Steve Railsback
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Nov 16, 1945 (age 80)
- Place of birth
- Dallas, Texas, USA
- Credits
- 89
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.
Known for
Supernatural
2005TV
Joseph Welch
The Mentalist
2008TV
Fred Kittel
The X-Files
1993TV
Duane Barry
Charmed
1998TV
Litvack
In the Line of Fire
1993Movie
CIA Agent David Coppinger (uncredited)
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love
2009Movie
Alumnus Guy #5
Filmography
Best Served Cold: How a Revenge Film was Buried for Decades
2026Movie
Himself
Unspeakable: Beyond The Wall of Sleep
2024Movie
Night Caller
2022Movie
Andrew Lubitz
AGFA Mystery Mixtape #2: Later in L.A.
2020Movie
(archive footage)
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
2020Movie
(archive footage)
Gone Are the Days
2018Movie
Jaden
Infiltrators
2014Movie
Sebastian Koenig
Decker
2014TV
Fictional General Cotter
Wild in Blue
2014Movie
Charlie's Father
Femme Fatales
2011TV
Dr. Daniel Duryea
Once Fallen
2010Movie
Aryan Boss
Plaguers
2010Movie
Tarver
American Pie Presents: The Book of Love
2009Movie
Alumnus Guy #5
Follow the Prophet
2009Movie
Senator Stanton
Ready or Not
2009Movie
Pilot
Rest Stop: Don't Look Back
2008Movie
The Owner
The Mentalist
2008TV
Fred Kittel
Not Quite Hollywood
2008Movie
Self
King of the Lost World
2005Movie
Larry
Supernatural
2005TV
Joseph Welch
The Devil's Rejects
2005Movie
Sheriff Ken Dwyer
Neo Ned
2005Movie
Mr. Day
Intermedio
2005Movie
Old Man
UnConventional
2004Movie
Self
The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting
2003Movie
Deputy Jessup (uncredited)
The Box
2003Movie
Jake Ragna
Slash
2002Movie
Jeremiah
Storytelling
2001Movie
Mr. Kirk
Zigs
2001Movie
Charlie
Ed Gein
2000Movie
Ed Gein
The Sinister Saga of Making The Stunt Man
2000Movie
Family Law
1999TV
Gary Peres
Me and Will
1999Movie
Rob
Made Men
1999Movie
Kyle
Charmed
1998TV
Litvack
Disturbing Behavior
1998Movie
Officer Cox
Termination Man
1998Movie
Dylan Pope
Pressure Point
1997Movie
Arno Taylor
The Visitor
1997TV
Colonel James Vise
The Practice
1997TV
Walter Dawson
Vanishing Point
1997Movie
Sergeant Preston
Stranger in the House
1997Movie
Jack Derby
Street Corner Justice
1996Movie
Sergeant Ryan Freeborn
Barb Wire
1996Movie
Colonel Pryzer
Final Mission
1994Movie
Colonel Glen Anderson
Separated by Murder
1994Movie
Jesse Dixon
Save Me
1994Movie
Robbins
Private Wars
1993Movie
Jack Manning
The X-Files
1993TV
Duane Barry
Calendar Girl
1993Movie
Eddie Darpinian
In the Line of Fire
1993Movie
CIA Agent David Coppinger (uncredited)
Bonds of Love
1993Movie
Ken Smith
Sunstroke
1992Movie
Biggs
Quake
1992Movie
Kyle
Forever
1992Movie
William Desmond Taylor
Alligator 2: The Mutation
1991Movie
Vinnie Brown
Scissors
1991Movie
Alex Morgan / Cole Morgan
Good Cops, Bad Cops
1990Movie
The Assassin
1990Movie
Hank Knight
The Cross of Iberia
1990Movie
Novak
The Forgotten
1989Movie
Lt. Jesse Brady
Deadly Intent
1988Movie
Jeff Kirkwood
Blue Monkey
1987Movie
Det. Jim Bishop
Scenes from the Goldmine
1987Movie
Harry Spiros
Nukie
1987Movie
Dr. Eric Harvey
Distortions
1987Movie
Scott Marshall
The Survivalist
1987Movie
Jack Tillman
The Wind
1986Movie
Kesner
Armed and Dangerous
1986Movie
The Cowboy
Spearfield's Daughter
1986Movie
Tom Border
The Twilight Zone
1985TV
(segment "Dead Run")
Lifeforce
1985Movie
Col. Tom Carlsen
The Making Of Lifeforce
1985Movie
Self
Torchlight
1984Movie
Jake Gregory
The Golden Seal
1983Movie
Jim Lee
Great Transport
1983Movie
Pavle Paroški
The Great Transport
1983TV
Pavle Paroški
Trick or Treats
1982Movie
Bret
Deadly Games
1982Movie
Billy Owens
Turkey Shoot
1982Movie
Paul Anders
The Stunt Man
1980Movie
Cameron
From Here to Eternity
1979TV
Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt
Angela
1977Movie
Jean
Helter Skelter
1976Movie
Charles Manson
Helter Skelter
1976TV
Charles Manson
Cockfighter
1974Movie
Junior
The Visitors
1972Movie
Mike Nickerson
The Last Escape of Billy the Kid
1972Movie
Billy the Kid
H: The Story of a Teen-Age Drug Addict
1951Movie
Bill