Steve Railsback
Acting • Born 1945-11-16
Biography
Steve Railsback (born November 16, 1945, in Dallas, Texas) is an American theatre, film, and television actor. He is best known for his performances in the films The Stunt Man and Lifeforce, and his portrayal of Charles Manson in the 1976 television mini-series Helter Skelter. Railsback was a student of Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio and in the late 1960s and early 1970s spent 10 years working in theatre in New York City. He once said that he found Strasberg extremely difficult to work with. He made his film debut in The Visitors, directed by Elia Kazan. He portrayed two notorious murderers, appearing as Charles Manson in the 1976 television miniseries Helter Skelter and as Ed Gein in the 2000 film In the Light of the Moon. He also served as executive producer of the latter film. Other notable roles include the part of Cameron in The Stunt Man with Peter O'Toole, the astronaut Tom Carlsen in Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce, Duane Barry in two episodes of The X-Files, and Joseph Welch in the pilot episode of Supernatural. In 2008, he appeared in the science fiction/horror movie film Plaguers.
Filmography
90 credits
Night Caller
Movie • 2022
Andrew Lubitz
The Box
Movie • 2003
Jake Ragna
The Devil's Rejects
Movie • 2005
Sheriff Ken Dwyer
Armed and Dangerous
Movie • 1986
The Cowboy
Intermedio
Movie • 2005
Old Man
Storytelling
Movie • 2001
Mr. Kirk
The Wind
Movie • 1986
Kesner
The Forgotten
Movie • 1989
Lt. Jesse Brady
Lifeforce
Movie • 1985
Col. Tom Carlsen
Barb Wire
Movie • 1996
Colonel Pryzer
Disturbing Behavior
Movie • 1998
Officer Cox
Made Men
Movie • 1999
Kyle
Plaguers
Movie • 2010
Tarver
Cockfighter
Movie • 1974
Junior
Alligator 2: The Mutation
Movie • 1991
Vinnie Brown
Ready or Not
Movie • 2009
Pilot
The Stunt Man
Movie • 1980
Cameron
Scissors
Movie • 1991
Alex Morgan / Cole Morgan
Me and Will
Movie • 1999
Rob
Helter Skelter
Movie • 1976
Charles Manson
Turkey Shoot
Movie • 1982
Paul Anders
Slash
Movie • 2002
Jeremiah
Rest Stop: Don't Look Back
Movie • 2008
The Owner
Ed Gein
Movie • 2000
Ed Gein
Neo Ned
Movie • 2005
Mr. Day
Nukie
Movie • 1987
Dr. Eric Harvey
Deadly Games
Movie • 1982
Billy Owens
Trick or Treats
Movie • 1982
Bret
Zigs
Movie • 2001
Charlie
Scenes from the Goldmine
Movie • 1987
Harry Spiros
Final Mission
Movie • 1994
Colonel Glen Anderson
Blue Monkey
Movie • 1987
Det. Jim Bishop
The Golden Seal
Movie • 1983
Jim Lee
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love
Movie • 2009
Alumnus Guy #5
Private Wars
Movie • 1993
Jack Manning
Forever
Movie • 1992
William Desmond Taylor
Distortions
Movie • 1987
Scott Marshall
Termination Man
Movie • 1998
Dylan Pope
The Survivalist
Movie • 1987
Jack Tillman
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid
Movie • 1972
Billy the Kid
The Visitors
Movie • 1972
Mike Nickerson
Save Me
Movie • 1994
Robbins
Spearfield's Daughter
Movie • 1986
Tom Border
Stranger in the House
Movie • 1997
Jack Derby
Best Served Cold
Movie
Himself
Wild in Blue
Movie • 2014
Charlie's Father
Great Transport
Movie • 1983
Pavle Paroški
Quake
Movie • 1992
Kyle
Torchlight
Movie • 1984
Jake Gregory
King of the Lost World
Movie • 2005
Larry
Bonds of Love
Movie • 1993
Ken Smith
Infiltrators
Movie • 2014
Sebastian Koenig
H: The Story of a Teen-Age Drug Addict
Movie • 1951
Bill
In the Line of Fire
Movie • 1993
CIA Agent David Coppinger (uncredited)
Vanishing Point
Movie • 1997
Sergeant Preston
UnConventional
Movie • 2004
Self
Deadly Intent
Movie • 1988
Jeff Kirkwood
Calendar Girl
Movie • 1993
Eddie Darpinian
Street Corner Justice
Movie • 1996
Sergeant Ryan Freeborn
Pressure Point
Movie • 1997
Arno Taylor
Separated by Murder
Movie • 1994
Jesse Dixon
Gone Are the Days
Movie • 2018
Jaden
Angela
Movie • 1977
Jean
Not Quite Hollywood
Movie • 2008
Self
Once Fallen
Movie • 2010
Aryan Boss
Sunstroke
Movie • 1992
Biggs
The Assassin
Movie • 1990
Hank Knight
AGFA Mystery Mixtape #2: Later in L.A.
Movie • 2020
(archive footage)
The Cops Are Robbers
Movie • 1990
The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting
Movie • 2003
Deputy Jessup (uncredited)
The Cross of Iberia
Movie • 1990
Novak
The Sinister Saga of Making The Stunt Man
Movie • 2000
Follow the Prophet
Movie • 2009
Senator Stanton
Unspeakable: Beyond The Wall of Sleep
Movie • 2024
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
Movie • 2020
(archive footage)
The Making Of Lifeforce
Movie • 1985
Self
Supernatural
TV • 2005
The Twilight Zone
TV • 1985
(segment "Dead Run")
The X-Files
TV • 1993
Duane Barry
The Visitor
TV • 1997
Colonel James Vise
Family Law
TV • 1999
Gary Peres
From Here to Eternity
TV • 1979
Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt
The Mentalist
TV • 2008
Fred Kittel
Supernatural
TV • 2005
Joseph Welch
Decker
TV • 2014
Fictional General Cotter
The Great Transport
TV • 1983
Pavle Paroški
Femme Fatales
TV • 2011
Dr. Daniel Duryea
Charmed
TV • 1998
Litvack
Helter Skelter
TV • 1976
Charles Manson
The Practice
TV • 1997
Walter Dawson