(Thanks to Hope for several of the screencaps below ... check out her awesome site for more!)
Here, according to the IMDB, is Walt's filmography. An asterik* indicates what I have seen (as do the comments) and two means I think the project is especially worth viewing. As you will notice, I still have a lot of Walt's work left to see. Let me know what you have seen; I'd love to hear from you!
THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN: I don't know much about this one yet; it's currently in production as I'm typing this, but according to the IMDB it will supposedly be released in 2005. Walt stars (as Marty Dickerson) with Diane Ladd and the talented Anthony Hopkins, in this true-story biopic of New Zealander Burt Munro, who set records with his custom-built Indian motorcycle. Sounds intriguing...
"HAWAII"*1/2: For some reason, during the "Shield" hiatus, Walt guest-starred on an episode of this slightly dull 2004 crime show (set in Hawaii). I give it 1 and 1/2 stars because his part is pretty funny... he plays a CIA agent who sends this guy to one of the other islands just to fetch a sandwich. Oh, and he wears a Hawaiian shirt!
CHRYSTAL: I'm definitely looking forward to seeing THIS -- the first full-length film from Ginny Mule Pictures! Chrystal rudely has a very low rating on the IMDB, however most of the people who commented seemed to really get something out of it. The film is a true Southern story, and features Billy Bob Thornton as a man seeking redemption and reconciliation with his troubled former wife (Lisa Blount). Ray McKinnon (who wrote and directed) also appears as some wacky drug-dealer type, and Walt plays somebody named Larry. I hear there's also a musical aspect to the story. Chrystal filmed in 2003 and played at several film festivals, including Sundance... look for it to finally hit theaters in April 2005!
4 SELECTIONS FROM PLIMPTON COUNTY'S TUFF TRUCK JAMBOREE: Whatever this is, it looks very strange. It guess these four clips (totalling 19 minutes, made in 2003) are previews for a future feature film...and it looks like they'll be coming to DVD, so maybe we can find out more later! In the clips, Walt plays somebody named Narl (?!) and sports very unusual hair... L.T. Blake co-stars as Narl's partner-in-crime Carl. Yeah. The tagline is "Get baconized!", whatever that means.
"THE SHIELD" **: Ooh, what can be said about "The Shield"? Well, its first season ran from March-June of 2002, its second season from January-April 2003, and season three aired between March-June of 2004. Season 4 is just about to start filming as I type this, and should debut in March '05. I've seen each and every episode several times thus far, and I have to say that "The Shield" is my favorite show on television right now and definitely one of the most addicting TV series I've ever seen! My favorite character happens to be Walt's "troubled detective" Shane Vendrell, who is not the most admirable guy, but often quite funny; and his relationship with Vic Mackey (how Shane deals with his role in Vic's bizarre deeds) is interesting and quite compelling to watch. I think Shane would be my favorite even if I'd never heard of Walt, but Walt does an absolutely fantastic job playing him!
HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES*: Directed by Rob Zombie (?!), this "gothic horror" horror film wins the prize for being my Least Favorite Walt Movie. (It even beats Shanghai Noon!) Kids get stuck in a haunted house, blah blah, it looks all psychedelic and people are stupidly dressed as clowns, and characters have ridiculous names like 'Mother Firefly' and 'Grandpa Death'. The movie is supposed to be very violent, but really it's just dumb and boring. Oh, and it features Walt in a 5-minute role as some sheriff. (He has a silly death scene.) Karen Black from Red Dirt is also in it. A huge waste of time, this one is, and only for Goggins completists!
THE BOURNE IDENTITY: A movie from summer of 2002, starring the likes of Matt Damon, Franka Potente, and Julia Stiles. Those are far from my favorite actors; still, I might've made more of a point to see this if Walt's character actually had a name instead of just 'Research Technician.' Ooooh, big role. Naturally, he is supposed to follow orders and not much else. At least I caught him in a trailer once.
BEYOND THE PRAIRIE 2 **: Walt is back as 'Manly' Wilder in this sequel, which aired in 2002, right around the time of the Oscars and "The Shield"'s debut (suddenly, Walt was everywhere!) The movie starts out a little slow, but gets a lot better. Again, Walt makes a fine Almanzo. I think he has a stroke and acts bitter about it, but I'd have to see the movie again to know for sure (if it ever airs again).
