Jon Gries
Jonathan Gries ('; born June 17, 1957) is an American actor and music video director. He is best known for portraying Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite (2004), for which he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male; the recurring role of Roger Linus on Lost (2007–2010); and Greg Hunt on The White Lotus (2021–present). He is also known for other film and television credits such as Real Genius (1985), The Monster Squad (1987), Martin (1992–1994), Get Shorty (1995), The Pretender (1996–2000), the Taken trilogy (2008–2014), and Dream Corp LLC (2016–2020).
Also recorded as Jonathan Francis Gries · Jonathan Gries
Jon Gries

Gage Skidmore · Flickr: Jon Gries · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Birth Name
- Jonathan Gries
- Born
- 17 June 1957
- Birthplace
- Glendale, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- Stella Adler Studio of Acting
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Jonathan Gries ('; born June 17, 1957) is an American actor and music video director. He is best known for portraying Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite (2004), for which he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male; the recurring role of Roger Linus on Lost (2007–2010); and Greg Hunt on The White Lotus (2021–present). He is also known for other film and television credits such as Real Genius (1985), The Monster Squad (1987), Martin (1992–1994), Get Shorty (1995), The Pretender (1996–2000), the Taken trilogy (2008–2014), and Dream Corp LLC (2016–2020).
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Note VALÉORINE
Jon Gries (born 1957) is an American actor, film actor and film director, among other activities. The actor was born in Glendale. Jon Gries studied at Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Birth Name — Jonathan Gries • Born — 17 June 1957 • Birthplace — Glendale, California, U.S. • Occupation — * Actor • music video director • Other Names — Jon Francis • Years Active — 1968–present
Life and career
Life and career
Gries was born in Glendale, California, the son of writer, director, and producer Tom Gries. His first film role came at age 11, when he played the Boy Horace in the Charlton Heston film Will Penny, which was written and directed by his father. Some of his signature roles have come in cult classics. He played Lazlo Hollyfeld in Real Genius (1985), Azzolini in Rainbow Drive, Shawn McDermott in the TV series Martin (1992–1994), Ronnie Wingate in Get Shorty (1995), Harvey in The Rundown, and Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite (2004). Gries has played a werewolf on several occasions, such as Fright Night Part 2 and The Monster Squad. In the historical Western film September Dawn, he played executed murderer John D. Lee, in a performance praised by critics who otherwise panned the film. He played Casey in the films Taken (2008), Taken 2 (2012), and Taken 3 (2014), and was in TerrorVision, as O.D. He lent his voice for the video game Hitman: Absolution. Among his television roles are that of a terrorist in season two of the hit show 24 and as Broots on the NBC series The Pretender. He had a guest role on The X-Files in the episode "Sleepless". He played Dylan McKay's drug dealer in season 5 of Beverly Hills, 90210. He played Ben Linus's father Roger in a recurring role on the TV series Lost. He played Shawn on the Fox sitcom Martin during the first two seasons. He appeared twice in the TV series Quantum Leap—first, as a bookie in the episode "The Right Hand of God" and then as a band member in the episode "Glitter Rock". He appeared as Rusty the Bum in two episodes of Seinfeld. In 2007, he played the menacing dad to Samaire Armstrong in Around June. In 2008, he appeared in the CSI: NY episode "The Box" as the father of that episode's victim. In 2010, he wrapped production on A True Story. Based on Things That Never Actually Happened....and Some that Did and appeared in one episode of Nikita. He played Martin in the TV show Supernatural in the episodes "Sam, Interrupted" (2010), "Hello, Cruel World" (2011) and "Citizen Fang" (2012). He played Bob, a former drug addict who operates a safe haven for abused Mexican women, in The Bridge. He played Strabinsky in the TV Show Psych in the episode "One, Maybe Two, Ways Out" (2010). Gries is a part-owner of the Richmond Flying Mummies, a Northwoods League baseball team that began play in May 2026.