He has become one of America's most recognized, solid character actors
since his debut in the chilling film "Deliverance" in 1972. Chubby
and red-faced with curly blonde hair, glassy eyes and a jolly demeanor he
is versatile enough to play a despicable villain, but 'fits' best as a good-guy,
neighborly type character. He was born Ned Thomas Beatty on July 6, 1937
in Louisville, Kentucky and was raised on a farm in that area…near
St. Matthews, Kentucky. At one point in his life he had aspirations towards
the clergy but as young as the age of 10 he was smitten by performing in
gospel groups and barbershop quartets and when he initially tried acting
he was "hooked" for life. He worked professionally as an actor
for 10 years at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia. Other theaters
he worked with were: The Erie Playhouse in Erie, Pennsylvania, the Playhouse
Theater in Houston, Texas and the famed Arena Stage Company in Washington,
D.C. He made his Broadway debut in "The Great White Hope." It
was his film debut in "Deliverance" (1972) as Bobby Trippe, an
unsuspecting businessman on, what becomes, a treacherous weekend trip with
some friends…that "put him on the map." His other film credits
include: "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean" (1972) with Paul
Newman, as Tector Crites, another fine role; "The Thief Who Came to
Dinner" (1973) as Deams; "White Lightning" (1973) as Sheriff
Connors; "The Last American Hero" (1973) as Hackel; "Nashville"
(1975) as Delbert Reese; "W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings" (1975)
as Country Bull; "All the President's Men" (1976) as Dardis; "The
Big Bus" (1976) as Shorty Scotty; "The Silver Streak" (1976)
as Bob Sweet; "Network" (1976) as Arthur Jensen; "Gray Lady
Down" (1978) as Mickey; "Superman" (1978) with Christopher
Reeve, as Otis; "1941" (1979) as Ward Douglas; "Promises
in the Dark" (1979) as Bud Koenig; "Hopscotch" (1980) with
Walter Matthau, as Myerson; "Superman II" (1980) again as Otis;
"The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez" (1982) as Lynch Mob Leader; "Stroker
Ace" (1983) as Clyde Torkle; "Back to School" (1986) with
Rodney Dangerfield, as Dean Martin; "The Big Easy" (1987) as Jack
Kellom; "The Fourth Protocol" (1987) as Borisov; "Time Trackers"
(1989) as Harry; "Going Under" (1990) as Admiral Malice; "Chattahoochee"
(1990) as Dr. Harwood; "Captain America" (1992) as Sam Kolawetz;
"Blind Vision" (1992) as Sgt. Logan; "Rudy" (1993) as
Daniel, Rudy's father; "Radioland Murders" (1994) as Gen. Walt
Whalen; "Just Cause" (1995) as McNair; "He Got Game"
(1998) as Warden Wyatt; "Cookie's Fortune" (1999) as Lester Boyle;
"Life" (1999) as Dexter Wilkins; "Where the Red Fern Grows"
(2000) as The Sheriff. He has been even more active on television in recent
years appearing as a regular on the series: "Szysznyk" (1977)
as Nick Szysznyk; "Celebrity" (1984) a mini-series, as Otto Leo;
"The Last Days of Pompeii" (1984) a mini-series as Diomed; "Robert
Kennedy and his Times" (1985) as J. Edgar Hoover; "Roseanne"
(1989-96) as Ed Conner; "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993-95)
as Det. Stanley "Stan" Bolander; "The Boys" (1995) as
Herbert Francis "Bert" Greenblatt; "The Streets of Laredo"
(1995) a mini-series, as Judge Roy Bean and "The Great War" (1996)
a mini-series as Herbert Hoover. He also appeared in some excellent made
for TV films including: "The Marcus-Nelson Murders" (1973); "The
Execution of Private Slovik" (1974); "Attack on Terror: The F.B.I.
vs. the Ku Klux Klan" (1975); "Friendly Fire" (1979) "Guyana
Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones" (1980) and "Gulliver's Travels"
(1996). He also guested on many series including: "Kojak"; "The
Waltons"; "The Rockford Files"; "Gunsmoke"; "M*A*S*H";
"Streets of San Francisco" and "Highway to Heaven."
He was married 3 times. His second wife was Belinda Rowley and they had
two children, John and Blossom. His third marriage was to Dorothy "Tinker"
Lindsay and they had two children. They are presently separated. He continues
acting in quality projects.
