# Marco Perella

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Marco_Perella
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Marco_Perella.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Perella
> Source revision: 1261711501
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|American character actor and author (born 1949)}}
{{Infobox person
|name= Marco Perella
|image=  <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [brackets](/source/brackets) -->
|image_size= 
|caption= 
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1949|05|18}} <ref name="TBI"/>
|birth_place= [Houston, Texas](/source/Houston%2C_Texas), U.S.
|death_date=  <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
|death_place= 
|occupation= [Actor](/source/Actor)
|years_active= 1985&ndash;present
|spouse= Diane Perella (1984–present)
|children= 2
}}
'''Marco Perella''' (born May 18, 1949)<ref name="TBI">Texas Birth Index, Harris County, May 18, 1949.</ref> is an American [character actor](/source/character_actor) and [author](/source/author), who has played a variety of small roles in [motion pictures](/source/film) shot in [Texas](/source/Texas).

He is best known for his role in ''[Boyhood](/source/Boyhood_(2014_film))'' (2014), playing an abusive alcoholic second husband, Professor Bill Welbrock, and for his bestselling book, ''Adventures of A No Name Actor'' (2001), a humorous autobiography recounting his struggles in the acting world.

==Life and career==
Perella was born in [Houston](/source/Houston), [Texas](/source/Texas),<ref>[http://radaris.com/~Marco-Perella/292609621 Marco A Perella], radaris.com, retrieved 19 May 2014</ref><ref name="OS">[https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2001/06/26/lone-ranger-actor-stays-rooted-in-texas/ Lone Ranger: Actor Stays Rooted In Texas], orlandosentinel.com, retrieved 19 May 2014</ref> the son of Anthony Paul Perella and Edna Lee Drake.<ref name="TBI"/> He studied at [Stanford University](/source/Stanford_University), in [Northern California](/source/Northern_California), but left after his junior year.<ref name="AC">[http://www.austinchronicle.com/books/2001-07-06/82250/ The Player], austinchronicle.com, retrieved 19 May 2014</ref> He then worked as a construction worker, firefighter, and musician, before auditioning for a role in ''[West Side Story](/source/West_Side_Story)''.<ref name="AC" />

In 1984, he and actress Diane Perella were married in Texas. They have two children.<ref name="OS" />

In the mid-1980s, Perella began to work in film and television. His debut was in ''[Fandango](/source/Fandango_(1985_film))'' (1985) starring [Kevin Costner](/source/Kevin_Costner), but his scenes were cut before the theatrical release. He later took the role as a cab driver in ''[D.O.A.](/source/D.O.A._(1988_film))'' (1988) starring [Dennis Quaid](/source/Dennis_Quaid) and [Meg Ryan](/source/Meg_Ryan). Other roles include a police sergeant in the made-for-TV movie ''[Knight Rider 2000](/source/Knight_Rider_2000)'' (1991) starring [David Hasselhoff](/source/David_Hasselhoff), as the Mercer interrogator in [Oliver Stone](/source/Oliver_Stone)'s ''[JFK](/source/JFK_(film))'' (1991) starring Kevin Costner, as a roadblock officer in ''[A Perfect World](/source/A_Perfect_World)'' (1993) starring Kevin Costner, [Clint Eastwood](/source/Clint_Eastwood), and [Laura Dern](/source/Laura_Dern), and as an Anglo father in ''[Lone Star](/source/Lone_Star_(1996_film))'' (1996) starring [Matthew McConaughey](/source/Matthew_McConaughey) and [Kris Kristofferson](/source/Kris_Kristofferson).

