Bradford Claude "Brad" Dourif (pronounced /ˈdɔrɨf/; born March 18, 1950) is an American film and television actor who gained early fame for his portrayal of Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and has since appeared in a number of memorable roles, including the voice of Chucky in the Child's Play franchise, Younger Brother in Ragtime, the mentat Piter De Vries in David Lynch's Dune, Gríma Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings, the homicidal Betazoid Lon Suder in the TV series Star Trek: Voyager, serial killer Charles Dexter/Brother Edward in the TV series Babylon 5, and Doc Cochran in the HBO television series Deadwood. Dourif has also worked with renowned film director Werner Herzog at many occasions, appearing in Scream of Stone, The Wild Blue Yonder, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?

Early life

Dourif was born in Huntington, West Virginia, the son of Joan Felton, an actress, and Jean Henri Dourif, an art collector who owned and operated a dye factory. His paternal grandparents immigrated from France, and his paternal grandfather co-founded the Standard Ultramarine and Color Company in Huntington. After Dourif's father died in 1953, his mother remarried champion golfer William C. Campbell, who helped raise Dourif and his five siblings (four sisters and one brother). From 1963 to 1965, Dourif attended the private Aiken Preparatory School in Aiken, South Carolina. There he pursued his interests in art and acting. Although he briefly considered becoming an artist, he was eventually inspired to become an actor by his mother's participation as an actress in a community theater. After Aiken Prep, he attended another private school, Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, graduating in 1969. He attended Marshall University for a time, before quitting college and moving to New York City to study acting, on the advice of actress Conchata Ferrell.

Early career

Starting in school productions, he progressed to community theater, joining up with the Huntington Community Players, while attending Marshall. In New York, he worked with the Circle Repertory Company. During the early 1970s, Dourif appeared in a number of plays, off-Broadway and at Woodstock, New York, including The Ghost Sonata, The Doctor in Spite of Himself, and When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?, in which he was spotted by director Miloš Forman who cast him in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).

Although this film is frequently cited as his film debut, in fact, Dourif made his first big-screen appearance with a bit part in W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975). Nevertheless, his portrayal of the vulnerable Billy Bibbit in Cuckoo's Nest was his big break, earning him a Golden Globe (Best Actor Debut) and a British Academy Award (Supporting Actor); he was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Skeptical of his instant stardom, Dourif returned to New York, where he continued in theater and taught acting and directing classes at Columbia University until 1988, when he moved to Hollywood.

In 1981, Vincent Canby listed Dourif as one of twelve actors to watch, calling Dourif "one of the most intense, most interesting young film actors of his generation".

Film and television

Despite his attempts to avoid typecasting, he frequently plays eccentric or disturbed characters, starting in Eyes of Laura Mars (1978), John Huston's Wise Blood (1979), Forman's Ragtime (1981) and Marc Didden's Istanbul. Dourif then teamed up with director David Lynch for Dune (1984) and Blue Velvet (1986). He also appears in the 1984 music video for Toto's single "Stranger in Town".

He has appeared in a number of horror films, notably as the voice of the evil killer doll Chucky in Child's Play (1988) and its four sequels that followed and the upcoming reboot of the series. The Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III (1990). Dourif broke from the horror genre with roles in Fatal Beauty (1987), Mississippi Burning (1988), Hidden Agenda (1990), and London Kills Me (1991). He also played Gríma Wormtongue in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

On television, Dourif appeared in The X-Files episode "Beyond the Sea" as Luther Lee Boggs. He also played Lon Suder, a murderous psychopath who eventually redeems himself, in a three-episode story arc on Star Trek: Voyager, and has guest-appeared in shows such as Babylon 5. In 1984, he played a suspected serial killer in the episode "Number Eight" of the British TV series Tales of the Unexpected.

He played a role as a bad guy by the name of Wyatt in the Miami Vice episode titled "Theresa" which aired February 13, 1987 (Season 3 - Episode 16).

He is a fan of video games and appeared as Saavedro in Myst III: Exile (2001), the third game in the popular Myst franchise, and as the sadistic preacher Reed in GUN (2005).

Dourif was cast as The Scarecrow in Batman Forever, while Tim Burton was attached to the project. However, Joel Schumacher eventually took over the project, and instead cast Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face and Jim Carrey as The Riddler.

Other roles Dourif has played are Doc Cochran in the HBO series Deadwood, receiving a 2004 Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series". He also appeared in the film Sinner, and played Sheriff Brackett in 2007 in Rob Zombie's version of Halloween and its sequel in 2009, Halloween II.

Dourif guest starred in the third-season finale of Fringe.

