Acting · Washington, D.C., USA · Born January 31, 1947
Jonathan Banks (born January 31, 1947) is an American character actor in film and television. Banks dropped out of Indiana University to join a touring company as a stage manager. He went to Australia with the company and stayed on working in theatre there. In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles and performed on stage before picking up bit parts on television. Probably his best-known movie roles are in two films starring Eddie Murphy: 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop. In 48 Hrs. he plays a character who is a friend of the lead and is killed by the villain, beginning the lead characters' story. In Beverly Hills Cop, he plays a villain who kills the lead characters' friend and begins his story. Other movie roles include appearances in Armed and Dangerous, Freejack, Flipper, Airplane!, Gremlins, Murder Me, Murder You, and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. His biggest break on television, came with the series Wiseguy, in which he played Frank McPike for four years, a role which led to an Emmy award nomination. Although his character was primarily the hero's mentor, stories occasionally featured McPike as hero. In 1981 he appeared as Dutch Schultz on the NBC series the Gangster Chronicles. He also starred on the short-lived science fiction TV series Otherworld, as Kommander Neveen Kroll and in the sitcom Fired Up. Banks has also made guest appearances on TV shows including Alias, CSI, Day Break, Highlander: The Series, Matlock, SeaQuest DSV, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Women of the House and Walker Texas Ranger. Most recently, Banks appeared in the final Season Two episodes of Dexter, and in episodes of ER, Cold Case, and Shark, Modern Family. In the second season finale of Breaking Bad, Banks appeared as a mysterious character named Mike. Banks was made a series regular for the third season.
MovieSaul Goodman America’s 250th
2026
as Mike Ehrmantraut
TVThe Beast in Me
2025
as Martin Jarvis
TVKite Man: Hell Yeah!
2024
as Noonan (voice)
TVConstellation
2024
as Henry Caldera / Bud Caldera
TVMarvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
2023
as Silvermane (voice)
MovieCatwoman: Hunted
2022
as Roman Sionis / Black Mask (voice)
TVShow Me More
2021
as Self - "Mike Ehrmantraut"
TVA Tale Dark & Grimm
2021
as Johannes (voice)
TVINVINCIBLE
2021
as Brit (voice)
TVThe Comey Rule
2020
as James Clapper
MovieThe Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
2019
as Self
MovieEl Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
2019
as Mike
MovieThe Wolf: True Alpha
2018
as The Fixer
MovieRedbad
2018
as Pepijn
MovieIncredibles 2
2018
as Rick Dicker (voice)
MovieThe Commuter
2018
as Walt
MovieMudbound
2017
as Pappy McAllan
TVBetter Call Saul Employee Training
2017
as Mike Ehrmantraut
TVRapunzel's Tangled Adventure
2017
as Quirin (voice)
TVShut Eye
2016
as Linda's Father
TVSkylanders Academy
2016
as Eruptor (voice)
MovieTerm Life
2016
as Harper
The Yard
2016
as Narrator
TVTalking Saul
2016
as Self - Guest
TVThe Expanse
2015
as Executive Officer
MovieRobot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Magical Friendship
2015
as Composite Superman (voice)
TVDr. Ken
2015
as Dr. Erwin
MovieI'm Brave!
2015
as Fire Engine
TVMajor Lazer
2015
as The Law (voice)
TVBetter Call Saul
2015
as Mike Ehrmantraut
MovieHorrible Bosses 2
2014
as Detective Hatcher
Advanced Television Production - 5 Days, 2 Scripts, No Sleep
2014
as Self
TVLast Week Tonight with John Oliver
2014
as Self
MovieAuthors Anonymous
2014
as David Kelleher
MovieBullet
2014
as Carlito Kane
TVTalking Bad
2013
as Self
MovieIdentity Thief
2013
as Paul
MovieWatercolor Postcards
2013
as Ledball
TVGravity Falls
2012
as Filbrick Pines (voice)
TVRinger
2011
as Remy Osterman
TVModern Family
2009
as Donnie Pritchett
TVCommunity
2009
as Professor Buzz Hickey
TVParks and Recreation
2009
as Steve Wyatt
TVCastle
2009
as Bruce Kirby
TVLie to Me
2009
as Agent Richard Squire
MovieProud American
2008
as Mr. Moretti
TVEli Stone
2008
as Agent Jonathan Maine
TVBreaking Bad
2008
as Mike Ehrmantraut
TVLife
2007
as Nathan Gray
TVPhineas and Ferb
2007
as Driving Instructor (voice)
MovieReign Over Me
2007
as Stelter
MovieMurder 101: College Can be Murder
2007
as Det. Frank Chambers
TVDay Break
2006
as Shadow Man
TVDexter
2006
as Max Adams
TVShark
2006
as Jason Normandy
MoviePuff, Puff, Pass
2006
as Lance
MovieCircadian Rhythm
2005
as Trejo
TVGhost Whisperer
2005
as Lyle Chase
TVE-Ring
2005
TVCold Case
2003
as John 'Shameless' Clark (2009)
TVJoan of Arcadia
2003
as Sheriff Mike Rakowski
TVTwo and a Half Men
2003
as Sid
TVMythBusters
2003
as Self
MovieDark Blue
2002
as James Barcomb
TVWithout a Trace
2002
as Sal Marcello
TVCSI: Miami
2002
as Oscar Duarte
MovieR.S.V.P.
