One of the most famous and naturally distinguishable faces of any actor in the horror movie genre is that of actor Michael Berryman. Berryman is an American born actor who has made appearances in many horror movies, television series, and even a popular music video. Berryman is very recognizable because of his interesting and unique appearance, which is due to a rare genetic disease known as hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, which left Michael without the ability to grow hair or fingernails, and prevented him from developing sweat glands. This is a rare genetic disease for which there is no cure.
General Bio Facts
Born in Los Angeles, California to Barbara and Sloan Berryman, Michael John Berryman came into this world on September 4, 1948. Michael’s father was of Northern Irish (Scotch- Irish), German, and English heritage, while his mother was of Bohemian (Czech), German, and Swedish descent. Berryman’s father was a neurosurgeon who actually assisted in a surgical procedure called a craniectomy which was performed on Michael as a child. The doctors literally had to help construct a full skull for Michael, because his skull was fused together and he had underdeveloped facial bones. The surgeons used chips of bone from Michael’s hips to construct bridges that could be used for skull grafts. Michael has made the statement that he was born with twenty six different birth defects.
During his school days, Michael attended the same school as Richard Hilton, father of Paris Hilton. He also graduated high school with actor Michael Klesic. Berryman is also related to the director, actor, producer Riggero Tarvis, also known as Kurt Tarvis.
Before Michael embarked on his acting career, he held a job working in a flower shop. Berryman currently resides in Clearlake, California with his wife Patricia. In his spare time, Michael is an avid motorcycle enthusiast.
Breaking Into Acting
Michael Berryman was discovered quite by accident by a big Hollywood producer named George Pal. One day while Michael was busy working at the floral shop in Venice Beach, California, Pal happened to stop in. Pal and Berryman then engaged in conversation and Pal then asked Michael to be in his 1975 movie production called Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze. This was an unexpected development for Michael, and he was completely new to the world of film and acting. Even though Michael dealt with a lot of teasing and bullying during his childhood years because of his appearance, his looks were actually what ended up helping him in breaking into the world of acting and finding a new career path. Berryman was paid only $600 for his appearance as a coroner in the Doc Savage film, however, it was just the beginning of his acting career and a long list of horror films and B movies to follow.
Berryman has also starred in two major science fiction television series franchises, Star Trek, and the X-Files. Not only does his appearance make him a good candidate for horror flicks, it works well in the science fiction genre as well. In addition to films and television franchises, Berryman also made an appearance in the heavy metal band Motley Crue’s video for “Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room” in the 1980’s.
Because of his out of the ordinary appearance, Berryman is sometimes compared to the popular horror film actor of the 1930’s and 1940’s, Rondo Hatton. Hatton also had a rare medical condition which affected his appearance, making him the perfect fit for the roles he played, much like Berryman. Although his looks initially are what opened the doors to acting for Berryman, directors soon learned that Michael possessed real talent as an actor in both comedy and drama, aside from his typical horror roles.
Michael stands 6ft2 and is tall and lean in appearance, which usually lands him such roles as monsters, deviant undertakers, or mutant bikers. However, he will refuse roles that he feels are exploitative or degrading. He is a fan favorite among lovers of the horror genre.
Key Acting Roles
Michael’s first acting role was as a coroner in 1975’s Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, followed shortly by his role as Ellis in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. One of his most famous roles was that of Pluto in the 1977 release The Hills Have Eyes, produced by Peter Locke and directed by a young Wes Craven. Peter Locke decided to put a picture of Berryman on a poster to promote the film, which really brought attention to Berryman and gained him public recognition from fans of the horror movie genre. The classic cult horror film is about mutated mountain people who have turned cannibalistic, who happen upon travelers who were stranded on their way home from vacation.
The character of Pluto is the first mutant that makes an appearance in The Hills Have Eyes . He is very strong and very large, with a misshapen head and face. Pluto performs a variety of deviant acts in the film, making it unsuitable for younger viewers, but a huge success with cult horror film fans. This film comes in a #41 on the 100 Scariest Movie Moments by Bravo.
While working on The Hills Have Eyes, Berryman had to be very aware of the fact he has no sweat glands, because the movie was filmed in the desert heat. He has to use preventive measures and know the proper treatment for heat stroke because his body can become overheated quite easily under such conditions.
The Hills Have Eyes (1977) directed by Wes Craven and starring Susan Lanier, Michael Berryman and Dee Wallace. It is about a family on a road trip stranded in the Nevada desert who become hunted by a clan of deformed cannibals in the surrounding hills.
Acting Awards
In 1975, Michael was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actor for his role as Pluto in the 1977 release of The Hills Have Eyes. In the year 2007, Berryman won the EyeGore Award for Career Contribution in Horror Genre.
How Michael Dealt With Being Teased About His Appearance
Although Michael had to endure a lot of teasing from kids during his childhood years, he was more concerned about a friend of his who had suffered from Polio and wore legs braces as a result of the disease. Michael would stand up for his friend when the other children teased him and the teachers failed to do anything about it. As far as handling his own teasing and bullying, Michael remained fairly grounded in spite of it. He would go right to the parents of the children who were teasing him and let them know that their child was being a brat and that they were not being good parents, as Michael believed children learn about ignorance and prejudice as a result of what they see and hear from both society and their parents .
