Titus Welliver Movies
Actor Titus Welliver sailed to fame as a character player, largely via television roles. Though Welliver exhibited such an individualistic presence (and appearance) that his identity became inextricable from the casts of the programs in which he played, he also evinced such versatility with characterizations that series creators (and feature producers) were able to successfully cast him as a broad spectrum of occupational types, from cops to physicians to military sergeants. Regular roles included Officer Jack Lowery on Steven Bochco's short-lived police drama Brooklyn South and Silas Adams on the revisionist Western show Deadwood; he also had a recurring role as physician Dr. Mondzac on the seminal cop series NYPD Blue. Welliver's cinematic resumé includes parts in such features as The Doors (1991), Mulholland Falls (1996), Assault on Precinct 13 (2005), and Gone Baby Gone (2007). ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
This exercise in patriotic, high-tech action centers on a select group of Navy commandos and their battles against a Middle East terrorist group. This particular squadron is led by a pair of rivals: cocky, fiery Hawkins (Charlie Sheen) and stoic, unflappable Curran (Michael Biehn). When an anti-terrorist mission goes awry, allowing an enemy leader to escape with a supply of stolen American missiles, both men are certain that, given another chance, they can redeem themselves and the squad. Their rivalry plays out against a background of high-powered amphibious battles, allowing the film to revel in dangerous stunts and advanced weaponry. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer provides brief romantic relief as a journalist with important information, but the focus remains on the macho interplay between Hawkins and Curran. Co-written by former Navy Seal Chuck Pfarrer (with Gary Goldman), the film presents authentic details about the elite unit, but the bulk of Navy Seals tends to rely on familiar combat film conventions. Viewers seeking rapidly paced action sequences will not be disappointed, though other viewers may be less likely to overlook the predictable storyline and routine characters. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlie Sheen, Michael Biehn, (more)
- 1990
In this made-for-TV gangster docudrama, Al Capone (Eric Roberts) wages war against his younger brother (Adrian Pasdar), a Midwestern sheriff. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
In this fictionalized account based on true figures, a foursome of young thugs decides to team up and take control of New York's east side from the aging bosses who control it. Bugsy Siegel (Richard Grieco) and Frank Costello (Costas Mandylor) control the physical elements of the operation, while Lucky Luciano (Christian Slater) and Meyer Lansky (Patrick Dempsey) bring up the business end. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christian Slater, Patrick Dempsey, (more)
Val Kilmer delivers what was considered one of 1991's best performances as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's hallucinatory bio-pic of the seminal 1960s rock group The Doors. Stone cuts a jagged swath through Morrison's life, starting with a childhood memory where Morrison sees an elderly Indian dying by the roadside. It picks up with Morrison's arrival in California and his assimilation into the Venice Beach culture, followed by his film school days at UCLA; his introduction to his girlfriend Pamela Courson (Meg Ryan); his first encounters with Ray Manzarek (Kyle MacLachlan); and the origin of The Doors -- made up of Manzarek, Robby Kreiger (Frank Whaley), and John Densmore (Kevin Dillon). As the fame of The Doors grows, Morrison's obsession with death increases. The band grows weary of Morrison's missed recording sessions and no-shows at concerts. Morrison, meanwhile, sinks deeper into a drug-induced haze, having mystical sexual encounters with Patricia Kennealy (Kathleen Quinlan), an older rock journalist involved with sadomasochism and witchcraft. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, (more)
- 1992
This fact-based drama centers on a sextet of WW II soldiers who are hailed as heroes upon their return to their hometown in Texas. Trouble follows when the vets unite to overthrow the town's corrupt politicians. They make a plan, but it is nearly derailed by the group leader's social-climbing wife and her father. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A vengeful FBI agent wages a one-man war against a powerful drug cartel that has kidnapped his family in this action thriller from producer/director Joseph Merhi. The White Hand is a feared drug cartel run by the five most powerful crime lords in the business. When The White Hand takes FBI agent Jeff Douglas' family hostage, they will face an army of one more powerful than any military force, who is ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of his family. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
