Dean Joseph Norris (born April 8, 1963)[2][3][4] is an American actor. He is best known for playing DEA agent Hank Schrader on the AMC series Breaking Bad (2008–2013) and its spin-off Better Call Saul (2020). He also portrayed town councilman James "Big Jim" Rennie on the CBS series Under the Dome (2013–2015)[5] and played mob boss Clay "Uncle Daddy" Husser on the TNT series Claws (2017–2022). Throughout his career, Norris has acted in nearly 50 movies and more than 100 different TV shows.
Dean Norris | |
|---|---|
 Norris at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con | |
| Born | Dean Joseph Norris April 8, 1963 South Bend, Indiana, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Political party | Democratic[1] |
| Spouse | Bridget Norris (m. 2001) |
| Children | 5 |
Norris has appeared in films such as Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), Hard to Kill (1990), Total Recall (1990), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), The Firm (1993), Starship Troopers (1997), The Cell (2000), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Evan Almighty (2007), and Sons of Liberty (2015), and has more recently starred in films such as The Book of Henry (2017), Death Wish (2018), and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019).
Early life and education
Dean Joseph Norris was born in South Bend, Indiana[2] in a family of Hungarian descent; his grandfather lived in Tiszadob.[6] He graduated from Clay High School in 1981, where he was the class valedictorian.[4][7] While in high school, he was a member of the award-winning student-produced comedy show Beyond Our Control, which ran on WNDU-TV.[8][9] He is a 1985 graduate of Harvard College, where he studied the interdisciplinary concentration of Social Studies and was a member of Hasty Pudding Theatricals.[10][11][12] He also earned a diploma from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1987.[11][13][14]
Career
Norris starred in Tremors: The Series and the film Without Limits. He has had guest spots in other television series including NYPD Blue, The X-Files, The West Wing, and Lost, and has appeared in films including Gattaca and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. He played Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Hank Schrader on Breaking Bad from the show's premiere in 2008 to its final season in 2013. Norris' performance on Breaking Bad has received critical acclaim.[15][16]
Norris also starred in the CBS series Under the Dome. He plays selectman James "Big Jim" Rennie, the only town council member in the area which is cut off from the rest of the United States. As of June 2017, he plays mob boss Clay "Uncle Daddy" Husser in the TNT series Claws.
In 2020, Norris reprised the role of Agent Hank Schrader on-screen in the Breaking Bad prequel Better Call Saul during the show's fifth season.[17]
Norris was cast in a lead role for the CBS sitcom United States of Al.
Personal life
Norris and his wife, Bridget, a former entertainment attorney, live with their five children in Temecula, California.[13] In 2018, the couple opened the Norris Performing Arts Center in Murrieta.[18]
Norris is a fan of his hometown team the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.[19]
In 2019, he helped launch Schraderbräu, Hank Schrader's in-universe home-brewed craft beer, as an official product.[20]
In 2022, Dean and Bridget Norris purchased The Swing Inn Cafe, a long-standing restaurant in Old Town, Temecula, for $6 million.[21]
Filmography
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Blind Alleys | Peter Brockway |
| 1989 | Police Academy 6: City Under Siege | Cop |
| Disorganized Crime | Deputy Joe | |
| Lethal Weapon 2 | Detective Tim Cavanaugh | |
| 1990 | Montana | Foreman |
| When You Remember Me | Bill | |
| Hard to Kill | Sergeant Goodhart | |
| Total Recall | Tony | |
| Gremlins 2: The New Batch | SWAT Team Leader | |
| Desperate Hours | Maddox | |
| 1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | SWAT Team Leader |
| 1992 | The Lawnmower Man | The Director |
| 1993 | The Firm | Squat Man |
| Full Eclipse | Fleming | |
| Jailbait | Hershiser | |
| 1994 | Playmaker | Detective Marconi |
| The Last Seduction | 'Shep' | |
| 1995 | Safe | Mover |
| Money Train | Guard | |
| 1997 | Gattaca | Beat Cop |
| Starship Troopers | Commanding Officer | |
| 1998 | The Negotiator | Scott |
| Without Limits | Dellinger | |
