# Wings Hauser > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Wings_Hauser > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Wings_Hauser.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wings_Hauser > Source revision: 1346030691 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American actor (1947–2025) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Wings Hauser" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Wings Hauser Born Gerald Dwight Hauser (1947-12-12)December 12, 1947 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Died March 15, 2025(2025-03-15) (aged 77) Santa Monica, California, U.S. Other name J.D. Hauser Occupations Actor, film director, screenwriter, musician Years active 1966–2019 Spouses Margaret Boltinhouse ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1973)​ Cass Warner ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 1977)​ Nancy Locke ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1999)​ Cali Lili Hauser ​ (m. 2002)​ Children 2, including Cole Parent(s) Dwight Hauser Geraldine Thienes Relatives Milton Sperling (father-in-law) **Gerald Dwight "Wings" Hauser** (December 12, 1947 – March 15, 2025) was an American actor, screenwriter, film director and musician. A prolific [character actor](/source/Character_actor), he appeared in over 100 film and television productions since 1967, and was once called "the biggest star you've never heard of".[1] He received an [Independent Spirit Award](/source/Independent_Spirit_Award_for_Best_Supporting_Male) nomination for [Best Supporting Male](/source/Independent_Spirit_Award_for_Best_Supporting_Male) for his role in *[Tough Guys Don't Dance](/source/Tough_Guys_Don't_Dance_(film))* (1987). He is the father of actor [Cole Hauser](/source/Cole_Hauser). ## Early life Hauser was born in the [Hollywood](/source/Hollywood%2C_Los_Angeles) neighborhood of Los Angeles, the son of Geraldine (née Thienes) and [Dwight Hauser](/source/Dwight_Hauser), a director and producer. His brother is actor Erich Hauser. The elder Hauser's career was hampered by the [Red Scare](/source/McCarthyism), and the family moved outside Los Angeles when Hauser was 8 years old, where his father started a small theatre group.[1] He earned his nickname during high school, when he played [football](/source/American_football) as a [wing-back](/source/Defender_(association_football)).[2] Hauser made his film debut at the age of 18, when he played a small role in the 1967 war film [*First to Fight*](/source/First_to_Fight_(film)). Although from an acting family, Hauser did not seriously pursue acting at first, and spent most of his twenties working as a folk musician and [busker](/source/Busker). For a period in the early 1970s, Hauser was homeless, and spent several months living in a vacant garage with his infant daughter Bright.[1] In 1970, he was a member of the band "Vision of Sunshine" that released a self-titled album on the [Avco-Embassy](/source/Avco_Records) label. In 1975, Hauser released an album for [RCA](/source/RCA_Corporation) titled *Your Love Keeps Me Off the Streets*. For this LP, he used the name "Wings Livinryte".[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Though the album was not a success, it enabled Hauser to move into more stable housing with his daughter. The same year, he appeared in an episode of the television series [*Cannon*](/source/Cannon_(TV_series)), earning his [SAG](/source/Screen_Actors_Guild) card. ## Career Hauser first attracted notice in December 1977, when as an unknown he was cast to play [Greg Foster](/source/Greg_Foster_(The_Young_and_the_Restless)) on the soap opera *[The Young and the Restless](/source/The_Young_and_the_Restless)*, succeeding [Brian Kerwin](/source/Brian_Kerwin) in the part. Hauser remained with the show until 1981, when he was succeeded by [Howard McGillin](/source/Howard_McGillin). He returned to the part nearly thirty years later for three episodes, in 2010. Hauser had his film breakthrough playing the villainous pimp Ramrod in *[Vice Squad](/source/Vice_Squad_(1982_film))* (1982). Hauser also wrote and performed the film's theme song, "Neon Slime". In 1983, he wrote the story for the [Paramount Pictures](/source/Paramount_Pictures) box-office hit *[Uncommon Valor](/source/Uncommon_Valor).