Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos
Biography
Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in Miami Vice (1984–1989), actor in and director of American Me (1992), William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver (1988), and Detective Gaff in Blade Runner (1982), and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017). In 2018, he played the father of two members of an outlaw motorcycle club in the FX series Mayans MC. For his work in Miami Vice, Olmos won the 1985 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. For his performance in Stand and Deliver, Olmos was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He is also known for his roles as patriarch Abraham Quintanilla in the film Selena, narrator El Pachuco in both the stage and film versions of Zoot Suit, and the voice of Chicharrón in Coco. Over the course of his career, Olmos has been a pioneer for more diversified roles and images of Hispanics in the U.S. media. His notable direction, production, and starring roles for films, made-for-TV movies, and TV shows include Wolfen, Triumph of the Spirit, Talent for the Game, American Me, The Burning Season, My Family/Mi Familia, Caught, 12 Angry Men, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, Walkout, The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, American Family, and Dexter. Description above from the Wikipedia article Edward James Olmos, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
156
Gender
Male
Birthday
1947-02-24 (78 years old)
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
Acting

2024

One Fast Move as Abel

2024

Outlaw Posse as Ossie

2023

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur as Molecule Man (voice)

2023

La Californie ! as Self - Actor

2021

The Blade Runner Phenomenon as Self - Actor (Gaff)

2021

Walking with Herb as Joe Amable-Amo

2021

Chasing Wonders as Not available

2019

Bless This Mess as Randy

2019

A Dog's Way Home as Axel

2019

The Devil Has a Name as Santiago

2019

Imprisoned as Hospicio

2019

Windows on the World as Balthazar

2018

Mayans M.C. as Felipe Reyes

2018

The Eyes of Martin Castillo as Martin Castillo (archive footage)

2017

Blade Runner 2049 as Gaff

2017

Coco as Chicharrón (voice)

2017

Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 as Gaff (voice)

2017

LA 92 as Self (archive footage)

2016

Americano as Gayo (voice)

2016

Monday Nights at Seven as Charlie

2015

Unity as Narrator (voice)

2014

The Journey of a Female Comic as Not available

2014

Agave is Life as Narrator (voice)

2014

Exile Nation: The Plastic People as Narrator (voice)

2013

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Robert Gonzales

2013

2 Guns as Papi Greco

2013

Filly Brown as Leandro

2013

Go for Sisters as Freddy Suárez

2013

A Bridge Apart as (Voice)

2011

Portlandia as Edward James Olmos

2011

The Green Hornet as Michael Axford

2011

America as Mr. Irving

2010

I'm Still Here as Edward James Olmos

2009

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan as Commander William Adama

2008

Beverly Hills Chihuahua as Diablo (voice)

2007

Dave Navarro's Spread as Not available

2007

Battlestar Galactica: Razor as Admiral William Adama

2006

Dexter as James Gellar

2006

Dexter as Prof. James Gellar

2006

Eureka as First sled dog

2006

Walkout as Julian Nava

2006

Splinter as Captain garcia

2006

Recycled Life as Narrator

2005

La Cerca as Narrator / Old Niño

2004

Battlestar Galactica as William Adama

2004

Battlestar Galactica as Commander William Adama

2004

The Batman as Chief Rojas (voice)

2003

Battlestar Galactica as Commander Adama

2002

Greetings From Tucson as Priest

2002

George Lopez as Mr. Vega

2002

American Family as Jess Gonzalez

2001

The Judge as Judge Armando Acosti

2001

In the Time of the Butterflies as Rafael Leónidas Trujillo

2001

The Judge as Judge Armando Acosta

2000

The Road to El Dorado as Chief (voice)

2000

Gossip as Detective Curtis

2000

The Princess and the Barrio Boy as Nestor Garcia

1999

The West Wing as Roberto Mendoza

1999

Bonanno: A Godfather's Story as Gaspar DiGregario (Young)

1999

The Unfinished Journey as Narrator (voice)

1999

Zapatista as Narrator (voice)

1998

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three as Det. Anthony Piscotti

1998

The Wall as Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")

1997

Selena as Abraham Quintanilla

1997

12 Angry Men as Juror 11

1997

Hollywood Confidential as Stan Navarro, Sr.

1997

Gun as Father Santos

1997

Gun as Father Santos

1997

Selena Remembered as Narrator (voice)

1997

The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca as Roberto Lozano

1997

Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen Amerika as Self - Actor, Director, Latino-Activist

1996

E! True Hollywood Story as Not available

1996

Dead Man's Walk as Captain Salazar

1996

Caught as Joe

1996

Death in Granada as Not available

1996

The Limbic Region as Lucca

1995

My Family as Paco

1995

500 Nations as Not available

1995

Mirage as Matteo Juarez

1995

Slave of Dreams as Not available

1994

Touched by an Angel as Col. Victor Walls

1994

The Magic School Bus as (voice)

1994

A Million to Juan as The Angel

1994

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues as Musician at Barbecue (uncredited)

1994

The Burning Season as Wilson Pinheiro

1994

Lives in Hazard as self

1993

Roosters as Gallo Morales

1992

American Me as Montoya Santana

1991

Talent for the Game as Virgil Sweet

1990

The Earth Day Special as Hospital Director

1990

Maria's Story as José Serrano (voice)

1989

The Simpsons as Pit Master (voice)

1989

Triumph of the Spirit as Gypsy

1989

Miami Vice: Freefall as Lieutenant Martin Castillo

1988

Stand and Deliver as Jaime A. Escalante

1988

The Fortunate Pilgrim as Frank Corbo

1986

Saving Grace as Ciolino

1986

Blue Collar & Buddha as Narrator

1984

Miami Vice as Martin Castillo

1983

The Nightingale as Prime Minister

1983

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez as Gregorio Cortez

1982

Faerie Tale Theatre as Prime Minister

1982

Blade Runner as Gaff

1982

Seguin as Gen. Santa Anna

1981

Hill Street Blues as Not available

1981

Wolfen as Eddie Holt

1981

Zoot Suit as El Pachuco

1981

300 Miles for Stephanie as Art Vela

1980

Virus as Captain Lopez

1979

Dead Angle as Not available

1978

Evening in Byzantium as Angelo

1977

CHiPs as Not available

1977

The Fitzpatricks as Don Vasquez

1977

Alambrista! as 1st Drunk

1975

Starsky & Hutch as Julio Gutierez

1975

The Blue Knight as Clemente (as Ed Olmos)

1975

Aloha, Bobby and Rose as Chicano #1

1974

Police Woman as Not available

1973

Kojak as Paco

1973

Police Story as Not available

1971

Cannon as Not available

1968

Hawaii Five-O as Dancer

NaN

Office Romance as Captain Jack Cruz

NaN

Blue Collar & Buddha as Not available
Crew

2024

Say a Little Prayer Executive Producer

2020

Chaparreando Creator

2019

The Devil Has a Name Director

2019

The Devil Has a Name Producer

2013

Go for Sisters Producer

2013

Filly Brown Executive Producer

2006

Walkout Director

2004

Battlestar Galactica Director

1997

Selena Remembered Producer

1992

American Me Director

1992

American Me Producer

1983

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez Original Music Composer

1983

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez Associate Producer