Mark Metcalf (born March 11, 1946) is an American television and film actor often playing the role of an antagonistic and aggrieved authority figure.
He is best known for his role as sadistic ROTC officer Douglas C. Neidermeyer in the 1978 American comedy film Animal House, a character he later emulated in the 1984 music videos for the songs "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock" by the heavy metal band Twisted Sister.
He is also known for playing the role of The Maestro on two episodes of the sitcom Seinfeld as well as for his recurring role as The Master on the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel.
Early life
Metcalf was born in Findlay, Ohio.
Metcalf enrolled in the engineering program at the University of Michigan. He also played recurring roles on shows such as Hill Street Blues, Teen Angel, Star Trek: Voyager, Ally McBeal and JAG. In 1993 he moved to Hollywood.
From 1997 to 2002, Metcalf played the vampire known as The Master on several episodes of the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel. Metcalf had moved to Wisconsin to start a restaurant with his wife and with no intent on continuing with acting, due to raising a child with special needs. Metcalf was the subject of Vera Brunner-Sung's documentary short Character that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020. Metcalf met Brunner-Sung through a mutual friend after moving to Columbus, Ohio. They owned and operated a restaurant in nearby Mequon, Wisconsin called Libby Montana.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1977
|Julia
|Pratt
|
|-
|1978
|Animal House
|Doug Neidermeyer
|
|-
|1979
|Chilly Scenes of Winter
|Ox
|
|-
|1980
|Where the Buffalo Roam
|Dooley
|
|-
|1983
|The Final Terror
|Mike
|
|-
|1984
|Almost You
|Andrews
|
|-
|1985
|The Heavenly Kid
|Joe Barnes
|
|-
|1986
|One Crazy Summer
|Aguilla Beckersted
|
|-
|1988
|Mr. North
|Mr. Skeel
|
|-
|1989
|The Oasis
|Eric
|
|-
|1991
|Oscar
|Milhous
|
|-
|1992
|I'm Your Man
|Richard Hewett
|Interactive film
|-
|1995
|A Reason to Believe
|Dean Kirby
|
|-
|1995
|Rage
|Lt. Gov. Dalquist
|
|-
|1996
|The Stupids
|Colonel Neidermeyer
|
|-
|1997
|Hijacking Hollywood
|Michael Lawrence
|
|-
|1997
|Loose Women
|Director Marsh
|
|-
|1999
|Drive Me Crazy
|Mr. Rope
|
|-
|2000
|The Million Dollar Kid
|Officer Bob
|
|-
|2002
|Britney, Baby, One More Time
|Barfly
|
|-
|2002
|Sorority Boys
|John Kloss
|
|-
|2002
|Lone Hero
|Marshall Harris
|
|-
|2006
|The Legend Trip
|Charles Knotting
|
|-
|2007
|The Sleeper
|Richmond
|
|-
|2009
|Modus Operandi
|Copper Gore
|
|-
|2011
|Fort McCoy
|Mr. Gerkey
|
|-
|2011
|We Will Rock You
|Major Emile Hickory
|
|-
|2012
|Playback
|Chris Safford
|
|-
|2012
|Little Red
|Lou
|
|-
|2012
|The Smart Ones
|Professor Faron
|
|-
|2013
|Billy Club
|The Umpire
|
|-
|2014
|Hamlet A.D.D.
|Speedy McSpitty
|
|-
|2017
|Manlife
|Alfred Lawson
|Voice
|-
|2018
|A Futile and Stupid Gesture
|Second Publisher
|
|-
|2019
|The Field
|Sheriff Roy
|
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1975
|Karen
|Jess Walker
|Episode: "I Gave at the Office"
|-
|1978
|Julie Farr, M.D.
|Buddy
|Episode: "Careers"
|-
|1979
|Barnaby Jones
|Ted Parker
|2 episodes
|-
|1981
|Breaking Away
|The Racer
|Episode: "La Strada"
|-
|1981
|Hill Street Blues
|Officer Harris
|4 episodes
|-
|1982
|Teachers Only
|David
|Episode: "Diana, Substitute Mother"
|-
|1983
|For Love and Honor
|Major Camden
|Episode: "Rite of Passage"
|-
|1983
|Hotel
|Chuck
|Episode: "Confrontations"
|-
|1986
|One Life to Live
|Stick
|3 episodes
|-
|1988
|Miami Vice
|Agent Brody
|Episode: "Baseballs of Death"
|-
|1989
|A Man Called Hawk
|Mr. Kirkpatrick
|Episode: "The Divided Child"
|-
|1991
|L.A. Law
|Greg Morrison
|Episode: "As God Is My Co-Defendant"
|-
|1991
|Dream On
|The Creature
|Episode: "The Second Greatest Story Ever Told"
|-
|1991
|Guilty Until Proven Innocent
|Ron D'Angelo
|Television film
|-
|1991
|A Woman Named Jackie
|George Smathers
|2 episodes
|-
|1992
|Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster
|Dennis Kelso
|Television film
|-
|1993
|Renegade
|Russell
|Episode: "The Champ"
|-
|1994
|Silk Stalkings
|Scott Finn
|Episode: "The Last Campaign"
|-
|1994
|Walker, Texas Ranger
|Norval Hayes
|Episode: "Deadly Vision"
|-
|1994
|Dead at 21
|Sheriff Sullivan
|Episode: "Love Minus Zero"
|-
|1994
|Touched by an Angel
|Nick Morrow
|Episode: "The Southbound Bus"
|-
|1995
|Melrose Place
|Det. Bob Wilkens
|2 episodes
|-
|1995, 1996
|Seinfeld
|Bob Cobb
|2 episodes
|-
|1996
|Party of Five
|Mr. Reeves
|Episode: "Unfair Advantage"
|-
|1997–1998
|Teen Angel
|Roderick Nitzke
|7 episodes
|-
|1997, 1998
|Ally McBeal
|Attorney Walden
|2 episodes
|-
|1997–2002
|Buffy the Vampire Slayer
|The Master
|8 episodes
|-
|1998
|Star Trek: Voyager
|Hirogen Medic
|2 episodes
|-
|1999
|JAG
|Captain Pike
|3 episodes
|-
|2000
|Angel
|The Master
|Episode: "Darla"
|-
|2001
|Warden of Red Rock
|Carl McVale
|Television film
|-
|2006
|Video on Trial
|Abusive Father
|Episode #2.6
|-
|2009
|Mad Men
|Mayor Johnson
|Episode: "Souvenir"
|}