Ronny Cox

Ronny Cox Biography

Daniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox (born July 23, 1938) is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.

Personal life

Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette (née Rucker) and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico. Cox graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in 1963 with a double major in Theater and Speech Correction. On September 10, 1960, he married Mary Cox. They had two children; she died in 2006. Cox tours regularly with a band, performing at theatres and folk music festivals.

Acting career

As an actor, he made his debut in the acclaimed 1972 film Deliverance, in a scene wherein he plays the instrumental "Dueling Banjos" on his guitar with a banjo-playing mountain boy, played by child actor Billy Redden. He was hired for the role because he could play the guitar. Cox released a book which recounts his experiences making the film in 2012.

In the period 1974-1975, Cox starred in the short-lived CBS family-oriented dramatic series entitled Apple's Way, created by Earl Hamner, who created The Waltons. He also appeared as Mr. Webb in a television production of Our Town.

In 1984, 12 years after the movie Deliverance, Cox once again played a member of a small group of men who are, this time, lost in the Nevada desert and being chased by bloodthirsty locals in the low-budget film Courage.

One of his roles was that of Dr. John Gideon during the final season of the television medical drama St. Elsewhere. Cox's character was famously mooned by Dr. Donald Westphall (Ed Flanders) at the end of the third episode of season six.

In 1987, Cox was cast in the "seminal" Paul Verhoeven film RoboCop, in the memorable role of corporate arch-villain Richard "Dick" Jones.

In 1990, he co-starred as Los Angeles Police Chief Roger Kendrick in the short-lived Cop Rock, presenting a striking physical resemblance to the real-world incumbent, Chief Daryl Gates. He also appeared as the antagonistic Mars Administrator Vilos Cohaagen in Total Recall the same year.

Cox made a notable appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation as the "efficient but impersonable" Captain Edward Jellico in the two-part episode "Chain of Command". He has also played Henry Mason, the father of Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross) on Desperate Housewives.

In 1997, Cox portrayed the fictional President of the United States Jack Neil in the movie Murder at 1600. Cox also portrayed John Ramsey in the 2000 television film Perfect Murder, Perfect Town.

Cox has also appeared as Lieutenant/Captain/Chief of Police Andrew Bogomil in Beverly Hills Cop and Beverly Hills Cop II, and Senator/Vice-President Robert Kinsey in Stargate SG-1.

He had a role in The Starter Wife TV series. He played Pappy McCallister, the husband of Molly Kagan's best friend Joan.

Cox has occasionally done animation-voice work, lending his voice to the Tyrusian deserter Doc in Invasion America, and Senator McMillan in Todd McFarlane's Spawn.

Cox guest starred in an episode of Matthew Perry's 2011 series Mr Sunshine with Beverly Hills Cop co-star John Ashton.

Cox played Walter Kenney in Dexter season six episode three ("Smokey and the Bandit").

Music Career

Despite having a successful acting career, Cox said that music now comes first in his life. He turns down about 90% of the acting jobs he is offered in order to play over 100 shows at festivals and theaters each year. He is regularly accompanied by Radoslav Lorkovi"? (piano, accordion) and Chojo Jacques (fiddle, mandolin.)

Cox also leads a musical tour to Ireland each year.

Filmography

Deliverance (1972)
The Mind Snatchers (1972)
A Case of Rape (1974)
Bound for Glory (1976)
The Car (1977)
Gray Lady Down (1978)
Harper Valley PTA (1978)
The Onion Field (1979)
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story (1980) (TV)
The Courage of Kavik the Wolf Dog (1980)
Taps (1981)
The Beast Within (1982)
Tangiers (1982)
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Courage (also writer and producer) (1984)
Spencer (1984) TV Series
Jesse Owens Story (1984) (TV)
Vision Quest (1985)
RoboCop (1987)
Steele Justice (1987)
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
St. Elsewhere (1987"88) TV Series
In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. Murders (1988)
One Man Force (1989)
Captain America (1990)
Cop Rock (1990) TV Series
Loose Cannons (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
Scissors (1991)
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1991) TV Series
Murder at 1600 (1997)
Stargate SG-1 (1998"2005) TV Series (11 episodes)
FreeSpace 2 (1999) (voice) Video Game
Forces of Nature (1999)
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town (2000) television film
The Agency (2001) TV Series
Losing Grace (2001)
American Outlaws (2001)
Crazy As Hell (2002)
Angel in the Family (2004) (TV)
Killzone (2004) (voice) Video Game
Desperate Housewives (2006) TV Series
Commander in Chief (2006)
Tell Me You Love Me (2007) TV Series
Imagine That (2009)
Dexter (2011)

Discography

Ronny Cox, Mercury (1993)
Acoustic Eclectricity, Syzygy Records (2000)
Cowboy Savant, Self-released (2002)
Ronny Cox Live, Self-released (2004)
Ronny Cox at the Sebastiani Theatre, Bay Sound Records (2006). Recorded 2005 at Sebastiani Theatre, Sonoma, California
Ronny Cox: Songs, Stories... and Out & Out Lies (DVD), Wind River (2006)
"How I Love Them Old Songs..." - Ronny Cox sings Mickey Newbury, Bay Sound Records (2008)
Songs... with Repercussions, Wind River (2009)
Ronny, Rad and Karen (2012)