In this off-beat western, a gunfighter single-handedly takes on a band of ruthless bandits and prevents them from stealing a cache of government silver from a beleaguered little town. The gunslinger (Armand Assante) is not only remarkable for his quick draw and deadly aim, but also for the fact that a Civil War injury left him nearly blind. He carries with him the little baby he vowed to rear and protect after the war. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Armand Assante, Elisabeth Shue, (more)
The unbreakable bond forged between a troubled boy and a gorilla forms the basis of this family-oriented children's adventure. Fourteen-year old Rick has become quite rebellious since his father abandoned them. Margaret Heller, his mother, is a behavioral scientist who studies communication with gorillas. She is finding it increasingly difficult to communicate with the sullen, isolated Rick. The story opens just as Rick, who had stolen his mother's van for a joyride, is released from jail. To punish him, Margaret forces him to clean out the animal research lab. Rick is especially loathe to clean out the gorilla cage. In that cage is a gorilla adept at sign language, Katie, whom Rick immediately despises. In time, he and Katie begin conversing, and the two become friends. But then Katie's legal owner, the cruel Gus Charnley, reclaims her and forces her to perform caged up in a carnival act. The degradation of his friend is more than Rick can handle, so he frees her and together they hit the road. Mayhem and adventure ensues until the two end up in court where Katie makes a touching plea on their behalf. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wil Horneff, Helen Shaver, (more)
- 1995
Justine Miceli (Det. Adrianne Lesniak) and Kim Delaney (Det. Diane Russell) graduate from recurring to regular status as NYPD Blue begins its third season. Things get off to a potentially lethal start as James Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) is shot down and left paralyzed -- possibly for life -- by a government witness who may be completely immune from prosecution. Diane tells her AA sponsor, Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz), that she's recovering from her drinking problem, potentially good news for her boyfriend, Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits). And Andy's significant other, Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence), has some good news -- at least, she hopes it's good news. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
No sooner has Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) launched his investigation of a millionaire's kidnapping than the Feds take the case out of his hands. A two-bit criminal (Paul Ben-Victor) who is no stranger to the precinct may hold a vital clue to the abduction. And, on his own, Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) extends a helping hand to the ailing ex-prizefighter (Brad Sullivan) who first got Bobby interested in raising pigeons as a hobby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Four men just barely on the right side of the law step into a web of danger and corruption in this drama. In the early 1950s, Max Hoover (Nick Nolte) is a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department who leads what's been dubbed "the hat squad," a group of sharp-dressed cops who are ordered to stamp out organized crime using any means necessary, with legality and delicacy not much of an issue. Hoover and his partners Ellery Coolidge (Chazz Palminteri), Eddie Hall (Michael Madsen), and Arthur Relyea (Chris Penn) are looking into the brutal murder of a young woman named Allison Pond (Jennifer Connelly). In the course of their investigation, they discover that Allison had a lively sexual history, and she possessed explicit films of herself with her lovers, including Gen. Thomas Timms (John Malkovich), leader of the newly-formed Atomic Energy Commission. Timms becomes a key suspect, and he reveals the first of a long trail of troubling secrets, but Hoover has secrets of his own that he's trying to keep covered in the process -- including the fact that he and Allison were once an item. Popular vocalist Aaron Neville has a cameo as a singer at a night spot. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, (more)
- 1996
