Biography
Character actor Terry O'Quinn's film career began (and almost ended!) with a role as Captain Minardi in the notorious
Michael Cimino failure
Heaven's Gate (1980). O'Quinn rose to prominence in
Joseph Ruben's 1987 sleeper
The Stepfather, as the ostensibly mild-mannered title character (of multiple names), who has this irksome habit of going psychopathic and slaying families who don't meet his exacting standards. Though O'Quinn went on to play leads in other films, he quickly became a television circuit staple (and an instantly recognizable face), in regular series and made-for-TV movies. His weight was more effectively felt in showy supporting roles like Howard Hughes in Disney's
The Rocketeer (1991). On TV, O'Quinn became a regular on the daytimer
The Doctors and the prime-timer
Jag (1995). O'Quinn struck gold in 2004 as a member of the ensemble cast in the hit prime-time adventure drama
Lost, on ABC. As Locke, an enigmatic character with a hidden personal attachment to the Pacific Island on which his plane crashes, O'Quinn managed to convey an ambiguous and understated sense of menace. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide