Often regarded as one of the stalwarts of Hollywood, Gary Busey is an American actor with several movie credits. He is best known for his character actor Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story (1978), a movie that got him his nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
The movie also won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor. What many don’t know is that in Gary’s formative years, he wasn’t particularly interested in acting. He started as a drummer for showmanship.
In this article, we will be looking at facts about him, his son, Jake Busey’s net worth, his marriage, his illustrious career. Kindly read on to find out hidden truths about this veteran actor.
Quick Facts about Gary Busey
Gary Busey’s rise to prominence is worthy of inspiration. Even though he started as a drummer in The Rubberband, Busey’s mind was open to an entertainment path that was different from what he was used to.
The Early Life of Gary Busey
Gary Busey was born in Goose Texas, to Sadie Virginia, a housekeeper, and Delmer Lloyd Busey, who was a construction design manager on June 29, 1944. He moved with his parents to Tulsa when he was just in fourth grade. He attended Bell Junior High School before proceeding to Nathan High School, where he finally graduated.
Gary would later get a football scholarship to study at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. It was here he became interested in acting. It gets even more interesting.
With just a class short of graduation, Busey quit school. Not Pittsburg State University, because he transferred to Oklahoma University in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Early Career of Gary Busey
Gary kick-started his entertainment career as a drummer in The Rubber Band, with the pseudonym “Teddy Jack Eddy” and “Sprunk.” Busey also played for a band called Carp. His band released an album in 1969. Though it did not do too well on the charts.
He started to build his passion for acting when he created a character in a local television comedy show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, called The Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting. Busey would later appear in roles in both television and film during the 1970s.
Gary Busey’s Walk To Stardom
Busey’s big break came in 1974 in Michael Cimino’s film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, playing a supporting role to already established stars, Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges.
In 1976, he was cast to play Kris Kristofferson’s character in the remake film. A Star is born. His appearance came as a result of Barbra Streisand’s interest in him. She said she saw Busey on a particular TV series and felt he would fit perfectly into the role.
His biggest movie credit came in 1978, for his character of Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story. His role received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and the National Society of Film Critics’ Best Actor award. That year was good for Busey as he also played a role in a movie, Big Wednesday, which is now regarded as a classic.
Busey was also a cast on the Stephen King adaptation Silver Bullet. He has also featured in several action thrillers, including Lethal Weapon, starring alongside Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. He went on feature in several other action films like Point Break, Predator 2, and Under Siege.
You may know that Gary Busey drums and acts, but, you may not know he also sings. That’s right! He sang the song “Stay All Night” on Saturday Night Live in March 1979. He repeated the performance on the Late Show with David Letterman in the 1990s.
Featuring in theatres and movies such as Oliver Twist and Champagne is star actor Alano Miller. Let’s tell you all we know about the popular actor.
His Career as a Voice-Over Artist
Busey’s voice played the character, Phil Cassidy, in the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in 2002. His character was praised for the critical portrayal of the character. He also voiced himself in one episode of The Simpsons in 2005.
Busey’s Controversial Role
In 2006, Busey was cast in a Turkish nationalist movie Valley of The Wolves: Iraq. The movie received negative reviews and was accused of portraying fascism, antisemitism.
Personal Life
Gary married Steffanie Sampson in 2008. They have a son together. Before then Gary had married twice. His first marriage was with Judy Helkenburg in 1968. They had a son together, Jake Busey in 1971. They divorced in 1990.
Four years later, Busey had a daughter with his stunt coordinator in 1994. They didn’t get to marry. In 1996, Busey married Tiani Warden, an American actress. But this marriage didn’t last as well. They filed for a divorce in 2001.
What is Gary Busey’s Net Worth
According to a trustworthy source, Celebrity Net Worth, Busey is worth $500,000.
Who is Jake Busey?
Jake is an American film producer, actor, musician. He took after his father, Gary Busey. He is most known for his role as Johnny Bartlett in the 1996 thriller The Frighteners. Jake also played Aiden Tanner in the TV series From Dusk to Dawn.
He was born in Los Angeles to Judy Busey and Gary Busey. His interest in movies came from touring around film sets with his father. He has appeared in almost 70 movies.
Jake Busey’s Net Worth
From having played in all those movies, it is expected that Jake Busey’s net worth is “heavy.” According to a reliable source, Celebrity Net Worth, Jake Busey’s net worth is $1.5 million.
This is not bad. Considering he is relatively young, we expect that he gets more roles in which he can increase his wealth.
Conclusion
Gary Busey has over the years built his reputation as a stellar actor, and his son, Jake Busey reminds us that chips can still fall off the old blocks. Jake Busey’s net worth, has skyrocketed as a result of his several roles in movies.