* The film was stories of a childhood friend, Gary Dickerson, who had been to Vietnam. According to Hauser: I saw that [Dickerson] had left something behind in Viet Nam and that triggered the whole thing. And then I became aware of the MIA and the POW situation and said well that will be the excuse to go back to Nam and get the POWs, but what they’re really going back for is their own clarity and their own integrity right? And that’s the story. That’s the whole film.[3] In 1982, Hauser starred as Garrard in *[Hear No Evil](/source/Hear_No_Evil_(1982_film))*, a [television film](/source/Television_film).[4][5][6] In 1987, he was co-starred in the [Norman Mailer](/source/Norman_Mailer)-directed *[Tough Guys Don't Dance](/source/Tough_Guys_Don't_Dance_(film)),* earning an [Independent Spirit Award](/source/Independent_Spirit_Awards) nomination for [Best Supporting Male](/source/Independent_Spirit_Award_for_Best_Supporting_Male). Hauser appeared in 41 television series, including recurring roles in *[Beverly Hills, 90210](/source/Beverly_Hills%2C_90210)*, *[Murder, She Wrote](/source/Murder%2C_She_Wrote)*, and *[Roseanne](/source/Roseanne_(TV_series))*, and a cameo as a juror in the season 4 episode "Mr. Monk Gets Jury Duty" of *[Monk](/source/Monk_(TV_series))*. In 2010, Hauser appeared in *[Rubber](/source/Rubber_(2010_film))*,[7] a French film directed by [Quentin Dupieux](/source/Mr._Oizo).[8] ## Personal life and death Hauser had a daughter from his first marriage to Jane Boltinhouse. From his second marriage to Cass Warner Sperling, daughter of [Milton Sperling](/source/Milton_Sperling), he had a son, actor [Cole Hauser](/source/Cole_Hauser). According to the younger Hauser, he and his father did not have a relationship when he was a child, but later reconciled and reconnected when he was a teenager.[9] Hauser later remarried to actress Cali Lili Hauser, with whom he built a marine life and butterfly animal sanctuary.[10] In the early 1990s, Hauser was in a relationship with actress [Linda Blair](/source/Linda_Blair).[11] [Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease](/source/Chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease) resulted in declining health for Hauser, who relied on breathing assistance from oxygen tanks in his final years.[10] He died in Santa Monica on March 15, 2025, at the age of 77.[12][2] ## Filmography ### Film - 1967: *[First to Fight](/source/First_to_Fight_(film))* as Ragan (uncredited) - 1978: *[Who'll Stop the Rain](/source/Who'll_Stop_the_Rain)* as Marine Driver - 1982: *[Vice Squad](/source/Vice_Squad_(1982_film))* as "Ramrod" - 1982: *[Homework](/source/Homework_(1982_film))* as "Reddog" - 1982: *[Hear No Evil](/source/Hear_No_Evil_(1982_film))* as Garrard - 1983: *Ghost Dancing* as Frank Carswell - 1983: *[Deadly Force](/source/Deadly_Force_(film))* as "Stoney" Cooper - 1984: *[Mutant](/source/Mutant_(1984_film))* as Josh Cameron - 1984: *[A Soldier's Story](/source/A_Soldier's_Story)* as Lieutenant Byrd - 1984: *Sweet Revenge* as Major Frank Hollins - 1984: *[Terror in the Aisles](/source/Terror_in_the_Aisles)* as "Ramrod" in *Vice Squad* (archive footage) (uncredited) - 1985: *Command 5* as Jack Coburn - 1985: *The Long Hot Summer* as Wilson Mahood - 1986: *Dark Horse* as Unknown - 1986: *3:15* as Mr. Havilland (uncredited) - 1986: *[Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling](/source/Jo_Jo_Dancer%2C_Your_Life_Is_Calling)* as Cliff - 1986: *[The Wind](/source/The_Wind_(1986_film))* as Phil - 1986: *Hostage* as Major Sam Striker - 1986: *Raw Terror* as Unknown - 1987: *[Tough Guys Don't Dance](/source/Tough_Guys_Don't_Dance_(film))* as Captain Alvin Luther Regency - 1987: *No Safe Haven* as Clete Harris - 1988: *Dead Man Walking* as John Luger - 1988: *Death Street USA* (a.k.a. *[Nightmare at Noon](/source/Nightmare_at_Noon)*) as Ken Griffiths - 1988: *[The Carpenter](/source/The_Carpenter_(film))* as Carpenter - 1989: *[The Siege of Firebase Gloria](/source/The_Siege_of_Firebase_Gloria)* as Corporal Joseph L. DiNardo - 1989: *L.A. Bounty* as Cavanaugh - 1989: *Bedroom Eyes II* as Harry Ross - 1990: *Reason to Die* as Elliot Canner - 1990: *Marked for Murder* as Emerson - 1990: *Coldfire* as Lars - 1990: *Street Asylum* as Arliss Ryder - 1990: *Out of Sight, Out of Mind* as Victor Lundgren - 1990: *Wilding* as Tim Parsons - 1990: *[Pale Blood](/source/Pale_Blood)* as Van Vandameer - 1990: *Living to Die* as Nick Carpenter - 1991: *Bump in the Night* as Patrick Tierney - 1991: *Frame Up* as Ralph Baker - 1991: *The Killers Edge* (a.k.a. *Blood Money*) as Jack - 1991: *[Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time](/source/Beastmaster_2%3A_Through_the_Portal_of_Time)* as