Don Swayze

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Don Swayze
Swayze in 2010
Born
Donald Carl Swayze

(1958-08-10) August 10, 1958
OccupationActor
Years active1980–present
Spouses
    Marcia Swayze
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1985; div. 1993)​
      Charlene Lindstrom
      ​
      ​
      (m. 2014)​
      Children1
      Parents
      RelativesPatrick Swayze (brother)
      Lisa Niemi (sister-in-law)

      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).[1] Donald also had one younger brother, Sean Kyle (1962–2025),[2] 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".[3] 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.[4] 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.[5][6] 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.[7] In 2017, he joined the cast of General Hospital for a stint in the role of Buzz.[8] 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.[9] 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

      YearTitleRoleNotes
      1987Shy PeopleMark
      Death Blow: A Cry for JusticeAndy
      1988Alamo: The Price of FreedomJames BonhamShort
      1989Driving ForceNelson
      Trapper County WarWalt Luddigger
      1991Edge of HonorRitchie
      PaybackJeremy
      1992Death RingJohn BlackwellVideo
      1993Body of InfluenceBiker
      Eye of the StrangerRudy
      Beach Babes from BeyondGork
      Broken TrustSgt. Barnes
      1994The Other ManCurran
      Forced to KillDwayne
      Pontiac MoonLocal
      1995Digital ManBilly
      1996SquanderersScott
      1998Evasive ActionIan Kellen
      2000The Prophet's GameJoseph Highsmith
      2003Lady Jayne: KillerFred
      2004Knuckle SandwichLarry
      2005WaterborneOtis
      2006The Cutting Edge: Going for the GoldObnoxious GuyVideo
      The VisitationAbe
      2007The ColonyState Dept. Official #1"Short
      2008Prairie FeverJamesVideo
      2009Powder BlueBouncer
      2010QuitWard
      2011Miss FeetJesusShort
      2012LizzieDaniel Allen
      Heathens and ThievesSherman
      Ambush at Dark CanyonChale Lord
      2014IniquitiosJohn DuncanShort
      The AppearingSheriff Hendricks
      Nellie NellieMr. TownsendShort
      2015The Night CrewBig Willy
      2019Beneath the LeavesWhitley Senior
      2024On Swift HorsesTerence
      2025Honey Don't!Gary (piano bar)
      TBAAll Saints DayKier ConnollyPost-production