Filmography

Films

1975 W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings uncredited

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Billy Bibbit Golden Globe for Best New Star of the Year

BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor

Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor

1976 The Mound Builders Chad Jasker (made for television)

1977 Group Portrait with Lady Boris Koltowski

The Gardener's Son Robert McEvoy (made for television)

1978 Eyes of Laura Mars Tommy Ludlow

Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force Sgt. Leonard Matlovich (made for television)

1979 Studs Lonigan Danny O'Neill (made for Television)

Wise Blood Hazel Motes

1980 Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones David Langtree (made for television)

Heaven's Gate Mr. Eggleston

1981 Ragtime Younger Brother

1982 Desire, the Vampire Paul (made for television)

1984 Dune The Mentat Piter De Vries

1985 Istanbul Martin Klamski (Belgian movie)

1986 Blue Velvet Raymond

Rage of Angels Seymour Bourne (made for television)

Vengeance: The Story of Tony Cimo Lamar Sands (made for television)

Impure Thoughts Kevin Harrington

1987 Fatal Beauty Leo Nova

1988 Child's Play Charles Lee Ray (Chucky) (character and voice of Chucky)

Mississippi Burning Deputy Clinton Pell

1989 Desperado: The Outlaw Wars Camillus Fly (made for television)

Sonny Boy Weasel

Terror on Highway 91 Keith Evans (made for television)

1990 Child's Play 2 Chucky (voice only)

Spontaneous Combustion Sam

Horseplayer Bud Cowan

Graveyard Shift Tucker Cleveland

The Exorcist III James Venamun

Hidden Agenda Paul Sullivan

Chaindance Johnny Reynolds

Grim Prairie Tales Farley

1991 Murder Blues John Barnes a.k.a. Dead Certain

Child's Play 3 Chucky (voice only)

Jungle Fever Leslie

Body Parts Remo Lacey

Scream of Stone Fingerless

London Kills Me Hemingway the Restaurant Manager

1992 Final Judgement Father Tyrone

Critters 4 Al Bert

1993 Wild Palms Chickie Levitt television miniseries

Trauma Dr. Lloyd

Amos & Andrew Officer Donnie Donaldson

1994 Color of Night Clark

A Worn Path Hunter (Made for Television)

1995 Death Machine Dante

Murder in the First Byron Stamphill

Escape from Terror: The Teresa Stamper Story Sheriff Bill Douglass (Made for Television)

Escape to Witch Mountain Luther/Bruno (Made for Television)

Phoenix Reiger

1996 Blackout Thomas Payne (Made for Television)

If Looks Could Kill M. Eugene 'Gene' Hanson (Made for Television)

Sworn to Justice Teddy

A Step Toward Tomorrow Kirby

1997 Jamaica Beat Tom Peterson

Nightwatch Duty Doctor

Best Men The Vet

Alien Resurrection Dr. Gediman

1998 Brown's Requiem Edwards

Senseless Dr. Wheedon

Progeny Dr. Bert Clavell

Urban Legend Michael McDonnell, gas station attendant (uncredited)

Bride of Chucky Chucky (voice only)

1999 The Diary of the Hurdy-Gurdy Man Gabriel

Cypress Edge Colin McCammon

Interceptors David M. Webber

Silicon Towers Alton

2000 Shadow Hours Roland Montague

The Prophecy 3: The Ascent Zealot

2001 The Ghost Lt. Garland a.k.a. Code of the Dragon

Soulkeeper Mr. Pascal

2002 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Gríma Wormtongue

2003 The Box Stan

Vlad Radescu

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Gríma Wormtongue (extended version only)

2004 Seed of Chucky Chucky (voice only)

The Devil's Due at Midnight The Dark One

Deadwood Doc

The Hazing Professor Kapps

El Padrino Cyrus

2005 Drop Dead Sexy Herman

The Wild Blue Yonder The Alien

Man of Faith B. B. Gallen

2006 Pulse Thin Bookish Guy

2007 Sinner Caddie

The List Johan Gabini

The Wizard of Gore Dr. Chong

Halloween Sheriff Lee Brackett

2008 Humboldt County Jack

Touching Home Clyde Winston

2009 Born of Earth Mayor

Lock and Roll Forever Zee

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Ned Schoenholtz

Halloween II Sheriff Lee Brackett

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? Uncle Ted

2010 Chain Letter Mr. Smirker

2011 Blood Shot Bob

Fading of the Cries Mathias

Priest Salesman

Death and Cremation Stan

Video games

Myst III: Exile (2001) - as Saavedro

Run Like Hell (2002) - as Fred (voice only)

GUN (2005) - as Reverend Josiah Reed (voice only)