Clu Gulager

Biography

Clu Gulager was an American actor who built a long career in television Westerns before becoming known for horror films. Born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, in 1928, he first gained attention as Billy the Kid in The Tall Man and as Emmett Ryker in The Virginian. His early film work included The Killers (1964), Winning (1969), The Last Picture Show (1971), and McQ (1974). He also directed the short A Day with the Boys, which earned a Short Film Palme d'Or nomination at Cannes in 1969. During the 1980s he appeared in The Initiation (1984) and The Return of the Living Dead (1985). Later roles came in Feast (2005) and its sequels, Tangerine (2015), and the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), his final screen performance. He received a Bronze Wrangler Award for the ensemble of The Virginian.

93years old at death

Born November 16, 1928Holdenville
Died August 5, 2022Los Angeles
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
William Martin Gulager (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 32
Career span: 55 years1964 to 2019

Genres

Horror56%, 18 films
Drama38%, 12 films
Action34%, 11 films
Comedy34%, 11 films
Crime16%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
Gulager said that Lew Wasserman saw him in a Playhouse 90 episode in which he played a character like Elvis Presley, and he became Universal's first contract player.
Behind the camera
Gulager also directed a short film, A Day with the Boys. It earned a nomination for the Short Film Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1969.

Clu Gulager movies on Netflix

Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street2019IMDb rating 7.2as Himself
Children of the Corn: Runaway2018IMDb rating 3.7as Crusty
Blue Jay2016IMDb rating 7.2as Waynie
Tangerine2015IMDb rating 7.1as The Cherokee
Piranha 3DD2012IMDb rating 3.8as Mo
More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead2011IMDb rating 7.6as Himself
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010IMDb rating 8.5as Himself
Feast III: The Happy Finish2009IMDb rating 4.8as Bartender
Feast II: Sloppy Seconds2008IMDb rating 5.0as Bartender
Feast2005IMDb rating 6.2as Bartender
Jacqueline Hyde2005IMDb rating 4.2as Strip Club Bouncer
Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter1994IMDb rating 4.8as Man #1
In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco1993IMDb rating 5.4as McLennan County Sheriff
The Hidden II1993IMDb rating 3.2as Lt. Ed Flynn
The Willies1990IMDb rating 5.2as Greeley Principal
Teen Vamp1989IMDb rating 3.3as The Reverend
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka1988IMDb rating 6.6as Lt. Baker
Tapeheads1988IMDb rating 5.7as Norman Mart
Uninvited1988IMDb rating 4.5as Albert
From a Whisper to a Scream1987IMDb rating 5.7as Stanley Burnside
The Hidden1987IMDb rating 7.0as Lt. Ed Flynn
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge1985IMDb rating 5.5as Ken Walsh
The Return of the Living Dead1985IMDb rating 7.3as Burt
The Initiation1984IMDb rating 5.6as Dwight Fairchild
A Force of One1979IMDb rating 5.2as Dunne
The Other Side of Midnight1977IMDb rating 6.0as Bill Fraser
Hit Lady1974IMDb rating 5.6as Roarke
McQ1974IMDb rating 6.2as Toms
Molly and Lawless John1972IMDb rating 5.4as Deputy Tom Clements
The Last Picture Show1971IMDb rating 8.0as Abilene
Winning1969IMDb rating 6.1as Larry
The Killers1964IMDb rating 7.0as Lee

Best known for

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

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The Return of the Living Dead1985 Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fias Burt
IMDb rating 7.379K votes
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge1985 Fantasy, Horroras Ken Walsh
IMDb rating 5.587K votes
Blue Jay2016as Waynie
IMDb rating 7.223K votes
The Last Picture Show1971as Abilene
IMDb rating 8.058K votes
Feast II: Sloppy Seconds2008as Bartender
IMDb rating 5.09.3K votes
The Killers1964as Lee
IMDb rating 7.011K votes
The Initiation1984as Dwight Fairchild
IMDb rating 5.65.2K votes
The Hidden1987as Lt. Ed Flynn
IMDb rating 7.026K votes

Most often with

John Gulager directed five of these films, Jack Sholder two and Jeff Burr two. Diane Ayala Goldner appears in four 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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Diane Ayala Goldner

