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Charles Napier

Charles Napier

30 movies on Netflix

Biography

Charles Napier was an American actor who built a long career as a character player, often cast as police officers, soldiers and other authority figures, many of them villainous. Born in Kentucky, he served in the Army, graduated from Western Kentucky University and taught art before a graduate instructor steered him toward acting. His film debut came through Russ Meyer, who cast him as the lead in Cherry, Harry & Raquel! (1969), the first of four films they made together. He worked steadily in television and film and became a favorite of director Jonathan Demme, appearing in Something Wild (1986), Married to the Mob (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Philadelphia (1993) and others. His notable roles included Marshall Murdock in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Commander Gilmour in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), along with voice work on The Critic and Men in Black: The Series. He died in 2011.

75years old at death

  • Born Allen County
  • Died Bakersfield
  • Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19

Movie Career

Films
30
Career span
40 years1969 to 2009

Genres

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  1. Big break

    After Alfred Hitchcock watched a print of Supervixens, Napier was asked to come to Universal Studios, where he met Hitchcock and received a one-year contract.

  2. First role

    Charles Napier's first major film part came in Cherry, Harry & Raquel!, a 1969 release. That movie began a run of four projects he worked on with director Russ Meyer.

  3. A change of course

    Following his role in the low budget Moonfire, Napier spent a few years working for Overdrive magazine as both a journalist and a photographer.

  4. Early training

    In 1964, Napier went back to Western Kentucky for graduate school. There, D. Russell Miller, an instructor, pushed him toward acting.

Charles Napier movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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  1. Rambo: First Blood Part II1985 Action, Adventure, Thrilleras Marshall Murdock

    IMDb rating 6.5198K votes

  2. The Silence of the Lambs1991 Crime, Drama, Thrilleras Lt. Boyle

    IMDb rating 8.61.7M votes

  3. Philadelphia1993as Judge Garnett

    IMDb rating 7.7277K votes

  4. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery1997as Cmdr. Gilmour

    IMDb rating 7.0276K votes

  5. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron2002as Royvoice

    IMDb rating 7.296K votes

  6. 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up1995as Jack

    IMDb rating 4.46.9K votes

  7. Miami Blues1990as Sgt. Bill Henderson

    IMDb rating 6.412K votes

  8. Jury Duty1995as Jed

    IMDb rating 4.49.4K votes

Most often with

Jonathan Demme directed seven of these films, Russ Meyer two and David A. Prior two. Gary Goetzman appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Films together

Box office

What Charles Napier's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$1.1 billion

16 of the 30 films have a worldwide figure.

Of the 30 films: 16 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas; 10 figure not found.

  • 16Worldwide figure
  • 3US gross only
  • 1Never in cinemas
  • 10Figure not found

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 94% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    Rambo: First Blood Part II1985as Marshall Murdock
    $300M27.4% of the total
  2. 2
    The Silence of the Lambs1991as Lt. Boyle
    $273M24.9% of the total
  3. 3
    Philadelphia1993as Judge Garnett
    $207M18.8% of the total
  4. 4
    $123M11.2% of the total
  5. 5
    $68M6.2% of the total
  6. 6
    Ernest Goes to Jail1990as Warden
    $25M2.3% of the total
  7. 7
    Married to the Mob1988as Angela's Hairdresser
    $21M2.0% of the total
  8. 8
    Annapolis2006as Supt. Carter
    $17M1.6% of the total
Jury Duty (1995), $17.0 millionThe Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009), $15.3 millionMiami Blues (1990), $9.9 millionBeyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), $9.0 millionSomething Wild (1986), $8.4 millionSteel (1997), $1.7 millionCitizens Band (1977), $815,1743 Ninjas Knuckle Up (1995), $413,479

$62.5 millionfrom the other 8 films with a worldwide figure, 6% of the total