# Patrick Kilpatrick
**Patrick Kilpatrick** (born 1949 in Orange, Virginia) is an American character actor, producer, screenwriter, director, and teacher, known chiefly for playing villains opposite Hollywood action stars across a screen career spanning films and television shows.[1](https://www.patrickkilpatrick.com/) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1949, Orange, Virginia[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/) |
| Screen debut | The Toxic Avenger, Troma's action-horror film, made when he was already 40[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/) |
| Signature villain roles | Christian "the Sandman" Naylor in Death Warrant (1990); Mr. Bryles in Class of 1999 (1990); Officer Knott in Minority Report (2002)[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/258768) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/) |
| Career scope | IMDb lists 162 acting credits, 7 as producer, 2 as writer, and 2 as director[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/fullcredits) |
| Earlier careers | Journalist and advertising writer for Time Inc., Playboy, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, and other New York publications[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/) |
| Company | CEO of Uncommon Dialogue Films, Los Angeles[1](https://www.patrickkilpatrick.com/) |
| Memoir | Volume one of *Dying for Living: Sins & Confessions of a Hollywood Villain & Libertine Patriot*[6](https://atthemoviesonline.com/2018/12/06/patrick-kilpatrick-talks-new-book-hollywood-and-career/) |
| Education | University of Richmond, 1969 to 1972[7](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-kilpatrick-463954a) |
## Early life and writing career
Kilpatrick grew up in Virginia and, per his LinkedIn profile, attended the [University of Richmond](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-richmond) from 1969 to 1972.[7](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-kilpatrick-463954a) Encyclopedia.com records that his father was in the military.[8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/kilpatrick-patrick)
Before acting he worked as a journalist and screenwriter. His IMDb biography states that he was professionally first an advertising writer, journalist, creative director, and on-air reporter, and that he worked for nearly every major magazine and ad agency in New York, naming TIME Inc., Playboy, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, Interview, Life Magazine, [Cosmopolitan](https://www.edgepedia.org/cosmopolitan-magazine), and The New York Times, among others.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/) He describes his decade as a writer as a lasting professional advantage on set: improvisation, he says, lets him flesh out unrealized script passages, and [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg) let him use that freedom on Minority Report.[9](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2019-01-11-interview-with-patrick-kilpatrick-about-catalyst-nicolas-roeg-sean-connery-steven-spielberg-guy-hamilton-and-his-career-as-a-villain-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode)
## Villain roles
Kilpatrick made his film debut relatively late, at about age 40, in the Troma Studios action horror film *The Toxic Avenger*.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/) Encyclopedia.com dates the appearance to 1985 and credits him, as Pat Kilpatrick, with the role of Leroy; the same source lists his first film appearance as the Driver in [Nicolas Roeg](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicolas-roeg)'s *Insignificance* (1985).[8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/kilpatrick-patrick) A Hungarian film database dates *The Toxic Avenger* premiere to May 15, 1984.[10](https://www.filmek.hu/person/32286/patrick-kilpatrick-filmek)
In *Russkies* (1987) he played a drunken Army corporal who nearly causes [World War III](https://www.edgepedia.org/world-war-iii), followed by Mark in *The Presidio* (1988).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/) • [8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/kilpatrick-patrick) His best-remembered year is 1990: he played Mr. Bryles, a weaponized android teacher whose death-by-forklift scene remains a fan favorite, in *Class of 1999*, and the maniacal criminal Christian Naylor, "the Sandman," in *Death Warrant* opposite [Jean-Claude Van Damme](https://www.edgepedia.org/jean-claude-van-damme).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/) • [3](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/258768) The success of *Death Warrant* led to more prominent parts, including *Showdown* with [Billy Blanks](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-blanks) and Ray Booth in the ABC miniseries *The Stand* (1994), adapted from Stephen King's post-apocalyptic novel.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/)
Through the mid-1990s he played opposition figures in major studio action films: Finch in *Best of the Best II* (1993), the second mercenary in *Under Siege 2: Dark Territory* (1995), Finn in *Last Man Standing* with [Bruce Willis](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruce-willis) (1996), James Haggerty in *Eraser* with [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://www.edgepedia.org/arnold-schwarzenegger) (1996), and Pryce in *The Replacement Killers* (1998).[8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/kilpatrick-patrick) In 2002 he appeared as Officer Knott in Steven Spielberg's *Minority Report*; he says Spielberg hired him without an audition or even a meeting.[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/258768) • [11](https://www.yitziweiner.com/actor-patrick-kilpatrick-on-what-happens-when-you-play-the-part-of-a-star-trek-alien/) During a shootout on *The Replacement Killers* he crashed backward and destroyed a set piece, and director [Antoine Fuqua](https://www.edgepedia.org/antoine-fuqua) kept that take.[11](https://www.yitziweiner.com/actor-patrick-kilpatrick-on-what-happens-when-you-play-the-part-of-a-star-trek-alien/)
