Biography
Jones gained widespread recognition in the period biopic that essayed the short, tumultuous life of master composer Mozart, "Amadeus" (1984) starring to riotous effect as the preening, child-like Emperor of Austria. As notable as that role was, he topped himself with a turn as a high school principal obsessed with catching hooky-playing hero Matthew Broderick in John Hughes' "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986). Jones found a professional home as …
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Career Milestones
| After graduating, urged to attend theater school by Guthrie, who arranged for him to attend either the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Art or the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art with full scholarships | ||
| Attended London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art | ||
| Moved to NYC | ||
| Performed in New York Shakespeare Festival productions of "Lotta" and "The Tempest" | ||
| Played "Hamlet" in second grade | ||
| Worked with Vancouver touring children's theater company, Playhouse Holiday | ||
1967 | His performance in a Lawrence University production of "Hobson's Choice" brought him to the attention of Sir Tyrone Guthrie, who invited him to join the prestigious Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota | |
1967 | Professional debut in "The House of Atreus" at the Guthrie Theatre | |
1970 | Feature debut in "The Revolutionary", a docudrama about campus activism starring Jon Voight and Jennifer Salt | |
1970 | London stage debut in "A School for Scandal" | |
1971 | Worked with the Stratford Festival in Ontario | |
1974 | Joined the famed Actors Theatre of Louisville | |
1975 | Acted with Meryl Streep and John Lithgow in "Trelawney of the Wells" at Lincoln Center | |
1976 | Appeared in successful revival of "Boy Meets Girl", directed by Lithgow | |
1976 | First significant film role in "Underground", a documentary directed by Emile DeAntonio | |
1980 | Broadway stage debut in "The Elephant Man" with David Bowie | |
1981 | Acted in the original Off-Broadway production of "Cloud Nine", directed by Tommy Tune | |
1984 | Delivered a marvelous portrayal as the vacuous Emperor Joseph II in Milos Forman's film version of "Amadeus" | |
1986 | Acted in three CBS miniseries, "George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation" (as Thomas Jefferson), "Fresno" and "If Tomorrow Comes" | |
1986 | Offered a fabulous comic turn as principal Ed Rooney, Matthew Broderick's nemesis in "Ferris Beuller's Day Off" | |
1986 | Underwent five-hour make-up sessions to transform himself from pleasant research scientist Dr Walter Jenning to the mysterious Dark Overlord, his two roles in the bomb "Howard the Duck" | |
1987 | Portrayed Major Fisher, an Army officer whose helicopter was shot down while on a non-combat mission, in "The Hanoi Hilton" | |
1988 | First film with director Tim Burton, "Beetlejuice", playing the smarmy mortal who moves his family into a fixer-upper haunted by ghosts Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin | |
1989 | Reteamed with Forman, taking the part of Monsieur de Gercourt, the unappetizing older man who marries the innocent young convent girl (Fairuza Balk) despoiled by "Valmont" | |
1989 | Starred in short-lived CBS TV series, "The People Next Door", a fantasy-comedy produced by Wes Craven | |
1990 | Appeared as Judge Reinhold's partner (who's just itching to discharge his new .357 magnum) in the underrated "Enid Is Sleeping/Over Her Dead Body", starring Elizabeth Perkins | |
1990 | Played technical consultant Skip Tyler in John McTiernan's "The Hunt for Red October", adapted from the Tom Clancy novel | |
1992 | Reunited with Broderick for the disastrous "Out on a Limb"; played demented twin brothers | |
1994 | Reteamed with Burton on "Ed Wood", playing the amazing Criswell (amazing for his ability to find employment without any apparent talent) | |
1996 | Portrayed Thomas Putnam in Nicholas Hytner's film version of "The Crucible" | |
1997 | Essayed the managing partner of Satan's law firm in "The Devil's Advocate" | |
1999 | Appeared as Colonel Hart, a genial commanding officer who acts more like a host, in Antonia Bird's horror thriller "Ravenous" | |
1999 | Appeared in Williamstown Theatre Festival revival of Tennessee Williams' "Camino Real" | |
1999 | Had small role as Uncle Crenshaw in the hit "Stuart Little"; reunited on screen with Geena Davis | |
1999 | Third film role under Tim Burton's direction, Reverend Steenwyck in "Sleepy Hollow" | |
2001 | Co-starred with Eddie Murphy in "Doctor Dolittle 2" | |
2001 | Joined Gene Hackman, Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt as part of the cast of "Heartbreakers", the story of mother-daughter con artists | |
2002 | Arrested by Los Angeles police and charged with using a minor for prohibitive acts and a misdemeanor count of possessing child pornography | |
2004 | Cast as AW Merrick, the editor and reporter for the Pioneer on the HBO acclaimed series "Deadwood" | |
2007 | Appeared in the comedy feature "Who's Your Caddy?" | |
Awards
1984 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Amadeus |
2007 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Deadwood |