Episode: "The Vandals" The New Adam-12 Don Episode: "Families"1991–1993 Murder, She Wrote Gus Tardio / Edge Potter 2 episodes1992 Columbo Albert Wagner Episode: "No Time to Die"1993 Dark Justice Fitzimmons Episode: "Crash Course" Renegade John Poe / T-Bone 2 episodes Beyond Suspicion Duke TV movie1995 A Father for Charlie Reuben Cantwell NYPD Blue Alex 2 episodes Lois & Clark: The NewAdventures of Superman Jesse James Episode: "Tempus Fugitive" Walker, Texas Ranger Harry Peterson Episode: "The Guardians" Land's End Thomas Dwayne Boller Episode: "A Line in the Sand"1998 The Magnificent Seven Gage Lawless Episode: "Inmate 78" Babylon 5: Thirdspace Raider Leader TV movie (uncredited) Profiler Gelb Episode: "Do the Right Thing"1999–2000 Movie Stars Don Swayze14 episodes2000 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction William Pope Episode: "Anatole"2000–2002 V.I.P. Merrick 2 episodes2001–2004 The Division Gary Gold / Elvin 'Tupelo' Seaforth 2002 The X-Files Terry Pruit Episode: "Hellbound"2003 Tremors Orville James Episode: "Water Hazard"2003–2005 Carnivàle Tattooed Man 6 episodes2004 Karen Sisco Jackie Episode: "No One's Girl"2004–2021 NCIS Logan Clay / Peter Walker 2 episodes2005 CSI: Miami Norm Buford Episode: "Nothing to Lose" Charmed Lucius Episode: "Little Box of Horrors" Without a Trace Randy Stone Episode: "Lost Time"2006 Love, Inc. Troy Episode: "Major Dad" My Name Is Earl Bail Bonds Man Episode: "The Bounty Hunter" Shark Beau Dawkins Episode: "Déjà Vu All Over Again"2007 Mystery Woman: In the Shadows Bishop TV movie Criminal Minds Charles Hankel 2 episodes Cold Case Grant Hall - 2007 Episode: "Shuffle, Ball Change"2008 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Dave Bohr Episode: "The Theory of Everything"2009–2017 Family Guy Patrick Swayze (voice) 2 episodes2010 True Blood Gus 6 episodes The Young and the Restless Shaw Roberts 5 episodes It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Ray Episode: "The Gang Buys a Boat" Passenger Kylek 2 episodes2011 Days of Our Lives Pawn Broker / Rip 3 episodes2012 Wilfred Shady Guy Episode: "Letting Go"2013 Southland Gus Jameson Episode: "Under the Big Top" Hawaii Five-0 Lloyd Grimes Episode: "Ho'opio" The Bridge Tampa Tim 4 episodes2014 Blood Type James Ryder Episode: "A Rare and Precious Commodity" Sons of Anarchy Carl Egan Episode: "The Separation of Crows"2016 Longmire Jim Mackey Episode: "From This Day Forward"2017 General Hospital Buzz Episode #1.13720 Tucker's War Charlie Caleb Carson 2 episodes Decker General Coover Episode: "Space Wall"2019 Deadwood: The Movie Dennis Seacrest TV movie American Horror Story: 1984 Ed Gibson Episode: "Camp Redwood”2020 Sons of Thunder Angie D. 5 episodes The Rookie Sgt. Sharp Episode: "Under the Gun"2021 Lucifer Gas Station Owner Episode: "Pin the Tail on the Daddy"2022 Magnum P.I. Melvin Muchado Episode: "Run, Baby, Run" NCIS: Hawaiʻi Joe Episode: "Primal Fear"2023 Perry Mason Man at Business Meeting Episode: "Chapter Fifteen"
References
External links
The Patrick Swayze Pancreas Cancer Research Fund