Age: 79
male
Jonathan Banks (born January 31, 1947) is an American character actor in film and television. Banks dropped out of Indiana University to join a touring company as a stage manager. He went to Australia with the company and stayed on working in theatre there. In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles and performed on stage before picking up bit parts on television. Probably his best-known movie roles are in two films starring Eddie Murphy: 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop. In 48 Hrs. he plays a character who is a friend of the lead and is killed by the villain, beginning the lead characters' story. In Beverly Hills Cop, he plays a villain who kills the lead characters' friend and begins his story. Other movie roles include appearances in Armed and Dangerous, Freejack, Flipper, Airplane!, Gremlins, Murder Me, Murder You, and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. His biggest break on television, came with the series Wiseguy, in which he played Frank McPike for four years, a role which led to an Emmy award nomination. Although his character was primarily the hero's mentor, stories occasionally featured McPike as hero. In 1981 he appeared as Dutch Schultz on the NBC series the Gangster Chronicles. He also starred on the short-lived science fiction TV series Otherworld, as Kommander Neveen Kroll and in the sitcom Fired Up. Banks has also made guest appearances on TV shows including Alias, CSI, Day Break, Highlander: The Series, Matlock, SeaQuest DSV, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Women of the House and Walker Texas Ranger. Most recently, Banks appeared in the final Season Two episodes of Dexter, and in episodes of ER, Cold Case, and Shark, Modern Family. In the second season finale of Breaking Bad, Banks appeared as a mysterious character named Mike. Banks was made a series regular for the third season.
As the Cold War seems to be nearing its end, the director of Argus receives a visit from Tala. The mistress of hell informs Waller of the existence of Madame Xanadu, a homo magi capable of predicting the future. By informing President Reagan of this information, Waller is tasked with locating Xanadu and using her to establish an international surveillance system over the entire population. Xanadu learns from the Stranger about Tala's return to Earth. By searching through her cards and with the help of Stranger, Xanadu discovers that she is now being sought after by the U.S. government. Hesitant to flee the United States, she eventually partners with Zatara, with whom she forms a romance, Etrigan the Demon, and Wonder Woman. Tala, on the other hand, has obtained from Waller the release of Felix Faust and teams up with him and Klarion to sow chaos and get rid of Xanadu and the Phantom Stranger. The series also showcases flashbacks from Xanadu's past, events from the Etrigan film to the present day, including how she became a fortune teller alongside her girlfriend Marisol Del Rios and her efforts to help people in need through her gift of foresight. To track down Xanadu, Waller calls upon the mystical branch of Argus led by Doctor Niles Caulder. Waller and the U.S. government's quest will be in vain when, after defeating Tala, Faust, and Klarion, Reagan is freed from Tala brainwash. Xanadu eventually learns that Merlin is preparing for Satan's return to our dimension.
