Terry O'Quinn
Biography
Terry O'Quinn, born Terrance Quinn on July 15, 1952, in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, USA, is an American male actor. He achieved widespread recognition for his Emmy Award‑winning portrayal of John Locke in the television series Lost, which aired from 2004 to 2010. His film credits include The Stepfather (1987), The Rocketeer (1991), Heaven's Gate (1980), Silver Bullet (1985), Young Guns (1988), Blind Fury (1989), Tombstone (1993) and Primal Fear (1996). On television he is also known for playing Peter Watts in Millennium (1996–1999), FBI Assistant Director Kendall in Alias (2002–2004), Commander Joe White in Hawaii Five‑0 (2011–2018) and Tom Tavner in Patriot (2015–2018). He is also credited as Terence Quinn, Terrance Quinn and Terr.
Career overview
Terrance Quinn, born on July 15, 1952, in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, United States, works professionally under the name Terry O’Quinn. He began his screen career appearing in a range of feature films that span the 1980s and 1990s. His early notable credit is the 1980 western Heaven’s Gate, followed by roles in the horror‑thriller Silver Bullet (1985) and the psychological drama The Stepfather (1987). He continued to build a diverse filmography with parts in the western Young Guns (1988), the action‑adventure Blind Fury (1989), the period‑action film The Rocketeer (1991), the classic western Tombstone (1993), and the courtroom thriller Primal Fear (1996). These appearances established him as a versatile character actor capable of moving between genres and supporting both lead and ensemble casts.
O’Quinn’s television work has become a defining element of his career. He portrayed Peter Watts on the science‑fiction series Millennium from 1996 to 1999 and later appeared as FBI Assistant Director Kendall in Alias between 2002 and 2004. His most celebrated role came as John Locke on the drama Lost, a performance that earned him an Emmy Award and ran from 2004 to 2010. Subsequent recurring roles include Commander Joe White on Hawaii Five‑0 (2011‑2018) and Tom Tavner on the dark comedy series Patriot (2015‑2018). Across film and television, O’Quinn has maintained a steady presence in American entertainment for more than four decades.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024) as Major General Johnathan Beale
- Unsung Hero (2024) as Grandpa James
- Getting LOST (2024) as Self
- LOST: Circle (2023) as John Locke
- PIECES OF HER (2022) as Martin Queller
- Resident Alien (2021) as Peter Bach
- Resident Alien (2021) as Peter Bach (voice)
- Ultra City Smiths (2021) as Captain Krieger (voice)
- Christmas Sail (2021) as Dennis
- FBI: Most Wanted (2020) as Byron LaCroix
- Emergence (2019) as Richard Kindred
- Perpetual Grace LTD (2019) as Wesley Walker
- Castle Rock (2018) as Dale Lacy
- The Blacklist: Redemption (2017) as Howard Hargrave
- Mysteries of the Missing (2017) as Self - Host
- New Life (2016) as Dr. Philip Sumrall
- Secrets and Lies (2015) as John Warner
- Patriot (2015) as Tom Tavner
- Gang Related (2014) as Sam Chapel
- Full Circle (2013) as Jimmy Parerra
- Ring of Fire (2012) as Oliver Booth
- 666 Park Avenue (2012) as Gavin Doran
- Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story (2011) as Mark Miller
- Hawaii Five-0 (2010) as Joe White
- Masters of Science Fiction (2007)
- Lost (2004) as John Locke
- NCIS (2003) as Will Ryan
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- Old School (2003) as Goldberg (uncredited)
- Phenomenon II (2003)
- First Monday (2002)
- Town Diary (2002)
- The Locket (2002) as Casey Keddington
- Hometown Legend (2002) as Buster Schuler
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) as Gordon Buchanan
- Good Day Live (2001) as Self
- Alias (2001) as Kendall
- American Outlaws (2001) as Rollin H. Parker
- WW3 (2001) as Eric Farrell
- Semper Fi (2001) as Cliff's Father
- Rated X (2000) as J.R. Mitchell