JOY RIDE: I am not sure if those who saw this 2001 Leelee Sobieski-Steve Zahn movie in theaters saw Walt or not. He is often billed in reviews, yet the IMDb credits him simply as "Police Officer" in the DVD's additional footage. Hmmm...
DADDY AND THEM **: Speaking of Billy Bob Thornton, this Billy Bob Thornton-directed (and scripted) flick always seemed to be moved from its projected release date, but it finally played in limited release in 2001, and should be available at your local video store now. The film stars an eclectic cast, from Andy Griffith (definitely check this out if you ever wanted to hear Andy Griffith curse!) to Laura Dern to the late Jim Varney to Tuesday Knight to that Affleck guy -- and is about a wacky Southern family and their rather dark adventures. Walt's small yet amusing role is Tommy Christian, who plays an important part in a major character's fate -- he has a court scene, and a charming 'apology' scene later in the film. Very strange movie, but it holds a certain appeal!
MURDER SHE WROTE- THE LAST FREE MAN: Another TV movie from 2001 where I couldn't recall its airing if I tried. I don't know who Walt plays, but Michael Jace (aka Julien 'I'm Not Gay' Lowe) is also in it, as is ... duh ... Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher. (When I was a kid, I always thought she was too old to be playing a character named "Jessica." Was that just me?) The plot has something to do with old, historic letters and Jessica's aunt.
SHANGHAI NOON *: Ugh! That Jackie Chan-Owen Wilson thing from 2000. I sat through it simply to see Walt, who doesn't even do much (as "Wallace") except shout and shoot guns. In fact, NOBODY does much except shout, shoot guns, and do stupid karate moves in this plotless wonder ... and Wilson in particular is very annoying! A lot of people liked this, but if you're only going to tune in for Walt, watch the first 20 and last 10 minutes, and SKIP the rest! (But I do like the way Walt says "Reach for the sky, O'Bannon! This is MY gang now.")
RED DIRT: Independent film from 2000 that played at the Seattle Film Festival once (I couldn't go). I once saw it on a muted DVD player (don't ask) but since I've never actually heard any of the dialogue, I'm not sure I could properly grant the film an asterisk. I WOULD watch it with sound, though, because Walt is one of the stars. He plays Lee Todd, a man who drifts into a Southern town and changes the lives of an, um, very eccentric family, most notably a young man named Griffith. The film seemed to do well at festivals, yet did not earn the greatest reviews. It's worth noting, however, that Walt is often pointed out as a "saving grace." Check this out if you want to see Walton...naked.
THE CROW- SALVATION *1/2: Another (2000) sequel to the first Crow movie, stars Kirsten Dunst. Walt portrays Stan Roberts, a crooked detective --how Shane Vendrell of him -- who wears Angry Young Man-esque outfits and gets killed in a very ridiculous manner. The whole movie is actually ridiculous, but it passes the time, and at least Walt has a few scenes.
BEYOND THE PRAIRIE- THE TRUE STORY OF LAURA INGALLS WILDER **: I grew up with the TV series, watching Dean Butler play Almanzo 'Manly' Wilder, so I've gotta admit it was strange to think of Walton filling that role. He does a very nice job, though, in this 2000 TV movie. He's everything Almanzo should be. The movie is very different from the TV show and vaguely "all-wrong" in places, yet it's not so bad overall. Stars Meredith Monroe as Laura, Lindsay Crouse as her Ma, and Richard Thomas as Michael Landon.
"FAMILY LAW" *: The IMDb doesn't credit Walt as appearing in this Kathleen Quinlan show, but he did in one episode. I know, because I SAW IT! Walt played a lawyer, if I am not mistaken. I remember being impressed by his performance, but not so much by the actual show. Walt's character was either prosecuting or defending a transexual? I believe it was the former. Anyway, this must have aired sometime around 1999 or 2000...
WAYWARD SON: A movie filmed in 1999, I guess, starring Harry Connick Jr., Pete Postlethwaite, some actor who guest-starred in Season 3 of "The Shield", and Walt (as a plantation owner). It sounds like a decent movie, and one I wouldn't mind seeing, but whatever became of it? The shelf? A lone video store in NYC? This used to be called Letters From a Wayward Son.