Perella had a [recurring role](/source/recurring_role), as Cobalt, in TV's ''[Walker, Texas Ranger](/source/Walker%2C_Texas_Ranger)'' (1993–1999) starring [Chuck Norris](/source/Chuck_Norris); he also appeared in another episode of [Walker, Texas Ranger](/source/Walker%2C_Texas_Ranger) entitled 'No Way Out' as Zeke, a mercenary working for Caleb Hooks ([Michael Parks](/source/Michael_Parks)). He also worked with director [Richard Linklater](/source/Richard_Linklater) several times, playing Tom Watson in ''[Fast Food Nation](/source/Fast_Food_Nation_(film))'' (2006) starring [Greg Kinnear](/source/Greg_Kinnear), [Bruce Willis](/source/Bruce_Willis), and [Catalina Sandino Moreno](/source/Catalina_Sandino_Moreno), as Donald in ''[A Scanner Darkly](/source/A_Scanner_Darkly_(film))'' (2006) starring [Keanu Reeves](/source/Keanu_Reeves), [Winona Ryder](/source/Winona_Ryder), and [Robert Downey Jr.](/source/Robert_Downey_Jr.), and as Professor Bill Welbrock, the abusive alcoholic second husband, in ''[Boyhood](/source/Boyhood_(2014_film))'' (2014) starring [Ellar Coltrane](/source/Ellar_Coltrane), [Patricia Arquette](/source/Patricia_Arquette), and [Ethan Hawke](/source/Ethan_Hawke).

His autobiography, ''Adventures of A No Name Actor'', in which Perella humorously recounts his struggles in the acting world, was published in 2001 and became a bestseller.

Perella lives in [Onion Creek, Texas](/source/Onion_Creek%2C_Texas), with his wife, Diane. Besides being involved in acting, they offer on-camera acting classes and audition workshops in [Austin](/source/Austin%2C_Texas).

==Selected filmography==
*''[D.O.A.](/source/D.O.A._(1988_film))'' (1988) as Cab Driver
*''[It Takes Two](/source/It_Takes_Two_(1988_film))'' (1988) as Dave
*''[Cohen and Tate](/source/Cohen_and_Tate)'' (1988) as FBI George
*''[Pancho Barnes](/source/Pancho_Barnes_(1988_film))'' (1988) (TV movie) as Maj. Cooper
*''[Night Game](/source/Night_Game_(film))'' (1989) as Color Man
*''[Challenger](/source/Challenger_(1990_film))'' (1990) (TV movie) as Dick Methia
*''Black Snow'' (1990) as Charlie
*''[A Killing in a Small Town](/source/A_Killing_in_a_Small_Town)'' (1990) (TV movie) as Rick Slocum
*''[Knight Rider 2000](/source/Knight_Rider_2000)'' (1991) (TV movie) as Police Sergeant
*''[A Seduction in Travis County](/source/A_Seduction_in_Travis_County)'' (1991) (TV movie) as Poge
*''[JFK](/source/JFK_(film))'' (1991) as Mercer Interrogator
*''[Murder in the Heartland](/source/Murder_in_the_Heartland)'' (1993) (TV Mini-Series) as Bob Von Busch
*''[My Boyfriend's Back](/source/My_Boyfriend's_Back_(1993_film))'' (1993) as Townsperson
*''[Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald](/source/Fatal_Deception%3A_Mrs._Lee_Harvey_Oswald)'' (1993) (TV movie) as 2nd Young Guy
*''[A Perfect World](/source/A_Perfect_World)'' (1993) as Road Block Officer
*''[The Chase](/source/The_Chase_(1994_film))'' (1994) as Cop #2
*''[Shadows of Desire](/source/Shadows_of_Desire)'' (1994) (TV movie) as Man #1
*''[Tall, Dark and Deadly](/source/Tall%2C_Dark_and_Deadly)'' (1995) (TV movie) as Waiter
*''[The Tuskegee Airmen](/source/The_Tuskegee_Airmen)'' (1995) (TV movie) as Col. Sirca
*''[The Man with the Perfect Swing](/source/The_Man_with_the_Perfect_Swing)'' (1995) as Chuck Carter
*''[Lone Star](/source/Lone_Star_(1996_film))'' (1996) as Anglo Father
*''[Two Mothers for Zachary](/source/Two_Mothers_for_Zachary)'' (1996) (TV movie) as Reporter #2
*''[The People Next Door](/source/The_People_Next_Door_(1996_film))'' (1996) (TV movie) as Simms, Manager
*''[Deep in the Heart](/source/Deep_in_the_Heart_(1996_film))'' (1996) as Mickey / Coach
*''[Keys to Tulsa](/source/Keys_to_Tulsa)'' (1997) as Bedford Shaw
*''[To Live Again](/source/To_Live_Again_(1998_film))'' (1998) (TV movie) as News Anchor
*''[Home Fries](/source/Home_Fries)'' (1998) as Good Ol' Boy in Pickup
*''[Varsity Blues](/source/Varsity_Blues_(film))'' (1999) as Dr. Benton
*''[Brothers. Dogs. And God](/source/Brothers._Dogs._And_God)'' (2000) as Buddy
*''[Hell Swarm](/source/Hell_Swarm)'' (2000) (TV movie) as Brad Dempsey
*''[Picnic](/source/Picnic_(2000_film))'' (2000) (TV movie) as Police Chief
*''[Miss Congeniality](/source/Miss_Congeniality_(film))'' (2000) as Starbucks Guy
*''[Beyond the Prairie, Part 2: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder](/source/Beyond_the_Prairie%2C_Part_2%3A_The_True_Story_of_Laura_Ingalls_Wilder)'' (2002) (TV movie) as Grady
*''[The Life of David Gale](/source/The_Life_of_David_Gale)'' (2003) as TV Host
*''[No Pain, No Gain](/source/No_Pain%2C_No_Gain_(2005_film))'' (2005) as Preppy Customer
*''[Friday Night Lights](/source/Friday_Night_Lights_(film))'' (2004) as Booster
*''[The Wendell Baker Story](/source/The_Wendell_Baker_Story)'' (2005) as Investigator
*''[Sin City](/source/Sin_City_(film))'' (2005) as Skinny Dude
*''[The King](/source/The_King_(2005_film))'' (2005) as Chairman
*''[Fast Food Nation](/source/Fast_Food_Nation_(film))'' (2006) as Tom Watson
*''[A Scanner Darkly](/source/A_Scanner_Darkly_(film))'' (2006) as Donald
*''[Infamous](/source/Infamous_(2006_film))'' (2006) as Clifford Hope
*''[Elvis and Anabelle](/source/Elvis_and_Anabelle)'' (2007) as Doctor
*''[Love and Mary](/source/Love_and_Mary)'' (2007) as Vince
*''[Broke Sky](/source/Broke_Sky)'' (2007) as Paul
*''[Spirit Camp](/source/Spirit_Camp)'' (2009) as Nikki's Dad
*''[Deep in the Heart](/source/Deep_in_the_Heart_(2012_film))'' (2012) as Fred
*''[This Is Where We Live](/source/This_Is_Where_We_Live_(film))'' (2013) as Doctor Benson
*''[Boyhood](/source/Boyhood_(2014_film))'' (2014) as Professor Bill Welbrock
*''[The Teller and the Truth](/source/The_Teller_and_the_Truth)'' (2015) as FBI Agent Carl Winstead
*''[My All American](/source/My_All_American)'' (2015) as Dr. Martin
*''[The Devil's Candy](/source/The_Devil's_Candy)'' (2015) as Sgt. Davis
*''[A Room Full of Nothing](/source/A_Room_Full_of_Nothing)'' (2019) as Steve