| 1999 | Sonic Impact | Agent McGee |
| 2000 | 3 Strikes | Officer Robert |
| The Cell | Cole | |
| 2001 | The One | Sergeant Siegel |
| 2005 | American Gun | Terrence |
| 2006 | Little Miss Sunshine | State Trooper McCleary |
| 2007 | Evan Almighty | Officer Collins |
| The Heartbreak Kid | Jodi's Father | |
| 2008 | Linewatch | Warren Kane |
| 2010 | How Do You Know | Tom |
| 2011 | Prom | Frank Prescott |
| 2012 | Get the Gringo | Officer Bill |
| 2013 | The Frozen Ground | Sergeant Lyle Haugsven |
| The Counselor | The Buyer | |
| 2014 | Small Time | Ash Martini |
| Men, Women & Children | Kent Mooney | |
| 2015 | Remember | John Kurlander |
| Secret in Their Eyes | 'Bumpy' Willis | |
| 2017 | Fist Fight | Principal Richard Tyler |
| The Book of Henry | Commissioner Glenn Sickleman | |
| 2018 | Beirut | Donald Gaines |
| Death Wish | Detective Kevin Raines | |
| 2019 | The Hustle | Howard Bacon |
| Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark | Roy Nicholls | |
| 2023 | Fool's Paradise | Studio Head |
| 2024 | Unfrosted † | Nikita Khrushchev |
| TBA | The Parenting † | TBA |
| Carry-On † | TBA | |
| Six Triple Eight † | TBA |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Beyond Our Control | Company Member | 13 episodes |
| 1987 | The Equalizer | Martin | Episode: "Christmas Presence" |
| 1988 | Leap of Faith | Richard | Television film |
| Police Story: Gladiator School | Ralph Thomas | ||
| 1989 | Beauty and the Beast | Biggs | Episode: "A Kingdom by the Sea" |
| 1990 | Montana | Foreman | Television film |
| 1991 | Murderous Vision | Lieutenant Martin | |
| Locked Up: A Mother's Rage | Mike | ||
| 1992 | Till Death Us Do Part | Matt Hobert | |
| Secrets | Henderson | ||
| Homefront | Second Coworker | Episode: "Take My Hand" | |
| 1993 | Barbarians at the Gate | Scientist | Television film |
| 1993–1994 | NYPD Blue | Father Jerry Downey | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | Married... with Children | Rodent | Episode: "Dud Bowl" |
| Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee | Red Arrow | Television film | |
| 1995 | The X-Files | Marshal Tapia | Episode: "F. Emasculata" |
| Fallen Angels | Allen | Episode: "Tomorrow I Die" | |
| The Marshal | Tyler Dumas | Episode: "Kissing Cousins" | |
| In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice | Levasseur | Television film | |
| Texas Justice | Luke Wheeler | Television film | |
| 1995–1996 | Murder One | Rusty Arnold | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Dark Skies | Clayton Lewis | Episode: "We Shall Overcome" |
| Innocent Victims | Frank Sarezin | Television film | |
| It Came from Outer Space II | Dave Grant | ||
| Seduced by Madness | Detective Pike | ||
| Forgotten Sins | Detective Carl Messenger | ||
| Death Benefit | Rod Montgomery | ||
| After Jimmy | Ray Johnson | ||
| 1997 | Riot | Kalena | |
| On the Line | Manny Denikolas | ||
| The Pretender | Tommy Larson | Episode: "Prison Story | |
| Nash Bridges | William Robard | Episode: "Deliverance" | |
| 1998 | V.I.P. | Jackson LaSarr | Episode: "Beats Working at a Hot Dog Stand" |
| ER | Clark | Episode: "They Treat Horses, Don't They?" | |
| Walker, Texas Ranger | Deke Powell | Episode: "War Cry" | |
| 1999 | Millennium | Del Boxer | Episode: "Seven and One" |
| Pensacola: Wings of Gold | 'Spider' / Colonel Laweson | 3 episodes | |
| The Practice | Detective | Episode: "Free Dental" | |
| Charmed | Dr. Stone | Episode: "They're Everywhere" | |
| Nash Bridges | Frank Maddigan | Episode: "Smash and Grab" | |
| 2000 | The Pretender | Sheriff Whalen | Episode: "Corn Man" |
| 2001 | Boston Public | Matthew Gordon | Episode: "Chapter Sixteen" |
| Six Feet Under | Detective Shea | Episode: "Familia" | |
| The District | Charles N. Burke | Episode: "Bulldog's Ghost" | |
| 2002 | JAG | Jury member | Episode: "Odd Man Out" |
| Philly | Detective Duff | Episode: "Mojo Rising" | |
| 2002–2004 | American Dreams | Frank Moran | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | 24 | General Bowden | 2 episodes |
| Tremors | Agent W.D. Twitchell | Main role, 10 episodes | |
| Dragnet | Leon Tate | Episode: "Slice of Life" | |
| 2004–2011 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Bob Durham Jr. / Phil Baker | 4 episodes |
| 2004 | NCIS | Gunnery Sergeant Vesta | Episode: "My Other Left Foot" |
| Crossing Jordan | Liam Moore | Episode: "Dead in the Water" | |