Lin Shaye

Robert Englund

James Karen

Linnea Quigley

Jenny Wade

John GulagerDirector, 5 films

Jack SholderDirector, 2 films

Jeff BurrDirector, 2 films

Films together

Diane Ayala Goldner4 films together, 2005 to 2018
Diane Ayala Goldner's page
- Children of the Corn: Runaway2018IMDb rating 3.7Gulager as CrustyGoldner as Mrs. Dawkins
- Feast III: The Happy Finish2009IMDb rating 4.8Gulager as BartenderGoldner as Biker Queen
- Feast II: Sloppy Seconds2008IMDb rating 5.0Gulager as BartenderGoldner as Biker Queen
- Feast2005IMDb rating 6.2Gulager as BartenderGoldner as Harley Mom
Lin Shaye3 films together, 1987 to 2010
Lin Shaye's page
- Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010IMDb rating 8.5Gulager as HimselfShaye as Herself
- The Hidden II1993IMDb rating 3.2Gulager as Lt. Ed FlynnShaye as Carol Miller
- The Hidden1987IMDb rating 7.0Gulager as Lt. Ed FlynnShaye as Carol Miller
Robert Englund3 films together, 1985 to 2019
Robert Englund's page
- Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street2019IMDb rating 7.2Gulager as HimselfEnglund as Himself
- Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010IMDb rating 8.5Gulager as HimselfEnglund as Himself
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge1985IMDb rating 5.5Gulager as Ken WalshEnglund as Freddy Krueger
James Karen3 films together, 1985 to 2011
James Karen's page
- More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead2011IMDb rating 7.6Gulager as HimselfKaren as Himself
- The Willies1990IMDb rating 5.2Gulager as Greeley PrincipalKaren as Jenkins / Uncle Harry
- The Return of the Living Dead1985IMDb rating 7.3Gulager as BurtKaren as Frank
Linnea Quigley3 films together, 1985 to 2019
Linnea Quigley's page
- Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street2019IMDb rating 7.2Gulager as HimselfQuigley as Himself
- More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead2011IMDb rating 7.6Gulager as HimselfQuigley as Herself
- The Return of the Living Dead1985IMDb rating 7.3Gulager as BurtQuigley as Trash
Jenny Wade3 films together, 2005 to 2009
Jenny Wade's page
- Feast III: The Happy Finish2009IMDb rating 4.8Gulager as BartenderWade as Honey Pie
- Feast II: Sloppy Seconds2008IMDb rating 5.0Gulager as BartenderWade as Honey Pie
- Feast2005IMDb rating 6.2Gulager as BartenderWade as Honey Pie
John GulagerDirector, 5 films, 2005 to 2018
All films by John Gulager
- Children of the Corn: Runaway2018IMDb rating 3.7Gulager as Crusty
- Piranha 3DD2012IMDb rating 3.8Gulager as Mo
- Feast III: The Happy Finish2009IMDb rating 4.8Gulager as Bartender
- Feast II: Sloppy Seconds2008IMDb rating 5.0Gulager as Bartender
- Feast2005IMDb rating 6.2Gulager as Bartender
Jack SholderDirector, 2 films, 1985 to 1987
All films by Jack Sholder
- The Hidden1987IMDb rating 7.0Gulager as Lt. Ed Flynn
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge1985IMDb rating 5.5Gulager as Ken Walsh
Jeff BurrDirector, 2 films, 1987 to 1994
All films by Jeff Burr
- Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter1994IMDb rating 4.8Gulager as Man #1
- From a Whisper to a Scream1987IMDb rating 5.7Gulager as Stanley Burnside

Box office

What Clu Gulager's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$143 million

13 of the 32 films have a worldwide figure.

13Worldwide figure
2US gross only
7Never in cinemas
10Figure not found

Top grosser

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge1985Ken Walsh$30.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 98% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge1985as Ken Walsh
$30M21.0% of the total
2
The Last Picture Show1971as Abilene
$29M20.4% of the total
3
A Force of One1979as Dunne
$20M14.1% of the total
4
Winning1969as Larry
$15M10.3% of the total
5
The Return of the Living Dead1985as Burt
$14M10.0% of the total
6
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka1988as Lt. Baker
$13M9.1% of the total
7
The Hidden1987as Lt. Ed Flynn
$9.7M6.8% of the total
8
Piranha 3DD2012as Mo
$8.5M5.9% of the total