Ed Harris: The Consummate Hollywood Professional Quiz

Answer: Football

Edward Allen Harris was born November 28, 1950, in Englewood, New Jersey. He was raised in Tenafly, NJ. He is the second born of three children, having an older brother, Robert, and a younger brother, Spencer. He served as captain of the high school football team in his senior year, leading them to a league championship.

He then played at Columbia for two years before dropping out. He studied acting at the University of Oklahoma before moving west, where he finally graduated from the California Institute of the Arts.

Answer: Barnaby Jones

The episode was titled "School of Terror", and was aired on December 20, 1979. It dealt with drug dealing and murder. "Barnaby Jones" (1973-1980), starred Buddy Ebsen as a retired private detective. The series began with him learning that his son had been murdered. He came out of retirement to work with his daughter-in-law (Lee Meriwether), to find his son's killer. After they solved the case, they continued to work together on other cases.

During his early days as an actor, Harris worked as a guest actor on "Lou Grant" (1977-1982), "The Rockford Files" (1974-1980), "CHiPS" (1977-1983), "Hart to Hart (1979-1984)", and the short lived "Cassie and Co." (1982). He also appeared in the 1979 miniseries "The Seekers". He has returned to television a number of times over the years, most notably in 2005, earning both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations in the Best Actor category for his role as Miles Roby in the miniseries "Empire Falls".

Answer: All of these

In 1996, his role as Gene Kranz in "Apollo 13" lost out to Kevin Spacey in "The Usual Suspects". In 1999, James Coburn won the Oscar for "Affliction", over Harris' role as Christof in "The Truman Show". In 2003, his performance as Richard Brown in "The Hours" came up short as Chris Cooper took home the Oscar for "Adaptation". Harris did however, win a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1999, for "The Truman Show".

Answer: Knightriders

Harris starred as Billy, calling himself King William, a King Arthur wannabe. He was the leader of a motocycle gang that carried out jousting tournaments while riding. In their own strange way, they were trying to keep honour and gallantry alive in the modern world. Sadly, the group was torn apart when a rival tried to take over the gang, and Billy died at the end. Romero was so impressed with Harris' performance, he included him in the cast of "Creepshow"(1982).

Answer: Amy Madigan

The couple celebrated their silver wedding anniversary in 2008. Amy Madigan was born September 11, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois. She studied drama at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. She earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role in "Twice in a Lifetime" (1985).

Her most memorable characters may be as Kevin Costner's wife in "Field of Dreams" (1989), and as John Candy's girlfriend in "Uncle Buck" (1989). Harris and Madigan have acted together in a number of films, including "Places in the Heart" (1983), and Ben Affleck's gem "Gone Baby Gone" (2007).

They have one daughter named Lily, born in 1993.

Answer: Pollock

At the 2001 Academy Awards, Harris did not win the Oscar for his portrayal of Jackson Pollock, Russell Crowe won for "Gladiator". However, Marcia Gay Harden won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Lee Krasner, Pollock's wife.

Making the film "Pollock", had been a dream of Harris' for years, ever since his father gave him a copy of Pollock's biography. Production of the film was halted for six weeks so Harris could gain thirty pounds and grow a beard. Also, all the painting seen in the film was done by Harris himself.

Answer: Yes

Harris made his Broadway debut in George Furth's "Precious Sons", in 1986. This role earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in Play. He did not win the Tony, but did win the Drama Desk Award . He returned to Broadway a decade later in 1996, to star in Ronald Harwood's "Taking Sides".

Earlier, in 1983, he starred as Eddie in Sam Shepard's "Fool for Love". For this role he won an OBIE Award (Off Broadway Theatre Award). Other stage credits include "Prairie Avenue" (1981), and "Scar" (1992). He won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for both. More recently, he starred in Neil Labute's "Wrecks", in 2006.

Answer: The Abyss

1989's "The Abyss" was filmed in over seven million gallons of water in a concrete containment tank. None of the actors were replaced by stunt divers. In one scene, Harris was being dragged thirty feet below the surface when he had a problem with his breathing apparatus. Liquid fluorocarbon was being used instead of air. Fluid was rushing up his nose and his eyes were swelling.

A professional diver assigned to shadow him, had to fix the problem with his regulator, averting disaster. The film won Academy Awards for special effects, but was not a box office success.

Answer: Yes

In 2001, Harris was #43 on "People" magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People". Early in his career, he was told that his lack of hair would keep him from going far in the business. He proved them wrong. After receiving high accolades for directing and starring in "Pollock" (2000), he came through with a strong performance as a German sniper in the WW2 film "Enemy at the Gate" (2001).

In 2006, "People" magazine changed the list from 50 to the "100 Most Beautiful People".

Answer: Appaloosa

"Appaloosa" (2008) was co-written and co-produced by Ed Harris and Robert Knott. It was based on the bestselling novel of the same name written by Robert B. Parker in 2005. Diane Lane was originally cast as the leading lady but was replaced by Renee Zellweger.

The film centered around two friends (Harris and Mortensen) who were hired to defend an 1880's town in New Mexico, after a wealthy rancher (Jeremy Irons) arrived with a gang of thugs and they killed three lawmen. The subsequent arrival of a woman (Zellweger) put a strain on their friendship, making the job even more difficult.

Harris enjoyed working with Mortensen on "A History of Violence" (2005), and asked him to co-star in "Appaloosa". Harris also gave his father a small role in the film, as Judge Callison.