Miguel Ferrer Biography

(Best Known for His Role as ‘Bob Morton’ in the Film ‘RoboCop’)

Birthday: February 7, 1955 (Aquarius)

Born In: Santa Monica, California, United States

Miguel Jose Ferrer was an American actor who has left a lasting imprint in both films and television with his spellbinding performances. Son of Academy Award winning actor Jose Ferrer and singer Rosemary Clooney, Ferrer had artistic brilliance in his blood. Initially trying for a career in music, he soon found his real calling in acting. While Ferrer has done several television and film roles, it was his role as OCP Vice President Bob Morton in the 1987 film ‘RoboCop’ that proved to be the big breakthrough of his career. He soon followed it up with spectacular performances in numerous films including ‘Hot Shots! Part Deux’, ‘Mulan’, ‘Traffic’ and ‘Iron Man 3’. Apart from films, Ferrer also gave some top-notch performances in television series including ‘Twin Peaks’, ‘Broken Badges’, ‘Crossing Jordan’ and ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’. While ‘Crossing Jordan’ ranked amongst the top 20 shows in the year-end ratings, ‘NCIS: LA’ became the biggest television show of his career. Enormously talented, his powerful dramatic presence on screen helped him turn every role in his stride. Ferrer’s last outing for screen came for the television series ‘Twin Peaks’ wherein he reprised his role as Albert Rosenfeld. The show, however, was released posthumously.
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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Miguel José Ferrer

Died At Age: 61

Family:

father: José Ferrer

siblings: Callum Ferrer, Gabriel Ferrer, George Ferrer, Leticia Thyra Ferrer, Liza Ferrer, Maria Ferrer Rosemary Clooney, Monsita Ferrer, Phyllis Ferrer, Rafael Ferrer, Sarah Ferrer

children: Jose Robert Dornan, Lukas Ferrer, Rafael Ferrer

Actors American Men

Died on: January 19, 2017

place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States

Ancestry: Puerto Rican American, German American, British American, Irish American