"NYPD BLUE": Not exactly my favorite show in the world, at least it has the occasional good guest star. Like Walt, who appeared in a 1998, season 5 episode with the ugly title of 'Honeymoon at Viagra Falls'. He plays Terry. I've yet to see him doing so... I once TRIED, but he's either on in the first ten minutes (the only part of the episode I missed) or they edited his role out on the channel I watched. It was annoying to see everything about this episode EXCEPT Walton.
MAJOR LEAGUE- BACK TO THE MINORS **: I bought the video of this '98 movie on one of my birthdays a few years ago as a "present." *snicker* I recently bought the DVD as well! That makes it sound like a very entertaining movie, that I bought it twice, right? Well, it isn't the most entertaining movie in the world; however, it's not as bad as you might think. Walt plays an arrogant baseball player named Billy 'Downtown' Anderson; the only talented player on his minor league team, Downtown finds he can't "cut the mustard" in the majors. Walt has some good scenes with star Scott Bakula, but what you REALLY shouldn't miss are Kenneth "Curtis Lemansky" Johnson's scenes as a ballet-dancing member of the baseball team! I wonder if Walt ever teases him about that on the set of "The Shield"... (Two askteriks because Walt has a fairly good-sized role.)
THE APOSTLE **: The film that made me discover Walt, and one of my all-time favorite films. Walt has a decent-sized role as Sam, a mechanic who befriends Robert Duvall's title character and lets the Apostle E.F. stay in his home. Sam doesn't say a lot, but his relationship with E.F. is touching and intriguing -- kind of a father-son deal. And Walt has one of the most powerful moments at the end of the film! Definitely a must-see, with an awesome soundtrack to boot. (1997.)
"THE SENTINEL": Catch Walton as someone named Mick, in a season-two (1996) episode of this series, if you ever see it in re-runs. I need to do the same myself...
"HIGH TIDE": Yet another show from the '96 era featuring Walt in a guest-starring role, playing a treasure hunter ("Hunter #2"). Rick Springfield (!) was the actual star...
"PACIFIC BLUE": Walt's name is his 1996, pilot-episode appearance is Harv. Ha, Ha. Harv. A series that later went on to feature such great thespians as Vincent "Mumblymushmouth" Young -- you know, Noah from "90210"? Come to think of it, Walt might appear in another episode, too...
HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP *1/2: A Roger Corman "masterpiece" (1996). I saw a little, and it wasn't as wonderfully-bad as Sawbones or The Death Artist. But it passed the time. Walt plays some goof on a ship named Rod, who ... dies. (Oops, sorry!)
PAINTED HERO: Starring Dwight Yoakam, I saw this 1995 western-sounding movie at a video store just once, but ... didn't rent it. I haven't seen it since. Maybe it will come on TV someday. Who does Walt play? Roddy! But I doubt it's the same guy from the above movie. Yee-haw!
THE CHEROKEE KID: Sinbad or someone ridiculous like that is the star of this 1995 movie. The title and star make it not the most appealing-sounding but it plays on TBS a lot, and one of these days I will tune in and catch Walt as Jim Bob, member of the "Carver Gang."
"JAG": A series that I've never really seen, but always seems to air in re-runs. Walt appeared back in season one, playing a "Comm. Officer" (1995).
"THE WATCHER": Some series that featured Walt in its pilot, back in 1995...
WING COMMANDER 4- THE PRICE OF FREEDOM: A video game?! That's what this looks like, according to the IMDb. A 1994 video game, where Walt portrays "Border World Pilot #3." I bet that's a credit he boasts about...
THE NEXT KARATE KID **: Ha ha ha. I guess I will grant this two asteriks (though it's NO "Shield" or Apostle!). Silly, yet entertaining finale to the Karate Kid franchise ('94), featuring Hilary Swank as a girl named Julie, who lives with "Pat" Morita's Mr. Miyagi and has an injured bird. Oh-so-sense making moments include Julie grumbling outside about the mall being an example of fun, instead of washing the car with Mr. Miyagi -- then, in the next scene, whining "I still want to go to the mall!" Oh yeah, Mr. Miyagi also teaches Julie karate, of course, in part so she can protect herself from a gang of very mean and very older-than-high-school looking boys. One of whom is Walt ("Charlie"). He gets to swagger through the hallways and obey the commands of Michael Ironside!