- The West Wing (1999) as Nicholas Alexander
- Roswell (1999) as Carl
- Harsh Realm (1999)
- Murder in a Small Town (1999) as Sidney Lassiter
- The X-Files (1998) as Michaud
- The View (1997) as Self
- Shadow Conspiracy (1997) as Frank Ridell
- My Stepson, My Lover (1997) as Richard Cory
- Breast Men (1997) as Hersch Lawyer
- On the Edge of Innocence (1997) as David Walker
- Millennium (1996) as Peter Watts
- Primal Fear (1996) as Yancy
- Ghosts of Mississippi (1996) as Judge Hilburn
- JAG (1995) as Admiral Thomas Boone
- JAG (1995) as Thomas Boone
- The Client (1995) as Bert Halliwell
- Shadow Warriors (1995) as Dr. Connors
- Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder (1995) as Frank Darnell
- Earth 2 (1994) as Reilly
- Lipstick Camera (1994) as Raymond Miller
- A Friend to Die For (1994) as Ed Saxe
- Don't Talk to Strangers (1994) as Bonner
- MacShayne: Winner Takes All (1994) as Danny Leggett
- Justice in a Small Town (1994) as Harris Wiley
- Heart of a Child (1994) as Gordon Holc
- The X-Files (1993) as Lt. Brian Tillman
- The X-Files (1993) as Shadow Man
- Diagnosis: Murder (1993) as Ronald Trent
- Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) as Bailey Lafeld
- Tombstone (1993) as Mayor Clum
- Visions of Murder (1993) as Adm. Truman Hager
- Amityville: A New Generation (1993) as Detective Clark
- Born Too Soon (1993) as Dr. Friedman
- The Cutting Edge (1992) as Jack Moseley
- Wild Card (1992) as Barlow
- The Good Fight (1992) as Henry Cragin
- Trial: The Price of Passion (1992) as Bob Altschuler
- Sexual Advances (1992) as Cliff Ripley
- Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View (1992) as Sergeant Don Bell
- My Samurai (1992)
- The Rocketeer (1991) as Howard Hughes
- Son of the Morning Star (1991) as Gen. Alfred Terry
- Company Business (1991) as Colonel Pierce Grissom
- The Last to Go (1991) as Daniel
- Shoot First: A Cop's Vengeance (1991) as Sergeant Nicholas
- Kaleidoscope (1990) as Henry
- Blood Oath (1990) as Major Beckett
- Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception (1990) as Curt Mitchell
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Inspector Martin Zeller
- Stepfather 2 (1989) as Dr. Gene Clifford / Jerry Blake
- Blind Fury (1989) as Frank Devereaux
- Roe vs. Wade (1989) as Jay Floyd
- The Forgotten One (1989) as Bob Anderson
- Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North (1989) as Aaron Sykes
- Young Guns (1988) as Alex McSween
- Pin : A Plastic Nightmare (1988) as Dr. Frank Linden
- Stranger on My Land (1988) as Connie Priest
- The Jogger (1988) as Jerry
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) as Admiral Eric Pressman
- Jake and the Fatman (1987) as Vincent Novak
- A Year in the Life (1987) as Keith
- Black Widow (1987) as Bruce
- The Stepfather (1987) as Jerry Blake
- At Mother's Request (1987) as Joel Campbell
- When the Time Comes (1987) as Wes Travis
- Matlock (1986)
- L.A. Law (1986) as Nick Moats
- SpaceCamp (1986) as Launch Director
- Women of Valor (1986) as Maj. Tom Patterson
- Between Two Women (1986) as Dr. Wallace
- Moonlighting (1985) as Bryant Wilbourne
- The Twilight Zone (1985) as Curt Lockridge (segment "Chameleon")
- Silver Bullet (1985) as Sheriff Joe Haller
- Mischief (1985) as Claude Harbrough
- An Early Frost (1985) as Dr. Redding
- Right to Kill? (1985) as Jim Barrett
- Miami Vice (1984) as Richard Cain
- Places in the Heart (1984) as Buddy Kelsey
- Mrs. Soffel (1984) as Detective Buck McGovern
- All the Right Moves (1983) as Freeman Smith
- Without a Trace (1983) as Parent
- Jacobo Timerman: Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number (1983) as Colonel Thomas Rhodes
- Remington Steele (1982) as Chuck McBride
- Heaven's Gate (1980) as Captain Minardi
- F.D.R.: The Last Year (1980) as James Roosevelt
- Tales of the Unexpected (1979) as Cop
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Michael Keddington's Abusive Father