Arklon - 1991: *The Art of Dying* as Jack - 1991: *In Between* as Jack Maxwell - 1992: *Frame Up II: The Cover-Up* (a.k.a. *Deadly Conspiracy*) as Sheriff Ralph Baker - 1992: *Mind, Body & Soul* as John Stockton - 1992: *[Exiled in America](/source/Exiled_in_America)* as Fred Jenkins - 1993: *[Champagne and Bullets](/source/Champagne_and_Bullets)* as Huck Finney - 1994: *[Watchers 3](/source/Watchers_3)* as Ferguson - 1994: *Skins (a.k.a. Gang Boys)* as Joe Joiner - 1995: *[Victim of Desire](/source/Victim_of_Desire)* as Leland Duvall - 1995: *[Tales from the Hood](/source/Tales_from_the_Hood)* as Officer Strom - 1995: *Broken Bars* as Warden Pitt - 1995: *Guns & Lipstick* as Michael - 1996: *[Original Gangstas](/source/Original_Gangstas)* as Michael Casey - 1999: *Life Among the Cannibals* as Vince - 1999: *[The Insider](/source/The_Insider_(film))* as Tobacco Lawyer - 1999: *Clean and Narrow* as Sheriff Brand - 2001: *Savage Season* as Maddox - 2002: *The Blue Lizard* as "Little G" - 2004: *Irish Eyes* (a.k.a. *Vendetta: No Conscience, No Mercy*) as Kevin Kilpatrick - 2004: *The Ruining* as Not Hasselhoff - 2006: *Mystery Woman: Wild West Mystery* as Strother Elam - 2007: *[Avenging Angel](/source/Avenging_Angel_(2007_film))* as Colonel Cusack - 2007: *[The Stone Angel](/source/The_Stone_Angel_(film))* as Older Bram - 2010: *[Rubber](/source/Rubber_(2010_film))* as Man in Wheelchair - 2019: *[Eve N' God: This Female Is Not Yet Rated (TM)](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eve_N%27_God:_This_Female_Is_Not_Yet_Rated_(TM)&action=edit&redlink=1)* as God ### Television - 1975: *[Cannon](/source/Cannon_(TV_series))* “A Touch of Venom” as Ethan Morse (Credited as Wings Livinryte) - 1976: *[Baretta](/source/Baretta)* as Dave - 1977: *[Emergency!](/source/Emergency!)* as Larry, and injured gymnast - 1981–2010: *[The Young and The Restless](/source/The_Young_and_The_Restless)* as Greg Foster - 1981: *[Magnum, P.I.](/source/Magnum%2C_P.I.)* - "Wave Goodbye" as Nick Frangakis - 1983: *[The Fall Guy](/source/The_Fall_Guy)* - "Just a Small Circle of Friends" as Baba - 1984: *[Hunter](/source/Hunter_(1984_American_TV_series))* - "Dead or Alive" as Jimmy Jo Walker - 1985: *[Hardcastle and McCormick](/source/Hardcastle_and_McCormick)* - "You Don't Hear The One That Gets You" as Arvin Lee - 1985: *[Airwolf](/source/Airwolf)* - "Airwolf II" as Harlan Jenkins - 1985: *[The A-Team](/source/The_A-Team)* - "Blood, Sweat, and Cheers", "The Big Squeeze" as Karl Ludwig / Jack 'The Ripper' Lane - 1985–1996: *[Murder, She Wrote](/source/Murder%2C_She_Wrote)* - "Reflections of the Mind", "Night Fear", "Love & Hate in Cabot Cove", "Track of a Soldier" as Howard Levering / Sam Bennett / Wallace Evans / Carl - 1986: *[The Last Precinct](/source/The_Last_Precinct)* as Lieutenant Hobbs - 1987: *[Perry Mason](/source/Perry_Mason_(TV_film_series))* - "The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel" as Captain James Rivers - 1988–1991: *[China Beach](/source/China_Beach)* as Lt. Col. Mac Miller - 1990: *[Freddy's Nightmares](/source/Freddy's_Nightmares)* - "Easy Come, East Go" as Sonny - 1992: *[Lightning Force](/source/Lightning_Force)* as LT. Col Matthew "Trane" Coltrane - 1992–1993: *[Roseanne](/source/Roseanne)* as Ty Tilden, Neighbor - 1993: *[Space Rangers](/source/Space_Rangers_(TV_series))* - "Fort Hope" as Ex-Ranger Decker - 1994: *[Walker, Texas Ranger](/source/Walker%2C_Texas_Ranger)* - "Right Man, Wrong Time" as Wayland Hampton - 1994–1996: *[Beverly Hills 90210](/source/Beverly_Hills_90210)* as J. Jay Jones - 1995: *[Kung Fu: The Legend Continues](/source/Kung_Fu%3A_The_Legend_Continues)* - "Brotherhood of the Bell" as Damon - 1996: *[JAG](/source/JAG_(TV_series))* - "Sightings" as J.D. Gold - 2003: *[Kingpin](/source/Kingpin_(TV_series))* as Doug Duffy - 2005: *[House](/source/House_(TV_series))* - "Hunting" as Michael Ryan - 2007: *[Bones](/source/Bones_(TV_series))* - "The Man in the Mud" (2007) as Lenny Fitz - 2009: *[The Mentalist](/source/The_Mentalist)* - "Paint It Red" as A.P. Caid - 2010: *[Criminal Minds](/source/Criminal_Minds)* - "Exit Wounds" as Sheriff Rhodes ## References ### Citations 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) Mark, Lois Alter (1991-04-12). ["Wings Hauser is the biggest star you never heard of"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240801191401/https://ew.com/article/1991/04/12/wings-hauser-biggest-star-you-never-heard/). *EW.com*. [Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly). Archived from [the original](https://ew.com/article/1991/04/12/wings-hauser-biggest-star-you-never-heard/) on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-03-13. