Nathan Duane Whitaker Jr. (born June 23, 1959) is an American character actor.
Early life Whitaker was born in Abilene, Texas, the oldest child of Nathan Duane Whitaker Sr. and Barbara Ella Hudson, a nurse. He has two younger sisters, both born in Lubbock, Texas. Whitaker graduated from Monterey High School.
Career Whitaker is probably best known for his role in Quentin Tarantino's 1994 film Pulp Fiction as Maynard, the sadistic pawn shop owner. He wrote and portrayed the title role in Eddie Presley (based on his own successful stage play). Whitaker also wrote, directed and appeared in Together and Alone.
Other notable roles include; a racist cop in Tales from the Hood, Boss Man in Feast, The Sheriff in Trailer Park of Terror, Luther in From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (which he also co-wrote), Buddy in Dead Letters, Winslow in Broke Sky, Mickey in Cordoba Nights Dr. Bankhead in The Devil's Rejects and Road Rash in Hobgoblins.
Whitaker has appeared in the feature films Getting Grace, Give Till It Hurts, A Dark Foe, Night Club, Halloween II and Lionhead. On TV, Whitaker appeared on the Cold Case episode "The Brush Man" and filmed a recurring role in the FX series The Bridge. Whitaker has also written numerous screenplays including Stripteaser.
On March 31, 2010, American Cinematheque hosted a screening of Eddie Presley and "Together and Alone" at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. In 2016, "Together and Alone" was shown again through the American Cinemateque at the Spielberg Theater with Garrett Clancy's "Dead Letters". Whitaker has also taught acting classes in Los Angeles for over twenty years
Awards and nominations YearResultAwardCategoryWork2022 Winner Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema FestivalBest Supporting Actor—FeatureEdge of Town YearResultAwardCategoryWork2020 Winner Hollywood Blood Horror Festival Best Acting EnsembleMark of the Rougarou YearResultAwardCategoryWork2017 NominatedNortheast Film FestivalBest Supporting Actor – Feature FilmGetting Grace
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1988HobgoblinsRoadrash1988Deadly DreamsMr. Perkins1990Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre IIIKim1990Marked for MurderO'Donnel1990Vice Academy Part 2Long John1991Dark RiderCash1992Eddie PresleyEddie PresleyAlso writer1994Saturday Night SpecialReno1994Pulp FictionMaynard1994Puppet Master 5: The Final ChapterScott1995Tales from the HoodBilly1995StripteaserZipper's Clown Palace PatronAlso writer1995Night of the ScarecrowDeputy #11997The Haunted SeaAndy Delgado1998SpoilerSergeant1998Together & AloneZevoAlso writer and director1999From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood MoneyLutherAlso writer2000Tempest EyeMilo2002Out of These RoomsDale2002Groom LakeDr. Stevens2003The Low Budget Time MachinePinky2003Harold Buttleman, Daredevil StuntmanMitch2005The Devil's RejectsDr. Bankhead2005FeastBoss Man2007Cordoba NightsMickey2007Broke SkySheriff Winslow2007Urban DecayBurly Bum2007Dead LettersBuddy2008Trailer Park of TerrorSheriff Keys2008RexMarcus Cotter2009The ButcherCar Buyer2009Halloween IISherman Benny2009Albino FarmJeremiah2010DozersPhil2011Children of the Corn: GenesisPritchett2011Night ClubIntimidating Inmate2011Exodus FallMarty2012Bad AssRex / Pawn Shop Owner2013LionheadPhil2014ScammerheadDongren2017Getting GraceReverend Osburn2017TraffickedJoe Mac2018American NightmaresMechanic20193 from HellDr. BankheadUncredited2020A Dark FoeBobby2020DisruptedTom Cushing2020My Brothers' CrossingMike Price2021Natasha HallMickey Simpson2021Edge of TownDodge2022Sally Floss: Digital DetectiveFrank2022Give Till It HurtsJob2022The Red Tide MassacreCharlie
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1986Sledge Hammer!Fighting HusbandEpisode: "Hammer Gets Nailed"19869 to 5The WeaselEpisode: "The Party"1986Superior CourtDetectiveEpisode: "Adoption Undone"1987L.A. LawProcess ServerEpisode: "The Douglas Fur Ball"1987Mr. BelvedereMan #5Episode: "Jobless"1987SidekicksBandit IIEpisode: "The Patusani Always Rings Twice"1987ThrobSupplierEpisode: "Two Flights Up"1987Hard CopyMaintenance Man2 episodes1987Private EyeAssistant DirectorEpisode: "Blue Movie"1988Highway to HeavenManEpisode: "Time in a Bottle"1989Murder, She WroteDrunkEpisode: "Jack and Bill"1990Rich Men, Single WomenMechanicTelevision film1990Normal LifeSamEpisode: "P.O.V."1990RoseanneMikeEpisode: "Trick or Treat"1990Quantum LeapMaintenance ManEpisode: "A Little Miracle"1993Space RangersRoacherEpisode: "Death Before Dishonor"1995Planet RulesChetEpisode: "Planet Rules"1996Within the RockPotterTelevision film2004I'm with HerBouncer / SkinnyEpisode: "Party of Two"2004Medical InvestigationBar OwnerEpisode: "Little Girl"2008The Ex ListIkeEpisode: "Protect and Serve"2009Cold CaseKevin DrewEpisode: "The Bush Man"2013The BridgeBorder Agent Paul Thorn2 episodes2014JustifiedPatronEpisode: "Raw Deal"2015WorkaholicsUncle TuckEpisode: "Gramps DeMamp Is Dead"2015Instant MomChip SwansonEpisode: "Don't Worry, Be Maggie"2016Rush HourHutchEpisode: "Badass Cop"
References
External links
Actor's home page