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1976 — Helter Skelter — William Garretson — TV movie • 1977 — Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn — Uncredited • Mulligan's Stew — Adams — Episode: "Melinda Special" • 1979 — 240-Robert — Brad — Episode: "Poison Air" • 1980 — The White Shadow — Uri Kogenski — Episode: "The Russians Are Coming" • 1983 — The Powers of Matthew Star — Brad — Episode: "The Road Rebels" • September Gun — Brian Brian — TV movie • The Jeffersons — Frank — Episode: "I Do, I Don't" • High School U.S.A. — Dirty Curt — TV movie • 1987 — The Twilight Zone — Nick Gatlin (Segment: "Shelter Skelter") — Episode: "Joy Ride/Shelter Skelter/Private Channel" • Cagney & Lacey — Hands Callahan — Episode: "The City is Burning" • 1988 — Tattingers — Rick Jurasky — 2 episodes • 1989 — Paradise — Emmett — Episode: "Dead Run" • 1990 — Falcon Crest — Stone — Episode: "Finding Lauren" • Jake and the Fatman — Lenny Maddox — Episode: "By Myself" • Tour of Duty — Maj. Rex Chapman, USAF — Episode: "The Raid" • Rainbow Drive — Azzolini — TV movie • 1991 — Quantum Leap — Flash McGrath — Episode: "Glitter Rock–April 12, 1974" • Fever — Bobby — TV movie • 1992 — L.A. Law — Dr. Harold Benson — Episode: "I'm Ready for My Closeup, Mr. Markowitz" • Four Eyes and Six Guns — TV movie • 1992–1994 — Martin — Shawn McDermott — 54 episodes • 1993 — Bakersfield P.D. — Ray Coombs — Episode: "A Bullet for Stiles" • 1994 — The X-Files — Salvatore Matola — Episode: "Sleepless" • Beverly Hills, 90210 — Mr. Trilling, Dope Dealer — 4 episodes • 1995 — Chicago Hope — Jack Kimball — Episode: "Hello Goodbye" • Strange Luck — Henry Bloom — Episode: "Last Chance" • Seinfeld — Homeless Man — Episode: "The Beard" • 1996 — Race Against Time: The Search for Sarah — Steve — TV movie • 1996–2000 — The Pretender — Broots — 82 episodes • 1998 — Seinfeld — Rusty — Episode: "The Bookstore" • 2001 — The Pretender 2001 — Broots — TV movie • ER — Defense Attorney Marty Nesmith — Episode: "Fear of Commitment" • The Pretender: Island of the Haunted — Broots — TV movie • 2002 — 24 — Joseph Wald — Episode: "Day 2: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m." • 2003–2005 — Carnivàle — Texas Ranger — 2 episodes • 2004 — Las Vegas — Greg Walker — Episode: "Sons and Lovers" • 2007–2010 — Lost — Roger Linus — 6 episodes • 2008 — CSI: NY — Jim Warren — Episode: "The Box" • 2010 — Cold Case — Bill Shepard '78 — 2 episodes • Sons of Anarchy — Passport Forger — Episode: "So" • Psych — Strabinsky — Episode: "One, Maybe Two, Ways Out" • Nikita — The Engineer — Episode: "Dark Matter" • Supernatural — Martin Creaser — 2 episodes • 2011 — Hawaii Five-0 — Liam Miller — Episode: "Lapa'au" • 2012 — Dr. Fubalous — Dr. Reed — 2 episodes • Napoleon Dynamite — Uncle Rico — 6 episodes • BlackBoxTV — Dad — Episode: "Silverwood: The Hunger" • 2013–2014 — The Bridge — Bob — 7 episodes • 2014 — Criminal Minds — Clifford Walsh — Episode: "The Road Home" • 2016–2020 — Dream Corp LLC — Dr. Roberts — 28 episodes • 2021–present — The White Lotus — Greg Hunt — Recurring (season 1). Main role (seasons 2 - 3) • 2024 — It's Florida, Man — Denver — Episode: "Saucy" • 2025 — Saturday Night Live — Howard Lutnick — Episode: "Jon Hamm / Lizzo" • Devil May Cry — President Hopper — Voice role • 2025–present — Fallout — Biff — Recurring role
Video games
Video games
• Year — Title — Role • 2012 — Hitman: Absolution — Sheriff Clive Skurky (voice)
Music videos
Music videos
As director • Flies on Fire – "Long Gone Dead" (1989) • Low Profile – "Pay Ya Dues" (1989) • Low Profile – "That's Y They Do It" (1989) • Low Profile – "Funky Song" (1990) • Mere Mortals – "Cracked" (2006) As actor • Lenny Kravitz – "Mr. Cab Driver" (1990) • Alice in Chains – "Rooster" (1993)

Jon Gries at the 2011 Comic Con in San Diego
Gage Skidmore