| Medical Investigation | David Weiner | Episode: "Team" | |
| Boston Legal | Byron Kaneb | Episode: "Catch and Release" | |
| LAX | Danny | Episode: "Secret Santa" | |
| 2005 | Without a Trace | Officer Tim Orley | Episode: "Penitence" |
| Medium | Detective Rickey | 2 episodes | |
| Over There | Mr. Parker | Episode: "Situation Normal" | |
| The West Wing | Republican National Committee Chairman Steve Hodder | 2 episodes | |
| Mrs. Harris | Sporting Goods Clerk | Television film | |
| Las Vegas | Ray Brennan | Episode: "Everything Old Is You Again" | |
| 2006 | Cold Case | Wayne Nelson | Episode: "Death Penalty: Final Appeal" |
| Windfall | Damien's Father | 4 episodes | |
| Just Legal | Judge | Episode: "The Code" | |
| Nip/Tuck | Mark Noble | Episode: "Shari Noble" | |
| Justice | Jack Clark | Episode: "Crucified" | |
| 2007 | Grey's Anatomy | Vince | 2 episodes |
| The Unit | Supervisor Marsh | 2 episodes | |
| 2008–2013 | Breaking Bad | DEA Agent Hank Schrader | Main role, 51 episodes |
| 2008 | Saving Grace | Ross Ford | Episode: "Have a Seat, Earl" |
| Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Nelson | 2 episodes | |
| Bones | Don Timmons | Episode: "The Finger in the Nest" | |
| 2009 | Lost | Howard Grey | Episode: "Some Like It Hoth" |
| True Blood | Leon | Episode: "Shake and Fingerpop" | |
| The Cleaner | Mr. Fisher | Episode: "Path of Least Resistance" | |
| 2010 | Criminal Minds | Detective John Barton | Episode: "...A Thousand Words" |
| The Glades | Michael Nelson | Episode: "Doppleganger" | |
| Lie to Me | Dawkins | Episode: "Darkness and Light" | |
| Dark Blue | Cahill | Episode: "Jane Wayne" | |
| Chase | Sheriff Keagan | Episode: "The Posse" | |
| The Good Guys | Pike | Episode: "Cop Killer" | |
| The Whole Truth | Mike Taylor | Episode: "Cold Case" | |
| Medium | Paul Scanlon | 2 episodes | |
| Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Shell Tong | Episode: "Chrimbus Special" (deleted scene) | |
| 2011 | Fairly Legal | Coach Gardner | Episode: "Benched" |
| The Defenders | Donnie Barrett | Episode: "Nevada v. Donnie the Numbers Guy" | |
| Off the Map | Morris Cooper | Episode: "It's a Leaf" | |
| The Stoned Ages | Narrator | Documentary | |
| Law & Order: LA | Bob Kentner | Episode: "Westwood" | |
| CSI: NY | Lieutenant Mitchell Adler | Episode: "Officer Involved" | |
| Castle | Captain Peterson | Episode: "Cops & Robbers" | |
| The Mentalist | Sergeant Don Henderson | Episode: "Pink Tops" | |
| 2012 | Body of Proof | Special Agent Brendan Johnson | 2 episodes |
| Eagleheart | Deke | Episode: "Blues" | |
| Key & Peele | Mexican Drug Cartel Leader | Episode: "When You Don't Know How to Count Money" | |
| The Cleveland Show | Fire Chief | Voice; Episode: "Flush of Genius" | |
| 2013 | Whitney | Wayne Miller | Episode: "Nesting" |
| 2013–2015 | Under the Dome | James 'Big Jim' Rennie | Main role, 39 episodes |
| 2014 | American Dad! | Head of Security | Voice; Episode: "Big Stan on Campus" |
| 2015 | Sons of Liberty | Benjamin Franklin | 3 episodes |
| Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | M. Le Loup | Episode: "Kimmy's In a Love Triangle!" | |
| 2015–2016 | Sofia the First | Mazzimo | Voice; 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Mack & Moxy | Admirable Dean | Episode: "You're My Hero" |
| 2016–2018 | The Big Bang Theory | Colonel Richard Williams | 6 episodes |
| 2017 | Girlboss | Jay Marlowe | 5 episodes |
| Get Shorty | Bob Grace | Episode: "Grace Under Fire" | |
| 2017–2022 | Claws | Uncle Daddy | Main role, 40 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Scandal | Fenton Glackland | 5 episodes |
| 2019 | The Act | Russ | Episode: "Two Wolverines" |
| 2020 | Better Call Saul | DEA Agent Hank Schrader | Episodes: "The Guy for This", "Namaste" |
| Superstore | Howard Fox | Episode: "Myrtle"[22] | |
| 2021–2022 | United States of Al | Art Dugan | Main role |
| 2021 | Nova Vita | Devon Washington | 10 episodes |
| 2024 | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Randall Stabler | Recurring role (season 4) |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | Judge Whittaker | Episode: "No Lessons Learned" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actor on Television[15] | Breaking Bad | Nominated |
| 2012 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | Won[16] | |||
| Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actor on Television | Under the Dome | Nominated |