      Television

      YearTitleRoleNotes
      1984I Married a CenterfoldActor #2TV movie
      1985Street HawkPugEpisode: "Follow the Yellow Gold Road"
      J.O.E. and the ColonelMax CarneyTV movie
      1986Prince of Bel AirDarryl
      Tall Tales & LegendsGroomEpisode: "My Darlin' Clementine"
      The Fall GuyStretchEpisode: "War on Wheels"
      1st & TenClay DanielsEpisode: "A Second Chance"
      L.A. LawWilliam DollarEpisode: "Pilot"
      1988Dead or AliveBrewerTV movie
      1989ParadiseLangstonEpisode: "A House Divided"
      MatlockTommy JenksEpisode: "The Thoroughbred"
      HunterLyleEpisode: "On Air"
      1990The World According to StrawAbaloneTV movie
      1991DragnetPete BrownEpisode: "The Vandals"
      The New Adam-12DonEpisode: "Families"
      1991–1993Murder, She WroteGus Tardio / Edge Potter2 episodes
      1992ColumboAlbert WagnerEpisode: "No Time to Die"
      1993Dark JusticeFitzimmonsEpisode: "Crash Course"
      RenegadeJohn Poe / T-Bone2 episodes
      Beyond SuspicionDukeTV movie
      1995A Father for CharlieReuben Cantwell
      NYPD BlueAlex2 episodes
      Lois & Clark: The New
      Adventures of Superman
      Jesse JamesEpisode: "Tempus Fugitive"
      Walker, Texas RangerHarry PetersonEpisode: "The Guardians"
      Land's EndThomas Dwayne BollerEpisode: "A Line in the Sand"
      1998The Magnificent SevenGage LawlessEpisode: "Inmate 78"
      Babylon 5: ThirdspaceRaider LeaderTV movie (uncredited)
      ProfilerGelbEpisode: "Do the Right Thing"
      1999–2000Movie StarsDon Swayze 14 episodes
      2000Beyond Belief: Fact or FictionWilliam PopeEpisode: "Anatole"
      2000–2002V.I.P.Merrick2 episodes
      2001–2004The DivisionGary Gold / Elvin 'Tupelo' Seaforth
      2002The X-FilesTerry PruitEpisode: "Hellbound"
      2003TremorsOrville JamesEpisode: "Water Hazard"
      2003–2005CarnivàleTattooed Man6 episodes
      2004Karen SiscoJackieEpisode: "No One's Girl"
      2004–2021NCISLogan Clay / Peter Walker2 episodes
      2005CSI: MiamiNorm BufordEpisode: "Nothing to Lose"
      CharmedLuciusEpisode: "Little Box of Horrors"
      Without a TraceRandy StoneEpisode: "Lost Time"
      2006Love, Inc.TroyEpisode: "Major Dad"
      My Name Is EarlBail Bonds ManEpisode: "The Bounty Hunter"
      SharkBeau DawkinsEpisode: "Déjà Vu All Over Again"
      2007Mystery Woman: In the ShadowsBishopTV movie
      Criminal MindsCharles Hankel2 episodes
      Cold CaseGrant Hall - 2007Episode: "Shuffle, Ball Change"
      2008CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationDave BohrEpisode: "The Theory of Everything"
      2009–2017Family GuyPatrick Swayze (voice)2 episodes
      2010True BloodGus6 episodes
      The Young and the RestlessShaw Roberts5 episodes
      It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaRayEpisode: "The Gang Buys a Boat"
      PassengerKylek2 episodes
      2011Days of Our LivesPawn Broker / Rip3 episodes
      2012WilfredShady GuyEpisode: "Letting Go"
      2013SouthlandGus JamesonEpisode: "Under the Big Top"
      Hawaii Five-0Lloyd GrimesEpisode: "Ho'opio"
      The BridgeTampa Tim4 episodes
      2014Blood TypeJames RyderEpisode: "A Rare and Precious Commodity"
      Sons of AnarchyCarl EganEpisode: "The Separation of Crows"
      2016LongmireJim MackeyEpisode: "From This Day Forward"
      2017General HospitalBuzzEpisode #1.13720
      Tucker's WarCharlie Caleb Carson2 episodes
      DeckerGeneral CooverEpisode: "Space Wall"
      2019Deadwood: The MovieDennis SeacrestTV movie
      American Horror Story: 1984Ed GibsonEpisode: "Camp Redwood”
      2020Sons of ThunderAngie D.5 episodes
      The RookieSgt. SharpEpisode: "Under the Gun"
      2021LuciferGas Station OwnerEpisode: "Pin the Tail on the Daddy"
      2022Magnum P.I.Melvin MuchadoEpisode: "Run, Baby, Run"
      NCIS: HawaiʻiJoeEpisode: "Primal Fear"
      2023Perry MasonMan at Business MeetingEpisode: "Chapter Fifteen"

      References

      1. "Actor is broken up by sister's suicide". Tampa Bay Times. December 24, 1994. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
      2. Goldberg, Madison E.; Bacher, Danielle (January 7, 2026). "Patrick Swayze's Brother, Sean Swayze, Dies at 63". People. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
      3. Cohn, Lawrence (1991-10-14). "Edge of Honor". Variety. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
      4. Heathensandthieves.com
      5. More True Blood Casting News and Over a Dozen New Images
      6. "Don Swayze plays "Gus" in four episodes of True Blood S3". February 10, 2010. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
      7. Swayze, Don (28 October 2014). "The Separation of Crows". Sons of Anarchy. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
      8. "GENERAL HOSPITAL Casts Don Swayze in Mysterious New Role!". Soaps In Depth. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
      9. Everett, Todd. "Inside the Box". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times.