Cause of Death: Throat Cancer

U.S. State: California

City: Santa Monica, California

epitaphs: Rosemary Clooney

Childhood & Early Life
Miguel Ferrer was born on February 7, 1955 in Santa Monica, California to Academy Award winning actor Jose Ferrer and Rosemary Clooney. He was the eldest of the five siblings, younger ones being sisters Maria and Monsita, and brothers Gabriel and Rafael.
He was raised in Hollywood, California. He took an acting course in Beverly Hills Playhouse. During his teen years, Ferrer was inclined towards music. He played the drums on Keith Moon’s ‘Two Sides of the Moon’.
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Career
Taking cue from his early life interest, Miguel Ferrer began his career in music. He joined his friend Bil Mumy’s band ‘The Jenerators’ as a drummer and a singer. Other members of the band included Steve Leialoha and Max Allan Collins. Together, they came up with the album ‘Seduction of the Innocent’.
Interestingly, Ferrer’s first acting project was basically an extension of his music career. Mumy had cast him as a drummer in the television series ‘Sunshine’. The role gave him an opportunity to act as well as play music simultaneously.
It was eventually in the 1980s that Ferrer actually gave wings to his acting career. He started making guest appearances in a number of television shows including playing younger self of his father in ‘Magnum P.I’, a waiter in ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’, a USS Excelsior helm officer in ‘Star Trek III: The Search for Spock’
Miguel Ferrer’s first major role came in 1987 for the action flick ‘Robocop’. In it, he played the character of an over-ambitious cocaine-snorting corporate executive Bob Morton who introduced his own experimental cyborg ‘Robocop’ to great success. His role play was widely lauded by the critics and the audience alike. It proved to be the early breakthrough of his career.
He soon followed his successful performance with varied roles. He starred as a sinister biker in ‘Valentino Returns’, as a overzealous engineer in ‘DeepStar Six’, a resourceful vigilante in ‘Revenge’ and so on.
Early 1990 saw Ferrer star in a number of horror and thriller flicks right from ‘The Gaurdian’ wherein he essayed the role of Ralph Hess to playing Agent Albert Rosenfeld in ‘Twin Peaks: Walk With Me’.
In 1993, he played the lead role in the thriller ‘The Harvest’ followed by a guest role in the action flick ‘Points of No Return’. Moving away from the murder mystery genre, Ferrer then tried his skill at comedy with the film ‘Hot Shots! Part Deux’ playing Commander Arvid Harbinger.
Alongside films, Ferrer also enjoyed a successful career in television. He was first seen as DA Todd Spurrier in ‘Shannon’s Deal’. Thereafter he played Cajun cop Beau Jack Bowman in ‘Broken Badges’.
In 1990, he played the cynical, wittily abrasive FBI forensics specialist Albert Rosenfeld in ‘Twin Peaks’. He was so good at it that he starred in its film version as well, reprising his role of Albert Rosenfeld.
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In 1997, Miguel Ferrer played a super-villain called ‘The Weatherman’ in ‘Justice League of America’. The show however, failed to impress the audience and was called off after some time. He ended the year with a voice role in the ‘Superman: The Animated Series’ episode of ‘Speed Demons’ for the character of Weather Wizard.
In 2000, he starred in the critically acclaimed crime drama film ‘Traffic’. An Oscar winning film, ‘Traffic’ had Ferrer play the role of Eduardo Ruiz, a high stake dealer posing as a fisherman.
After the success of ‘Traffic’, Ferrer took up diversified projects in different genres, such as a comedy drama ‘Sunshine State, a science fiction tale ‘The Manchurian Candidate’, a political satire ‘Silver City and the comedy crime film ‘The Man’.
In 2001, Ferrer bagged the lead role as a medical examiner, Dr. Garret Macy, in the television crime/drama series ‘Crossing Jordan’. Running for over six seasons and a total of 117 episodes, the show was engaging and entertaining.
While film and television roles continued, in 2003, Miguerl Ferrer made his New York stage debut in the off-Broadway production of ‘The Exonerated’. Same year, he gave the voice for Tarakudo in Jackie Chan Adventures.
Ferrer took up voice roles in TV series ‘Robot Chicken’ and ‘American Dad!’ He later played Jonas Bledsoe on NBC's ‘Bionic Woman’ series and, in 2009, also starred in another NBC series, ‘Kings’ as a military commander of Gath.
After a series of guest roles in super hit television series ‘Law & Order: Criminal Intent’, ‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’, ‘The Spectacular Spider-Man’, ‘Lie to Me’ and ‘ThunderCats’, Ferrer played the character of Los Angeles Police Lieutenant Felix Valdez in the 2011 Lifetime police procedural drama, ‘The Protector’ for 13 episodes. He followed it up with a multiple-episode guest role on the final season of ‘Desperate Housewives’.
In 2012, he was signed for a recurring role in ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’, capping the role of Naval Criminal Investigative Service Assistant Director Owen Granger. His artistic brilliance and top notch portrayal of the character helped him become a series regular for the fifth season in 2013. He starred in this role until 2017.
As far as his film career is concerned, Miguel Ferrer provided voice for several films including ‘This Is Not a Movie’, ‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2’, ‘Noah’ and ‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta!’ In 2013, he appeared in the film ‘Iron Man 3’ as the Vice President Rodriguez.
Miguel Ferrer was last seen reprising his role of Albert Rosenfeld in the 2017 revival of ‘Twin Peaks’ for nine episodes. Sadly, the series was released after his death.
Major Works
Miguel Ferrer is remembered for his performance in Paul Verhoeven’s ‘Robocop’. In it, he played an ambitious yet sleazy corporate climber who spearheads the Robocop program to great success, only to be murdered by his envious boss. Ferrer was hugely lauded for his excellent portrayal of the character.
Personal Life & Legacy
Miguel Ferrer married Leilani Sarelle in 1991 and had two sons with her; Lukas (born in 1993) and Rafael (born in 1996). Their marriage ended in 2003.
He was in a relationship with Kate Dornan and had a son with her, namely, Jose Robert Dornan (born in 2004).
In 2005, he married Lori Weintraub and their relationship lasted till his death in 2017.
Miguel Ferrer died of throat cancer on January 19, 2017 at his Los Angeles home.

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