Intense character actor who specializes in playing cranky or seamy types. Ferrer first gained notice in films as the greedy businessman who played an instrumental role in the creation of "Robocop" (1987). He is also remembered as Albert Rosenfield, the foul-tempered FBI forensics expert, on David Lynch's cult soap, "Twin Peaks" (ABC, 1990-91) and in the feature "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" (1992).The eldest son of actor Jose Ferrer and singer Rosemary Clooney, Ferrer was drawn to the drums as a child after seeing Little Ricky play them on "I Love Lucy" and Ringo Starr perform with The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show." A professional musician by his late teens, Ferrer was chosen as one of three drummers -- including Ringo Starr -- to perform on Keith Moon's solo album. Fittingly he made his acting debut playing a drummer in an episode of "Sunshine" (NBC, 1975), a sitcom co-starring his friend and fellow musician Bill Mumy (best remembered for playing Will Robinson on "Lost in Space"), who snared him the gig.
Apart from music, Ferrer became a busy character actor in films and TV. In 1990 alone his output included recurring roles on "Twin Peaks" and "Shannon's Deal:" a part in the "Drug Wars" miniseries; a starring role as a Blue Bayou cop in his own series "Broken Badges;" and supporting roles in two features, "Revenge" and "The Guardian." Ferrer achieved leading man status in the little-seen thriller, "The Harvest" (1993), landed higher profile gigs in three commmercial projects: "Point of No Return," "Hot Shots: Part Deux," and "Another Stakeout" -- all feature film hits.
Profession(s):
Actor, musician, comic book writer
Sometimes Credited As:
Miguel Jose Ferrer
The Actor Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture "Traffic" 2000
2005 Cast opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy in the comedy "The Man"
2004 Cast in the remake of the 1962 thriller "The Manchurian Candidate"
2004 Cast in John Sayles’ political satire "Silver City" which starred Chris Cooper, Kris Kristofferson, Daryl Hannah and Richard Dreyfuss
2001 Cast as the title character's boss, a medical examiner, on the NBC serie "Crossing Jordan"
2000 Offered a memorable turn as a drug informant in the acclaimed film "Traffic"
1998 Co-starred in the NBC midseason replacement sitcom "Lateline"
1993 First feature lead, "The Harvest"
1992 Recreated the role of Albert Rosenfield for the feature "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me"
1992 Cast as a regular on David Lynch's short-lived period sitcom, "On the Air"
1990 Recurring role as Albert Rosenfield, the irritable FBI pathologist, on David Lynch's TV series, "Twin Peaks"
1990 Recurring role as Todd Spurrier on "Shannon's Deal"
1990 - 1991 Starred as Beau Jack Bowman on the CBS cop drama, "Broken Badges"
1987 Breakthrough feature supporting role, "Robocop"
1983 Feature debut, "Heartbreaker" (completed 1981)
1975 Acting and TV debut, as a drummer on "Sunshine"
1962 Inspired to play the drums at age eight after watching Little Ricky play on "I Love Lucy"
Decided to become a professional drummer after watching Ringo Starr perform with the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show"
Began touring with several bands during his late teens
Participated in recording sessions
Selected as one of three drummers to play on Keith Moon's solo album along with Ringo Starr and Leon Russell
Urged to act by former child actor, friend and fellow musician Bill Mumy, then co-starring in the NBC sitcom, "Sunshine"
