Born Edward Orss to Czech parentage in Pittsburgh, if there was a need for a swarthy Eastern European type, Ed was your man. One exception being Lethal Weapon where he somehow was cast as a Latin character named Mendez. No, we don’t get what the casting director was doing either.
Typecast as: Lots of Russian characters / gangsters / law enforcement operative / military types / did we say lots of Russians?
What you’ve probably seen him in: Red Heat (not much of a bus driver though), Full Metal Jacket (as Lt. Touchdown), Action Jackson (probably the only film Carl Weathers ever got top billing for)
What makes him special: He’s more Russian than Putin, Stolichnaya and Tetris rolled into one. Even if he isn’t actually Russian. Helps he has a permanent five o’clock shadow too.
What he’s been in since: Six Feet Under, Universal Soldier, Dick Tracy, Curb Your Enthusiasm
His usual type was turned on its head in Six Feet Under with his part as a florist who was infatuated with Dexter’s mum. Still Russian, but not a psychopath even though you expected him to be.
Not that you’d recognise his voice, but he also lent his vocal talents to GRAW2 and various other games including (the blaverage) Army Of Two.
Ed, you’re the ultimate Slavic HITG!
One thought on “Hey, It’s That Guy! – Ed O’Ross”
He was a friendly florist in Six Feet Under. That was certainly odd.