2002
as Walter Franklin
TVAlias
2001
as Frederick Brandon
MovieProximity
2001
as Price
MovieCrocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
2001
as Milos Drubnik
MovieDownward Angel
2001
as Herod
TVThe District
2000
as Monya Pastov
TVCSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Bobby Jensen
TVStrong Medicine
2000
as Frank Hardwhyck
MovieMillennium Man
1999
Harvey
1999
as C.J. Lofgren, Cab Driver
MovieTrash
1999
as Judge Callum
MovieFoolish
1999
as Numbers
MovieOutlaw Justice
1999
as Sheriff Conklin
MovieLet the Devil Wear Black
1999
as Satch
MovieDollar for the Dead
1998
as Col. Skinner
MovieA Thousand Men and a Baby
1997
as Father O'Riley
TVFired Up
1997
as Guy Mann
MovieDark Breed
1997
as Joseph Shay
MovieHarvey
1996
as C.J. Lofgren
MovieFlipper
1996
as Dirk Moran
MovieWiseguy
1996
as Frank McPike
MovieLast Man Standing
1995
as Doc
MovieUnder Siege 2: Dark Territory
1995
as Scotty
TVWomen of the House
1995
as Jim Sugarbaker
TVDue South
1994
as Garret
TVER
1994
as Robert Truman
MovieWalker Texas Ranger 3: Deadly Reunion
1994
as Shelby Valentine
MovieShadow of Obsession
1994
as Trevor Keegan
MovieBody Shot
1994
as Simon Devereaux / Blake Donner
TVDiagnosis: Murder
1993
as Bruce Locatelli
TVseaQuest DSV
1993
as Maximillian Scully
MovieMarilyn & Bobby: Her Final Affair
1993
as Joe Scoman
TVWalker, Texas Ranger
1993
as Shelby Valentine
MovieBoiling Point
1993
as Max Waxman
MoviePerry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal
1993
as Dr. William Shell
MovieBlind Side
1993
as Aaron
TVStar Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
as Shel-la
MovieThere Goes the Neighborhood
1992
as Handsome Harry
TVHighlander: The Series
1992
as Mako
MovieFreejack
1992
as Mark Michelette
MovieDon't Touch My Daughter
1991
as Charles Ryter
MovieFor Better or for Worse
1989
as Pitt
TVTales from the Crypt
1989
as William
MoviePin : A Plastic Nightmare
1988
as PIN (voice)
MovieCold Steel
1987
as Iceman
MovieWiseguy: Pilot
1987
as Frank McPike
TVWiseguy
1987
as Frank McPike
MoviePerry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love
1987
as Luke Dickson
MovieDownpayment on Murder
1987
as Det. McKenzie
MovieWho Is Julia?
1986
as Jack Bodine
TVDesigning Women
1986
MovieArmed and Dangerous
1986
as Clyde Klepper
MovieAssassin
1986
as Earl Dickman
TVMatlock
1986
as Jack Starling
MovieThe Fifth Missile
1986
as Ray Olson
TVHollywood Beat
1985
TVOtherworld
1985
as Kroll
TVCrazy like a Fox
1984
as Vice Squad Captain Hawkins
MovieBeverly Hills Cop
1984
as Zack
TVHunter
1984
as Det. Gary Krewson
MovieThe Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
1984
as Lizardo Hospital Guard
MovieNadia
1984
as Gheorge Comaneci
MovieGremlins
1984
as Deputy Brent
TVHardcastle and McCormick
1983
MovieMurder Me, Murder You
1983
as Janos Saracen
MovieThe Invisible Woman
1983
as Darren
Movie48 Hrs.
1982
as Algren
MovieFrances
1982
as Hitchhiker
TVMatt Houston
1982
TVCagney & Lacey
1982
TVT. J. Hooker
1982
as Freddy Baker
TVFalcon Crest
1981
as Frank Kolinski
TVSimon & Simon
1981
TVBest of the West
1981
MovieGangster Wars
1981
as Dutch Schultz
TVThe Gangster Chronicles
1981
as Dutch Schultz
TVHill Street Blues
1981
MovieStir Crazy
1980
as Jack Graham
MovieDesperate Voyage
1980
as Louis
MovieRage!
1980
as Resident #2
MovieAirplane!
1980
as Gunderson
TVSanford
1980
MovieShe's Dressed to Kill
1979
as Rudy Striker
MovieThe Rose
1979
as Television Promoter
MovieIke
1979
as 1st Sergeant
TVIke
1979
as Sergeant
MovieThe Ordeal of Patty Hearst
1979
as Pato
TVThe Word
1978
as Young LeBrun
MovieWho'll Stop the Rain
1978
as Marine
MovieThe Cheap Detective
1978
as Cabbie
MovieComing Home
1978
as Marine At Party
MovieThe Night They Took Miss Beautiful
1977
as Buck
MovieThe Girl in the Empty Grave
1977
as Courtland Gates
TVLou Grant
1977
TVCarter Country
1977
MovieAlexander: The Other Side of Dawn
1977
as Michael
MovieThe Macahans
1976
as Woodward
TVLittle House on the Prairie
1974
as Jed
MovieLinda's Film on Menstruation
1974
as Johnny Stanton
TVThe Waltons
1972
Words from the Oven