===TV series===
*''[Dangerous Curves](/source/Dangerous_Curves_(TV_series))'' (1992–1993) as Bruder Larry
*''[Walker, Texas Ranger](/source/Walker%2C_Texas_Ranger)'' (1993–1999) as Cobalt / Zeke
*''[Wishbone](/source/Wishbone_(TV_series))'' (1995) as Seymour LaVista
*''[Friday Night Lights](/source/Friday_Night_Lights_(TV_series))'' (2008) as Big Shot
*''[Dallas](/source/Dallas_(2012_TV_series))'' (2013) as Mark-Oil Executive
*''[In an Instant](/source/In_an_Instant)'' (2015) as Koski's neighbor
*''[The Leftovers](/source/The_Leftovers_(TV_series))'' (2015) as Charlie Simpson
*''[American Crime](/source/American_Crime_(TV_series))'' (2016) as Senator Robert Butler
*''[Queen of the South](/source/Queen_of_the_South_(TV_series))'' (2016) as Sam
*''[The Son](/source/The_Son_(TV_series))'' (2017) as Sheriff Graham
*''[Landman](/source/Landman_(TV_series))'' (2024−) as Hank

===Video Games===
*''[Crusader: No Remorse](/source/Crusader%3A_No_Remorse)'' (1995) as Weasel

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.marcoperella.com Personal site]
*{{IMDb name|0673260|Marco Perella}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perella, Marco}}
Category:1949 births
Category:Living people
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:Stanford University people
Category:Male actors from Texas

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Marco Perella](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Perella) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Perella?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.