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_2-1) Barnes, Mike (March 20, 2025). ["Wings Hauser, Actor in 'Vice Squad' and 'A Soldier's Story', Dies at 77"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/wings-hauser-dead-vice-squad-soldiers-story-1236169294). *[Hollywood Reporter](/source/Hollywood_Reporter)*. Retrieved March 20, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-video2_3-0)** Rao, Char (Summer 1989). ["Wings Hauser"](https://archive.org/details/Psychotronic_Video_03). *Psychotronic Video*. No. 3. p. [51](https://archive.org/details/Psychotronic_Video_03/page/n52). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETerrace1985188_4-0)** [Terrace 1985](#CITEREFTerrace1985), p. 188. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Evil2_5-0)** ["Hear No Evil"](https://web.archive.org/web/20221007213803/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/18393/hear-no-evil#credits). *[Turner Classic Movies](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies)*. United States: [Turner Broadcasting System](/source/Turner_Broadcasting_System). Archived from [the original](https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/18393/hear-no-evil#credits) on October 7, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2018. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETerrace2011445_6-0)** [Terrace 2011](#CITEREFTerrace2011), p. 445. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Sales Art and Bizarro Clip - Junk Gets Revenge in Rubber](http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37398/sales-art-and-bizarro-clip-junk-gets-revenge-rubber) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [A Fiery Death for Race of 'Rubber'](http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/20490) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["The Fast and Furious Cole Hauser"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080328032936/http://filmfreakcentral.net/diff/colehauserinterview.htm). 2008-03-28. Archived from [the original](http://filmfreakcentral.net/diff/colehauserinterview.htm) on 2008-03-28. Retrieved 2025-03-21. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_10-1) ["Wings Hauser, 'Y&R' actor and father of 'Yellowstone' star Cole Hauser, dies at 77"](https://ew.com/wings-hauser-dead-young-and-the-restless-star-father-cole-hauser-77-11700782). *EW.com*. Retrieved 2025-03-21. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Kaufman, Joanne (November 29, 1993). ["Wings of Desire"](http://people.com/archive/wings-of-desire-vol-40-no-22/). *People*. **40** (22). Retrieved June 6, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Minton, Matt (March 20, 2025). ["Wings Hauser, Character Actor From 'Vice Squad', 'The Young and the Restless', Dies at 78"](https://variety.com/2025/film/news/wings-hauser-dead-vice-squad-young-and-the-restless-1236343867/). *[Variety](/source/Variety_(magazine))*. Retrieved March 20, 2025. ### Sources - Terrace, Vincent (1985). [*Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials*](https://books.google.com/books?id=AKlgjBCPPnsC&q=Christina+Hart+as+Sheila+Green&pg=PA188). Vol. 2 (1st ed.). [New York City](/source/New_York_City): Zoetrope Publishing. p. 188. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0918432612](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0918432612). - Terrace, Vincent (2011). [*Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YX_daEhlnbsC&q=Mimi+Rogers+as+Meg&pg=PA445) (2nd ed.). [New York City](/source/New_York_City): [McFarland and Company](/source/McFarland_and_Company). p. 445. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0786464777](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0786464777). ## External links - [Wings Hauser](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0369567/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) - [Wings Hauser](http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=7627) (Aveleyman) Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Italy Spain Korea Catalonia Other IdRef Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wings Hauser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wings_Hauser) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wings_Hauser?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.