Michael Ontkean

About Michael Ontkean

He has appeared in several films, notably opposite Paul Newman in "Slap Shot" (1977) and in the tame homosexual love story "Making Love" (1982), which reunited him with his TV wife Kate Jackson. He is best known to contemporary audiences as straight-arrow police chief Harry S. Truman in David Lynch's TV soap-opera-with-a-twist, "Twin Peaks" (1990). He reprised the role in Lynch's 1992 feature "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me". Ontkean also has appeared in many TV movies including opposite Jodie Foster in the WWII thriller "The Blood of Others" (HBO, 1984) and memorably as an accused murderer in "In a Child's Name" (CBS, 1991).

Partners

Wife

Fran Ontkean. divorced

Wife

Jamie Smith Jackson. mother of two daughters by Ontkean; appeared in many TV-movies in early 1970s including "Go Ask Alice"

Education

University of New Hampshire, Durham , New Hampshire

Career Milestones

First appeared on stage at age three with father's repertory company in British Columbia

Moved to Maine on hiatus from acting; re-entered acting with "Slap Shot" (1977)

Moved with family to Toronto at age nine; worked regularly for the CBC, the National Film Board and the Stratford Ontario Shakespeare Festival

Played for St Michael's (Toronto Maple Leafs farm club) and for semi-pro teams in Quebec and Vancouver (NY Rangers farm clubs)

1971

Brought to Hollywood by director and fellow Canadian Norman Jewison to test (unsuccessfully) for "Fiddler on the Roof"

1971

Moved to California; feature acting debut, "The Peace Killers"

1972

TV acting debut in series, "The Rookies"

1990

Starred as Sheriff Harry S. Truman in TV series, "Twin Peaks"

1994

Starred opposite Jaclyn Smith in Danielle Steel's "Family Album"

2004

Starred in the Fox drama "North Shore"