On the origin of his typecasting, he has said that part of it is institutional, particularly in television, while independent films cast him more broadly; he has also pointed out that he was cast as the villain in a first-grade class play of *The Pied Piper of Hamelin*.[9](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2019-01-11-interview-with-patrick-kilpatrick-about-catalyst-nicolas-roeg-sean-connery-steven-spielberg-guy-hamilton-and-his-career-as-a-villain-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode)
## Television work
Kilpatrick has appeared in a large number of American series. He had a recurring role as a CIA agent on *Tour of Duty*, and in 1996 he was cast as the gruff Sergeant Brian O'Connor on the CBS western *Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman*, listed by Encyclopedia.com for 1996 to 1997.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/) • [8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/kilpatrick-patrick) Guest appearances include *Star Trek: Voyager* (Razik, 1995), *Babylon 5*, *ER*, *The X-Files*, *24*, *Burn Notice*, *Cold Case*, *Chuck*, *Nip/Tuck*, *Criminal Minds*, *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*, and *CSI: Miami*.[12](https://www.metacritic.com/person/patrick-kilpatrick/) • [13](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/patrick-kilpatrick/credits/3030059962/) His own site counts more than 75 television shows.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/)
## Producing, writing, and teaching
Kilpatrick is chief executive of Uncommon Dialogue Films, a Los Angeles company.[1](https://www.patrickkilpatrick.com/) In 2009 he produced and starred in *Never Surrender*, which featured mixed martial arts champions fighting in an underground ring; his producing credits there also include *The Zombinator* (2012), *Chavez Cage of Glory* (2013), and *Burn Off* (2015).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/fullcredits) He describes himself as a global entertainment teacher and has run a mentorship program for entertainment lawyers for about 15 years.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/) • [6](https://atthemoviesonline.com/2018/12/06/patrick-kilpatrick-talks-new-book-hollywood-and-career/)
He published the first volume of his memoir, *Dying for Living: Sins & Confessions of a Hollywood Villain & Libertine Patriot*, which covers his upbringing and New York writing career; a planned second volume is subtitled *Showbiz/Wasted Talent in the Valley of Debacle*.[9](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2019-01-11-interview-with-patrick-kilpatrick-about-catalyst-nicolas-roeg-sean-connery-steven-spielberg-guy-hamilton-and-his-career-as-a-villain-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode) • [11](https://www.yitziweiner.com/actor-patrick-kilpatrick-on-what-happens-when-you-play-the-part-of-a-star-trek-alien/)
## Later career
Kilpatrick has continued working steadily into his seventies, with recent roles including Sheriff John Jennings in *Black Creek* (2024), Father Patrick Briar in *Catalyst* (2025), and parts in 2026 releases including *Bountiful* and *The Shepherd Code: Lapierre*; he was filming the project *Dying for Living*, on which he is also credited as director, screenwriter, and producer.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/fullcredits) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/) • [14](https://www.archytele.com/person/patrick-kilpatrick) In 2021 he surfaced as a candidate for governor of California, hosting a breakfast press conference in Hancock Park on September 9 of that year; the announcement described him as a father of two adult sons.[15](https://www.issuewire.com/pdf/2021/09/california-governor-candidate-patrick-kilpatrick-hosts-breakfast-press-conference-on-sept-9-in-hancock-park-ca-IssueWire.pdf)
## References
1. [Patrick Kilpatrick official site](https://www.patrickkilpatrick.com/)
2. [Patrick Kilpatrick, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/patrick-kilpatrick/)
3. [Patrick Kilpatrick, AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/258768)
4. [Patrick Kilpatrick, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/)
5. [Patrick Kilpatrick full credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453304/fullcredits)
6. [Patrick Kilpatrick Talks New Book, Hollywood and Career, At The Movies Online](https://atthemoviesonline.com/2018/12/06/patrick-kilpatrick-talks-new-book-hollywood-and-career/)
7. [Patrick Kilpatrick, LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-kilpatrick-463954a)
8. [Kilpatrick, Patrick, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/kilpatrick-patrick)
9. [Interview with Patrick Kilpatrick, Eye For Film](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2019-01-11-interview-with-patrick-kilpatrick-about-catalyst-nicolas-roeg-sean-connery-steven-spielberg-guy-hamilton-and-his-career-as-a-villain-feature-story-by-jennie-kermode)
10. [Patrick Kilpatrick filmek, 68db](https://www.filmek.hu/person/32286/patrick-kilpatrick-filmek)
11. [Actor Patrick Kilpatrick on what happens when you play the part of a Star Trek Alien, Yitzi Weiner](https://www.yitziweiner.com/actor-patrick-kilpatrick-on-what-happens-when-you-play-the-part-of-a-star-trek-alien/)
12. [Patrick Kilpatrick, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/patrick-kilpatrick/)
13. [Patrick Kilpatrick List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/patrick-kilpatrick/credits/3030059962/)
14. [Patrick Kilpatrick: Movies, TV Shows & Biography, archytele](https://www.archytele.com/person/patrick-kilpatrick)
15. [California governor candidate Patrick Kilpatrick press conference, IssueWire](https://www.issuewire.com/pdf/2021/09/california-governor-candidate-patrick-kilpatrick-hosts-breakfast-press-conference-on-sept-9-in-hancock-park-ca-IssueWire.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Ki to La*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license