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1968 — Will Penny — Horace (Button) — Credited as Jon Francis • 1976 — Born of Water — Friend — Credited as Jonathan Gries • 1977 — The Chicken Chronicles — Tom • 1979 — Sunnyside — Wild Child • More American Graffiti — Ron • Swap Meet — Doug • 1983 — Joysticks — King Vidiot — Credited as Jonathan Gries • 1985 — Real Genius — Lazlo Hollyfeld • 1986 — TerrorVision — O.D. • Running Scared — Det. Tony Montoya • 1987 — Number One with a Bullet — Bobby Sweet • The Monster Squad — Desperate Man/Wolfman • Che's Revenge — Jack — Short • 1988 — Fright Night Part 2 — Louie — Credited as Jonathan Gries • 1989 — Kill Me Again — Alan Swayzie • Pucker Up and Bark Like a Dog — Max • 1990 — The Grifters — Drunk's Friend • 1993 — Ed and His Dead Mother — Rob Sundheimer • 1995 — Get Shorty — Ronnie Wingate • 1997 — Casualties — Bill Summers • Men in Black — Van Driver • The Maze — Dr. Holmes • Mitzi & Joe — Joe • 1999 — Twin Falls Idaho — Lawyer Jay Harrison • 2001 — The Beatnicks — B Cool • Jackpot — Sunny Holiday / Glen Allen Johnson — Also co-producer • 2003 — Northfork — Arnold • The Big Empty — Elron • The Snow Walker — Pierce • The Rundown — Harvey • 2004 — Napoleon Dynamite — Uncle Rico Dynamite • 2005 — Confessions of an Action Star — Donald Buckheim • Waterborne — Ritter • Last Best Chance — Bernard Wheeler — Video • 2006 — The Sasquatch Gang — Chilcutt • Stick It — Brice Graham • The Astronaut Farmer — FBI Agent Killbourne • Car Babes — Gary • 2007 — American Pastime — Ed Tully • Bicentennial Curious — Mick Jones — Short • Fathom • September Dawn — John D. Lee • The Comebacks — Barber • Frank — Colin York • 2008 — Taken — Casey • Bar Starz — Ricky Fabulous • South of Heaven — Hood #1 • So Long Jimmy — Levi Franklin • Around June — Murry • 2009 — Elsewhere — Mr. Tod • The Smell of Success — Early Dunchamp • A Lone Star State — Wyatt Kinney — Short • 2010 — Crazy on the Outside — Edgar • Good Intentions — Sheriff Ernie • Pearblossom — Harry — Short • 2011 — Natural Selection — Peter • Not Quite College — Tone Cash • 5 Time Champion — Melvin Glee • Redemption: For Robbing the Dead — Tom Sutter • 2012 — Deep in the Heart — Dick Wallrath • Unicorn City — Shadowhawk • Noobz — Greg Lipstein • Taken 2 — Casey • Byron's Theme — Butcher — Short • 2013 — Bad Turn Worse — Sheriff Shep • A True Story — Richard Simpkins • Skinwalker Ranch — Hoyt • 2014 — Eternity: The Movie — Barry Goldfield, Jr. • Faults — Terry • Locker 13 — Archie — Segment: Title Story • After We Rest — Mr. Norman — Short • The Last Survivors — Carson • Brothers — Ronnie — Short • Taken 3 — Casey • 2015 — Pass the Light — Franklin • Endgame — Principal Thomas • A Country Called Home — Tyler • Mucho Dinero — Jon Waters • 2016 — Durant's Never Closes — Dizzy Dean • The Axe Murders of Villisca — Greg • Falsely Accused — Gus • The Knife Thrower — Circus Manager • Operation Chromite — Hoyt Vandenberg • 2017 — All About the Money — Jon Waters • Americons — Billy • 2018 — Glass Jaw — Sam Austin • 2024 — Solvent — Gunner S. Holbrook • 2025 — Carolina Caroline — Hank
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Jon Gries”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1319770: Jon Gries
Unverified · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Gries, Jon. Napoleon Dynamite's Uncle Rico Actor Jon Gries Full Interview. Legends & Masters Show. May 19, 2021.
- 2.Today's Birthdays. The Wausau Daily Herald. The Associated Press. 2B. June 17, 2004.
- 3.Jon Gries. Allmovie.
- 4.Gries, Jon. My father #Tomgries with #Jimbrown #BurtReynolds on the set of 100 Rifles Burt was a lovely, funny guy. Greatest laugh &sense of humor. RIP. 1037871536428875776. September 6, 2018.
- 5.Means, Sean P. 'September Dawn' a campy screen disaster. The Salt Lake Tribune. August 23, 2007.
- 6.The Hollywood Reporter
- 7.Fry, Ted. Movies | Mormon massacre story "September Dawn" mixes fact, fiction | Seattle Times Newspaper. Seattletimes.nwsource.com.
- 8.IMDb name 0340973
- 9.IMDb name 0340973
- 10.admin. Northwoods League adds Richmond, Indiana for 2026. Northwoods League. March 29, 2025.
- 11.Dream Corp LLC Season 2 Cast & Character Guide. screenrant.com. October 22, 2018.
- 12.Stockman, Tom. WAMG Interview: Actor/Director Jon Gries on Another Man's Gun. wearemoviegeeks.com. Lanier Media. December 11, 2013.
References
Citations
References
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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