"RENEGADE": What was this series? Don't ask me. All I know is that Walt appeared in a 1993 episode as a fellow named Lance McBride.
"I'LL FLY AWAY": My dad used to watch this show all the time, so I may have seen Walt's episode, though I can't say I remember it. It aired in 1993, featured N'Bushe Wright of Zebrahead (go see it), and I will assume from the plot description that Walt's character harrasses a character named Nathan (but I could be dead wrong).
FOR LOVE AND GLORY: A TV movie, aired in 1993 --stars Kate Mulgrew and Olivia D'abo, with Walt portraying somebody named Buck. I know nothing else about it.
"IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT" **: Walt's first onscreen gig, if I'm not mistaken -- actually, he has appeared in at least four episodes of this TV show starring the late, great Carroll O'Connor. I've seen two of them myself: a season 6 ('92) episode where he played this troubled, violent kid named Garth who does something bad to his girlfriend (AJ Langer); also a season 3 episode ('89?), where Walt casually plays a different character -- this crack dealer named Darrell, along with friend and future 'accountant' Ray McKinnon. Ray gets to say "We're gonna make Sparta a one-crackhouse town!" while Walt just acts belligerent and runs away a lot after selling crack to 'Nikki' from "90210." The crack episode is quite entertaining... the 'Garth' episode isn't as much so, but I'll give the show two stars anyhow. As I said, Walt is ALSO in two other "...Heat" episodes; I hear he goes blind (!) in one, and I have no idea what he does in the other, but I don't think he plays the same character in any of the episodes *snicker*.
"BEVERLY HILLS, 90210" **: Just like Dana Barron, Walt appeared on the old zip code show. He was only in one episode, though. But I wasn't expecting to see him, so he was a "hidden treasure." The episode itself (from season 2, '92) is a very dull episode about the Hillsters saving the Peach Pit from developers; however, Walt is funny -- he hosts this 'all blue' party and introduces himself as "Mike Muchin- rhymes with cushion!" Then Brandon comes to the door wearing a red jacket, and Walt says "I think you're at the wrong party!" Then he leaves, never to be seen or heard from again.
FOREVER YOUNG *1/2: That Mel Gibson/Elijah Wood movie from 1992 where Mel is frozen and then comes back to life. It's a decent movie to see once or twice, if a bit silly. Walt has a blink-and-you'll-miss-him role toward the end as a "Gate MP" who is ordered by Mel Gibson (wearing women's clothing) to let Mel in somewhere.
MR. SATURDAY NIGHT *1/2: Billy Crystal's 1992 vehicle actually only features Walt in these clips at the very end; there's a scene from a fictional movie with Billy's character called "Tomahawk Love", and Walt plays a shaky cowboy in that scene. I haven't even seen any of the movie except that part, so I probably shouldn't be granting it stars. I hear it's pretty good, however. My family owns the video (I fast-forwarded through it once to find Walt).
STAY THE NIGHT *: Very silly, very dull, very loooong 1992 movie with Barbara "Seagull" (Hershey) that always airs on Lifetime. Walton portrays the much younger lover of Ms. Seagull (who sports ugly dyed blonde hair). I think he has at least a couple of scenes, but all I remember him doing is lounging beside a pool. Snore!
MURDER IN MISSISSIPPI **: Walt's very first movie! A civil rights (true) story, it reunites him with Ray McKinnon (who plays his father!!-- he's like ten years older than Walt!) AND pairs him for the first time with CCH Pounder...though I don't think Walt and CCH have any scenes together. Other cast members include Josh Charles, Jennifer Grey, André Braugher, and the awesome Tom Hulce. Walt -- besides playing Ray McKinnon's son -- is a mean, misguided youth who partakes in KKK-like activities and sexually harasses Jennifer Grey. He looks much younger and speaks in a voice my sister dubbed "pipsqueaky." This is a good movie, worth-seeing, and airs from time to time on channels like Hallmark and the Encore True Stories channel.
And those are all of Walt's onscreen credits that I'm aware of (unaired pilots excluded). Do you know any more? If so, please pass them on! I must also give credit to Walton's onstage work -- I don't know much about that, but word has it he appeared in productions of A Few Good Men, Green Grow the Lilacs, Billy Bud, and The Glass Menagerie.
No one can say the man isn't diverse!
That's true. Now let's head home.
