ACTOR
Gary Busey
24 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (24)
- #001
In December 1988, Gary Busey nearly died from head trauma in a motorcycle accident.
- #002
Both Gary Busey and his actor son Jake Busey are licensed pilots who trained at a flight school next to the Santa Monica airport.
- #003
A tumor the size of a plum was removed from Gary Busey's sinus cavity.
- #004
In 2014, Gary Busey won the 14th season of Celebrity Big Brother (2001) in the United Kingdom. He is the first American to win the reality show.
- #005
Along with Werner Klemperer, Gary Busey is one of only two actors to appear in all three of the longest-running primetime scripted series in US television history: Gunsmoke (1955), The Simpsons (1989) and Law & Order (1990).
- #006
Gary Busey holds black belts in all of the following martial arts: budo-jujitsu, capoeira, hapkido, "Jailhouse Rock" and kendo.
- #007
In the early 1960s, Gary Busey attended Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas.
- #008
There was a successful local band called The Rubber Band in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Gary Busey moved to Hollywood to continue his music career.
- #009
Gary Busey transferred to Oklahoma State University, where he dropped out one course short of graduating.
- #010
Gary Busey has three children: actor son Jake Busey (born William Gary Jacob Busey, Jr.) with Judy Busey, daughter Alectra "Ellie" Busey (born 1994) with Tracy Hutchinson, and son Luke Samson Busey with Steffanie Sampson (born 23 February 2010; weighing 6 pounds 7 ounces). Luke's middle name, Samson, is also his mother's maiden name.
- #011
Gary Busey is friends with Tommy Lee Jones, Meat Loaf, Jeff Bridges and Nick Nolte.
- #012
Gary Busey was considered for the role of Jay Pritchett on Modern Family (2009).
- #013
Gary Busey published an autobiography, "Busey-isms". The book premiered on 7 September 2018 (which was Buddy Holly's 82nd birthday).
- #014
As of 2022, Gary Busey is the only member of the Point Break cast to have taken part in a performance of the comedy spoof stage show 'Point Break Live!'. He performed on stage alongside the cast to enthusiastic applause from the audience.
- #015
On 4 October 1999, Gary Busey made a rare public appearance at the "Ray & Sharon Courts Hollywood Collectors & Celebrities Show" at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn in North Hollywood. He personally sold autographed pictures from his own collection and charged $15.00 for a photo with him.
- #016
Gary Busey starred alongside Russell Wong in an unaired 1997 pilot for a reboot of Hawaii Five-O. The pilot was filmed in Hawaii but was not broadcast due to a decision by CBS-TV executives.
- #017
Gary Busey was in a band called Carp (on Late Night with David Letterman (1982), he showed David Letterman an old LP by the group).
- #018
On 25 January 1999, Gary Busey was arrested after a fight with his wife Tiani Warden and was released on bail.
- #019
Gary Busey appears as a crazy chef in The Tractors' music video for Shortenin' Bread.
- #020
On June 9, 1998, Gary Busey filed for divorce from Tiani Warden; he later withdrew the petition.
- #021
Gary Busey appeared in four films with Scott Glenn: Angels Hard as They Come (1971), Hex (1973), My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991) and The Player (1992).
- #022
On Tulsa television, Gary Busey appeared as the character Teddy Jack Eddy alongside host Gailard Sartain on "Mazeppa's Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting."
- #023
Gary Busey appeared in four films with Ed Lauter: Dirty Little Billy (1972), The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972), The Last American Hero (1973) and Lolly-Madonna XXX (1973).
- #024
Gary Busey's stage work includes a university production of "Our Town," in which he played a police officer.
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