Neal Jones is an American actor best known for his television roles as Peter on Rescue Me and as Sgt. Maj. John Sixta on Generation Kill.
Biography[]
In a 2008 interview he summarized his many changes of home during his life: I was born in Kansas and when I was about three-years-old, we moved to St. Louis. And then when I was about 11-years-old, we moved to Athens, Georgia. And then when I was about 16-years-old, we moved to Jefferson City, Missouri. When I was about 18, I went to New York. And a couple of years ago, I moved to Los Angeles. Then he explained why so many: My father worked for Westinghouse and he kept getting promoted within the company. What they do in Westinghouse, his bit of it, is transformers. He’s an electrical engineer and they built and sold transformers. The particular plants where they manufacture said transformers were scattered throughout the country and those were the particular places that he went to assist with duties of manufacturing.
Over his 'decision' to become an actor, he said: Well, you know, I’m not sure decision was the most powerful element. Actors tend to be actors, no matter what line of work they’re in... I was meant to be a trumpet player. I was on the verge of attending music school. But I had been playing the trumpet from such an early age and I, once again being restless in nature, thought, 'You know, I don’t know if I can practice anymore than I’m already practicing.'... And so, my recollection is that when I was in high school, I had been reprimanded for cutting some class or another, and was commandeered into performing in one of these high school productions. And it seemed to go very well for me. It was an odd production I think probably for a high school, it was a production of Jean Anouilh’s The Lark. I just enjoyed it so much. The attendees seemed to enjoy themselves as well and at the insistence of the people who were running the drama department, I went to audition for a place at an acting conservatory in St. Louis. I was awarded the place and a scholarship.
Over how he started, he said: Well, it’s been in fits and starts. That’s the nature of the business, I’m afraid. But it wasn’t as difficult as it could’ve been. I received an offer for a job in New York while I was performing at a regional theatre in St. Louis and decided to elect that opportunity and ended up in New York and began working off-off-Broadway quite a lot. Of course, that doesn’t pay very much, so I was doing other things in the meantime – washing dishes, busing tables, things like that.
And then I managed to secure an agent who sent me on an audition for a production of Macbeth, which was being staged at Circle in the Squareand it was a production contract, which means a Broadway contract because the lead player was from the United Kingdom. And, lo and behold, they offered me a job. I guess I was 20 or 21, and that essentially was my first paid gig.
Over how he secured his first film role: Well, at the time I was in a musical on Broadway which was a big hit called Big River. And some of my actor friends were insistent, because I was in that thing for about a year... And I hadn’t really been interested all that much in the cinema or in television. I was kind of a theatre geek. But I began to go audition for various things that were TV and film and lo and behold, one of the first ones I went on was the audition for Dirty Dancing. And I managed to get an offer.
And I went down there. I think it was an eight-week shoot. Fascinating experience and a very memorable one. But I came back to New York when it was finished and went straight back into the same show in a different part because it was still running.
Criminal Minds[]
He portrayed serial killer Karl Arnold in the Season One episode "The Fox" and he reprised the role in the Season Five episode "Outfoxed".
Filmography[]
- Carbone: Breaking Point (2011) - Pachenko
- Heterosexuals (2011) - Barry
- Criminal Minds - 2 episodes (2005-2009) TV episodes - Karl Arnold
- Carbone's Birthday (2009) - Pachenko
- Law & Order - 4 episodes (1991-2009) - Alex Boone/Mr. Flynn/Bill D./Ray
- Generation Kill - 7 episodes (2008) - Sergeant Major John Sixta
- Mona (2008) - John
- Crossing Jordan (2007) - Russell Berman
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent - 3 episodes (2006-2007) - Chief of Detectives Bradshaw
- The House Is Burning (2006) - Sheriff
- Rescue Me - 7 episodes (2004-2005) - Firefighter Peter Reilly
- Game 6 (2005) - Yessiree Bob
- Zombie Honeymoon (2004) - Officer Carp
- The Jury (2004) - Kevin Sykes
- Beautiful Kid (2003) - Unknown Character
- In America (2002) - Immigration Officer #1
- Changing Lanes (2002) - Newsroom Writer
- Bridget (2002) - Hawk's Lawyer
- Way Off Broadway (2001) - Mr. Scott
- Queenie in Love (2001) - Doctor
- The Sopranos (2001) - Agent Tancredi
- Chinese Coffee (2000) - Eteocles/Actor
- Third Watch (2000) - Brian
- Sex and the City (1999) - Richard
- The Siege (1998) - NYPD Representative
- Come to (1998) - Biker 1
- Day at the Beach (1998) - Chuck Hanson
- Sax and Violins (1997) - Unknown Character
- The Devil's Advocate (1997) - Reporter Larry
- G.I. Jane (1997) - Duty Officer
- Silent Predator (1997) - Kevin O'Neill
- Ratchet (1996) - Sam Leary
- Looking for Richard (1996) - Messenger
- Romeo Is Bleeding (1993) - Clerk
- Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) - Man in Donut Shop
- Monsters (1989) - Gary Gregory
- Dirty Dancing (1987) - Billy Kostecki
External Links[]
For an up-to-date filmography, see here.