Andy Sipowicz' (Dennis Franz) joy over the birth of baby Theo is shattered when Andy Jr. (Michael DeLuise) is killed in a shoot-out. The grieving Sipowicz asks Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) to personally track down the killer. Bobby agrees, only to incur the wrath of Diane (Kim Delaney) -- and to come up depressingly empty-handed at every turn. And the 15th Precinct loses one of its stalwarts when she accepts a high-paying job with a California computer firm. This episode marked the final appearance of Gail O'Grady as Donna Abandando. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Grieving over the death of his son Andy Jr., Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) has started drinking again -- resulting in a confrontation with Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence). Lt. Fancy (James McDaniel) sends Sipowicz home, while Simone (Jimmy Smits) does everything he can to track down Andy Jr.'s murderer. A break in the case provides brief comfort for the 15th Precinct -- but morale takes another nosedive when Sipowicz nearly gets killed himself fighting off a gang of street punks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Though he essentially made The Big Fall a detective thriller, director/star C. Thomas Howell interjects his hard-boiled tale with a hint of parody. Though specializing in cases of adultery, Los Angeles private dick Blaize Rybeck's newest client, the beautiful Emma Russell (Sophie Ward) has a different type of project: she wants him to locate her brother Kenny, a flight instructor who was involved in a plane crash. His body was never found at the site, and Emma is convinced that Kenny is still alive. To solve the puzzle, Blaize goes undercover and joins a group of sky-diving thrillseekers. His old pal FBI-agent Bill Wilcox (William Applegate Jr.) shows up and tries to persuade Blaize to stop investigating -- as there is far more to the case than is immediately apparent -- but by that time, the gumshoe is in too deep to stop. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Sophie Ward, (more)
- 1998
Bobby (Jimmy Smits) and Diane (Kim Delaney) are definitely in love, but are they ready to make their commitment permanent? As for Andy (Dennis Franz), though his surgery was successful, he still isn't quite 100 percent -- but try getting him to tell that to Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence). Back on the job, when the semen-drenched bodies of a used car salesman and prostitute are found, the detectives split up to investigate each individual homicide. One of the suspects seems to be guilty, but Bobby and Andy think that there's a flaw in this theory, so they help the suspect prepare for his grand-jury appearance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
A homicide witness and her son are killed, and Andy (Dennis Franz) and Bobby (Jimmy Smits) think that the suspect's lawyer may have had a hand in the homicides. Elsewhere, Diane (Kim Delaney) and Jill (Andrea Thompson) investigate a missing persons case, and James (Nicholas Turturro) and Greg (Gordon Clapp) go after the peddlers of phony sports memorabilia (leading to another desultory romance for Greg). Amidst this activity, Andy is advised by his doctor to start taking Viagra, and Bobby and Diane hope to use their lunch hour to get married in a civil ceremony. This 90-minute episode was the last in NYPD Blue's fifth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Lucas Davenport, the wily (and very sexy) computer-programmer detective created by novelist John Sandford, comes to the small screen in the form of actor Eriq LaSalle) in this made-for-TV adaptation of Sandford's best-seller Mind Prey. A nutcase named John Mail (Titus Welliver) escapes from a mental institution and kidnaps his therapist (Sheila Kelley) and her two daughters. Though he intends to exact revenge against his captive for having him put away, Mail intends to prolong the agony by playing a cruel game of cat-and-mouse with the police, leaving behind a number of cryptic computer clues to his whereabouts. It is up to Lucas Davenport to make sense of these clues--and to figure out there is more to the story than a simple kidnapping. Fans of John Sandford were not entirely happy with the literary liberties taken in this adaptation, but since star Eriq La Salle was also one of the producers, it isn't surprising that the main character would be reshaped to suit his established TV persona. Reportedly the pilot for an unsold weekly series, John Sandford's Mind Prey originally aired March 22, 1999 on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eriq La Salle, Titus Welliver, (more)
- 1998
