Who Is Leon Rippy?
Leon Rippy was born on October 30, 1949, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, under the sign of the Scorpio, and he is an American citizen. He is an actor best remembered for playing Earl the Angel, one of the main characters, in the Nancy Miller-created crime drama series “Saving Grace,” which also starred Holly Hunter and Kenny Johnson. The series won five prizes and was nominated for 18 more, including a Golden Globe, as it follows an angel who gives an Oklahoma police investigator a chance to improve her life.
Childhood And Education
Leon Rippy(Pinterest)Leon Rippy was brought up by his mailman father and homemaker mother in Rock Hill as an only child. He developed an interest in acting while still in high school and began frequenting a local theater, where he gradually acquired the tricks of the trade. He started participating in plays before matriculating and later enrolled at a university, where he got a Bachelor of Arts in theatre in 1971.
Leon established and still operates two theaters and has appeared in more than 70 plays. He has also worked in a circus and as a ranch foreman, among other non-acting positions. Leon once had a reputation as a skilled ballet dancer.
Movies’ Parts
Leon starred in his first movie in 1983, playing Doogan in the drama “Hit the Road Running,” but it wasn’t until 1984, that he appeared in four films, including the science fiction “Firestarter” and the 3D science fiction comedy “Hyperspace,” that he became well-known.
Following his cameo in the coming-of-age period drama “The Color Purple,” he played the supporting role of Gary Gerbitz in the biographical film “Marie,” which also starred Sissy Spacek. The film is about Marie Ragghianti, who was fired from her position as the head of the Tennessee Board of Pardons and Paroles after refusing to release the prisoners who had bribed Governor Ray Blanton.
In 1986, Leon appeared in several films as a supporting actor; however, his standout performance came in the action film “Raw Deal,” which also starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathryn Harrold, and Darren McGavin. In this film, a former FBI agent agrees to assist the FBI in infiltrating the Chicago mafia. After making an appearance in the 1987 neo-noir psychological thriller “The Bedroom Window,” Leon was asked to portray the killer in the action comedy “Traxx,” which centers on a mercenary who decides to open a bakery.
In 1988, he played supporting roles in the comedies “Illegally Yours” and “Track 29,” and in 1990, he played Weskit in the action comedy “Loose Cannons,” which follows a cop and a detective as they search for a Nazi sex tape that is purported to include Adolf Hitler.
He portrayed Deputy Tate in the neo-noir film “The Hot Spot” and Robert Bob Olinger, the final victim of gunman Billy the Kid, in the western film “Young Guns II” that same year.
He played Hugh Dean Simpson, the main character in John Lee Hancock’s 1991 romantic comedy “Hard Time Romance,” also known as “Vaya con Dios,” which centers on a cowboy who faces numerous challenges in the hopes of one day being able to wed the love of his life. Leon appeared in the science fiction adventure film “Stargate,” starring Kurt Russell and James Spader, in a supporting role as Major-General W.O. West in 1994. The film garnered mixed reviews, and in 1996, Leon played DOD #1 in the American-Mexican science fiction horror movie “The Arrival.”
In the years that followed, Leon acted in films including the 1997 mystery-thriller “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” the 1999 neo-noir science-fiction crime drama “The Thirteenth Floor,” and the 2002 horror-comedy “Eight Legged Freaks.” The sports thriller “Gridiron Gang,” in which Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Xzibit starred, the 2013 western action film “The Lone Ranger,” which featured Johnny Depp, and the 2019 drama “Deadwood: The Movie,” in which he played Tom Nuttall, are three of his most recent film performances.
Television Show Roles
In the 1983 miniseries “Chiefs,” which is based on the same-named novel penned by Stuart Woods, Leon made his debut on a TV series as Tommy Allen.
Three years later, he appeared as Sanders in a single episode of the miniseries “North and South,” and the following year, he played Crawford in the werewolf horror series’ “Eye of the Storm” episode. He first came to public attention in 1988 when he appeared as L. Q. “Sonny” Clemmons in the science fiction episode “The Neutral Zone” of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” He later made appearances in a few single episodes of numerous other series, including the crime dramas “Hunter” and “Hardball,” as well as the science fiction series “Quantum Leap.” Between 1993 and 2001, he appeared in four episodes of the action-crime show “Walker, Texas Ranger” as four different characters. He was also cast in 1997’s science fiction series “The Visitor,” which also starred John Corbett, to play the lead role of Agent Nicholas LaRue.
The critically acclaimed historical crime thriller “Deadwood,” produced by David Milch and starring Timothy Olyphant, Molly Parker, and Ian McShane, received accolades for Leon’s depiction of Tom Nuttall. The plot follows residents of Deadwood City, South Dakota, in the late 1800s. The show received 83 nominations and won 28 awards, including one Golden Globe. Leon and a fellow cast member were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Thereafter, he made further appearances in five episodes of the action-crime drama “Leverage” in 2011, twelve episodes of the drama “Alcatraz,” five episodes of the science fiction mystery drama “Under the Dome,” and one episode of the drama “Alcatraz.”
In 2014, Leon appeared in two episodes of the drama “Rectify,” in 2016 he appeared in two episodes of the science fiction thriller miniseries “11.22.63,” and in 2017 he appeared in four episodes of the crime thriller series “The Blacklist.”
He is obviously in high demand for supporting parts in a range of movies and TV shows.
Teeth
Leon has somewhat unusual teeth, but he appears to be fully aware of this and will occasionally make jokes about it while giving interviews, as he did when he spoke to “The Philadelphia Inquirer,” saying, “You know, look at my teeth, c’mon.” I won’t be receiving an angel. Even if I’m not going to get the girl, I’m still having a blast and am incredibly grateful.
Relationship Status
At a gathering in 1975, a mutual acquaintance introduced Leon to his future wife Carol Rippy. After dating for nearly four years, the couple exchanged vows in front of just their closest friends and family. As an actor, Carol has starred in two films, Moon 44 (1990) and On Edge (2001), as well as two episodes of the 2010 television series “Saving Grace.”
On May 7, 1981, Carol gave birth to Stacie Rippy, who is now well-known for her roles in the fantasy mystery drama “True Blood” and the murder mystery series “The Mentalist.” Two years later, Leon and Carol brought their son Amos Rippy into the world.
Leon is married with two children as of September 2020, however, he hasn’t mentioned any ladies he may have dated before meeting Carol.
Activities And Other Passions
While his work as an actor has taken him all over the world, Leon’s major pleasure has always been traveling. Some of his favorite cities to visit are Melbourne, Australia; Paris, France; and London, England.
Even though he no longer frequently goes dancing, he is still a passionate dancer. In his 20s, 30s, and 40s, Leon played a variety of sports, including football and soccer, and he practiced ice skating and went to the gym.
He loves animals and has owned several dogs and cats as pets.
Elvis Presley, Tom Hanks, and Emma Watson are some of his particular favorite actors and actresses, and “Viva Las Vegas,” “The Terminal,” and the Harry Potter series are some of his favorite films.
Net Worth
Leon Rippy(Pinterest)Leon is 70 years old. He stands about 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters) tall, has blue eyes, and weighs about 145 pounds (66kgs).
Leon’s net worth has been calculated to be more than $2 million as of September 2020.