1970’s Film Appearances
Michael made his acting debut in 1975 with Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze. Later that same year he had a role in the film adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. His most famous role of Pluto was in the 1977 movie The Hills Have Eyes. Berryman also played the first bandit in the 1977 production, Un Autre Homme, Une Autre Chance.
1980’s Film Appearances
Berryman portrayed William Gluntz in 1981’s horror flick, Deadly Blessing. He played in Invitation To Hell in 1984, with the role of a valet. The year 1985 was very busy for Michael, with a total of five films. These included My Science Project, where he played Mutant #1, Weird Science as a Mutant Biker, Cut and Run as Quecho, the Chainsaw character in Voyage of the Rock Aliens, and a reprisal of his Pluto role in The Hills Have Eyes Part II.
Michael also had a role in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, where he played a Starfleet display officer in 1986. The year 1987 saw him as Cpl. Catlett in Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III, and as Dirtmaster in The Barbarians. Berryman portrayed The Mummy in 1988’s Saturday the 14th Strikes Back, and the angry biker in 1989’s Far Out Man.
1990’s Film Appearances
Berryman had roles in two movies in 1990, playing Matthew in Solar Crisis, and Queen in Aftershock. The following year, 1991, Michael played in the Teenage Exorcist as Herman, Lisker in The Guyver, and Pilgrim #1 in Beastmaster 2:Through the Portal of Time. In 1994, he portrayed the Maniac Leader in the movie Double Dragon. The year 1996 brought us Mohave Moon, where Berryman played Angel, and 1996 gave us Spy Hard which stars Berryman as a Bus Patron with Oxygen Mask.
Berryman also had a role in the last film actor Brandon Lee ever made before his untimely death, 1994’s The Crow, starring as the Skull Cowboy who led Lee’s character, Eric Draven, back from the dead to the land of the living. Sadly, Berryman’s scenes were deleted from the finished film, but are sometimes available in editions of the film that include deleted scenes.
Film Appearances From 2000-2010
In 2000’s film, The Independent, Berryman stars as Himself. He also starred in Two Heads Are Better Than One, portraying a character named Chives that same year. In 2005, he played Clevon in The Devil’s Reject, and a Gas Station Woker in the 2006 flick Penny Dreadful. In 2007, Berryman brought us the roles of Leroy Calhoun in Brutal, and Jack in Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield.
The year 2009 gives us three Berryman appearances. He starred as Seymour in Necrosis, Colonel Petrov in Brother’s War, and Philip Farmsworth, Jr., in Smash Cut. The following year in 2010, Berryman starred in Scooby Doo!: Curse of the Lake Monster as the Zombie Head, in Mask Maker as Fred, and in The Tenant.
Berryman’s Most Recent Acting Projects
More recent acting projects for Berryman include two 2012 films, Below Zero, where he played Gunnar, and The Lords of Salem, where he played Virgil Magnus.
Michael’s acting career is still alive and well in the year 2013. He stars in the film Self Storage, about a night watchman who brings his friends to a secured storage facility for an evening of fun-filled hard partying. However, things quickly take a dark turn when Berryman’s character enters the picture. Berryman also stars in two episodes of the comedic horror web based television series called Hell’s Kitty, where he portrays Detective Pluto.
Aside from acting, Berryman is also now involved in the production aspect of film. He was the associate producer on the 2013 film Red On Yella, Kill A Fella, as well as being involved in several other films in 2013 that are in the post-production phase of completion. These include :SuperZero, Erebus, and Army of The Damned.
Berryman has several works in progress for release in the year 2014, currently filming a flick called Stingy Jack, where he plays the main character, Jack Hawthorne, or “Stingy Jack”. He also has three films in pre-production set for release in 2014. These include Dead AfterLife, where he plays Gravedigger Jaggers, The Mangled, portraying Frank Bates, and is rumored to be in the Brothers Grimm: Pest Removal film. Another film starring Berryman, Smothered, is in post-production stage, while another film called Zombificador has been announced. Apocalypse Kiss, a completed film in which he plays David Horn, is scheduled for a 2014 release as well. Two other films have been completed that will come out in 2014 include Cannibals, where Berryman plays Uncle Albert, and The Family Returns, where he stars as William.
A Favorite At Horror Genre Conventions
Michael Berryman brings in a large crowd at conventions held for the horror movie genre. He has made several appearances at these conventions where he is able to meet and greet his fans. He has appeared at the Horrorfind Convention in Baltimore, Maryland in both 2001 and 2002, and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in June of 2002 as a guest where he attended ” The Milwaukee County Massacre” music festival and horror convention. He also appeared at the Eerie Horror Film Festival in Erie, Pennsylvania in the year 2007. Berryman has also made appearances at the Scarefest Convention in Lexington, Kentucky, in Roseville, Minnesota at the ” A November To Dismember” show at Crypticon, and at the “Spooky Empire” convention held in Orlando, Florida.
Finding Success In Spite of Medical Issues
Acting gave Michael Berryman the perfect opportunity for a successful career in which his medical condition did not hinder him, but actually helped him find new and exciting work. Michael is able to remove himself from the outdoor conditions that might overheat him and move to air-conditioned spaces to avoid health issues. Aside from that, his features only help to land him more jobs in the horror and science fiction genres. Michael has become