Still under suspicion for the murder of a nurse, ill-tempered cop Tommy Richardson (Michael Wiseman) is transferred to another precinct. Still hoping to get the goods on Richardson, Bobby (Jimmy Smits) and Diane (Kim Delaney) persuade Tommy's abused wife, Laurie (Charlotte Ross), to wear a wire. In another case, the body of a shooting victim is found in the bathtub of his former girlfriend, whose father has been seriously injured in a freak accident involving an electric chain saw. And when his CAT scan tests yield discouraging results, Andy (Dennis Franz) decides to react quickly -- by changing doctors. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Having run out of excuses and exhausted his supply of self-denial, Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) undergoes prostate surgery. Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) returns to the 15th, acknowledging that he is father of Gina's baby, while Abby (Paige Turco) herself gives birth. Back on the job, the cops investigate the death of a one of five army buddies during a reunion -- leading to the disturbing conclusion that a major act of terrorism has been planned for "Y2K" on New Year's Eve of 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
It is Halloween, and things get pretty scary in a hurry when a young man named Lonnie (Titus Welliver) tries to kill himself--just after recognizing Andrew (John Dye as the Angel of Death. It turns out that Lonnie is suffering from Multiple Personality Syndrome, and that he was pushed to the brink of death by his "other self" Gregory. Lonnie's longtime friend Duncan (Casey Briggs) tells Andrew of the terrible trauma suffered by the unfortunate man, stemming from a long-ago Halloween prank that went tragically awry. But this is far more than a case of mental imbalance: Lonnie's alter ego Gregory happens to be an emissary of Satan! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Actor Laurence Fishburne makes his debut as a director in this urban drama adapted from his one-act stage play Riff Raff. 20/20 Mike (Fishburne) and his half-brother Torch (Titus Welliver) bump into each other under less than ideal circumstances -- both are in jail, Mike on parole violation and Torch for theft. Torch is a heroin addict who has trouble financing his habit, so when Mike says he has a plan to make some quick money, Torch is more than eager to help. Mike and Torch try to swindle Hector (Andres "Dres" Titus), who works with his uncle Freddie Nine Lives (Dominic Chianese Jr.) as a bagman for drug kingpin Manny Rivera (Paul Calderon). While Mike and Torch are able to grab a large cache of heroin that Hector is carrying for Manny, the plan soon goes haywire and Hector and his men suffer heavy casualties. Mike and Torch go on the lam, while Manny's henchmen find Freddie and beat a confession out of him -- in which he names Mike and Torch as the thieves. Manny wants his money back and hires an enforcer named Tony (Eamonn Walker) to find Mike and Torch and get the cash. To insure that Tony doesn't waste time, Manny holds Tony's wife (Annabella Sciorra) captive until the money is returned. Noted jazz artist Branford Marsalis composed the film's original music score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laurence Fishburne, Titus Welliver, (more)
The remarkable life and tragic death of Marilyn Monroe has fascinated film fans for decades, but this two-part TV miniseries, based on a novel by Joyce Carol Oates, takes an unusual approach, using dramatic license (the film announces itself as a work of fiction using the names of real people) to look inside the minds of Monroe and those around her to ponder the circumstances of her rise and fall. Young Norma Jeane Baker (Skye McCole Bartusiak) is raised by single mother Gladys (Patricia Richardson), who is unstable, uncaring, and poorly equipped to deal with the responsibilities of parenthood. As Norma Jeane grows up without a father and with little affection from her mother, she suffers from a poor self-image and craves attention; when she grows into a beautiful young woman who is unusually attractive to men, she falls into a number of romances and a short-lived marriage in search of the approval she needs so desperately. When Norma Jeane (now played by Poppy Montgomery) turns 20, she meets a photographer, Otto (Eric Bogosian), who sees star potential in her beauty. Otto's cheesecake pictures catch the eye of I.E. Shinn (Wallace Shawn), an agent who in turned introduces her to Mr. R (Richard Roxburgh), the head of a movie studio, who offers to make Norma Jeane a star -- if she would be willing to have sex with him. Norma Jeane unenthusiastically agrees, and Mr. R proves good to his word; renamed Marilyn, she becomes an major film star and an international sex symbol. But the adulation proves to be a poor substitute for the love she craves, and as she falls into relationships with any man who treats her with a modicum of respect -- including a famous baseball player (Titus Welliver) and an acclaimed author (Griffin Dunne) -- her life begins to spiral out of control. Blonde also stars Ann-Margret, Kirstie Alley, and Patrick Dempsey; the series first aired May 13 and May 16, 2001, on the CBS television network. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Poppy Montgomery, Patricia Richardson, (more)
