Sunday, February 20, 2011

Randy Quaid

Randy Quaid is an actor perhaps best known for portraying quirky characters such as "Cousin Eddie" in the Vacation movies. There is no doubt that Quaid's entertainment career has been a tremendous success - he has appeared in more than 90 movies since the 1970s. However, Quaid is undoubtedly a washed-up celebrity because his personal life is in shambles, resulting in the recent decision of he and his wife to move to Canada to seek asylum.

Quaid was born in October 1, 1950 in Houston, Texas in a family with minor ties to the entertainment world. His younger brother is movie star Dennis Quaid. According to brother Dennis Quaid, their father was a "failed actor." His grand-father's first cousin was the singing cowboy, Gene Autry.

Randy became and actor as a young adult and began appearing in minor roles in movies during the early 1970s. His first major role was in the 1973 comedy-drama, "The Last Detail," where he starred alongside Jack Nicholson and played a young sailor sentenced to a stiff 8 year prison sentence for stealing $40 from a charity box. The movie followed Quaid's character as Nicholson and another actor accompany Quaid's character to a naval prison. Quaid received critical acclaim for his role in The Last Detail and was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.



Quaid continued appearing in other hit films during the mid-late 1970s, such as "Paper Moon" and "Lolly-Madonna XXX" in 1973 and the Charles Bronson hit prison break movie, "Breakout" in 1975. Quaid followed up with a memorable role as an American prisoner stuck in a Turkish prison in Oliver Stone's 1978 classic drama, "Midnight Express."






Quaid's star continued to rise into the 1980s. In 1983 he appeared as the wacky white trash "Cousin Eddie" in the smash hit comedic Vacation movies. Quaid later starred as a "feature player" on Saturday Night Live during the 1985-86 season. Quaid took a short break from comedy in 1987 when he appeared in the starring role in the well-received "LBJ: The Early Years" made-for-tv movie. Quaid won a Golden Globe for his role as President Lyndon Johnson.

Quaid continued appearing in many movies throughout the 1990s and the first decade on the 2000s. One particularly notable role was in the 1996 smash-hit Independence Day where he played a goofy alcoholic crop-duster who had been abducted by aliens during his youth and evens the score by flying a fighter plane to fight back against the aliens during a full-scale attack.

Another memorable role from 1996 was in the comedy Kingpin, where Quaid played Ishmael Boorg, an Amish bowler who tries to win a professional bowling championship after he is discovered by Woody Harrelson's character. In one classic scene, Chris Elliot's multi-millionaire character offers Harrelson $1 million to sleep with Quaid's character. Harrelson fantasizes about accepting before eventually rejecting the offer.





Quaid received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for his role as talent manager Colonel Tom Parker in the critically acclaimed 2005 mini-series, Elvis, which appeared on CBS.

In 2006 Quaid appeared in the gay cowboy flick, "Brokeback Mountain," where he portrayed an insensitive rancher. Quaid claimed that he agreed to appear for a relatively low fee in the movie because he had been informed that it was "a low-budget, art house film with no prospect of making any money." Quaid was understandably upset when the movie became a hit and grossed $160 million. Quaid sued for $10 million alleging that the producers misrepresented the film to him. Quaid's lawsuit was later settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.




Quaid has also kept himself busy with occasional voice-over roles. He voiced the animated Colonel Sanders in a series of animated commercials for KFC.

Quaid branches over to theater work once in awhile, although his theater work has not always been well-received. In February 2008, the Actors' Equity Association labor union which represents American stage actors banned Quaid for life and fined him more than $81,000. The cab was related to a Seattle production of "Lone Star Love," a Western-themed adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor." In that play, Quaid played the lead role of Falstaff. According to the New York Post, all 26 members of the musical cast claimed that Quaid "physically and verbally abused his fellow performers" and that the show closed rather than continuing to Broadway because of Quaid's "oddball behavior."

Despite his small and big-screen successes, Qauid's personal life is in shambles. I wonder whether he has ever felt any jealously toward his younger brother, Dennis Quaid. Dennis Quaid clearly got the better looks and has occasionally been a headline star, unlike Randy Quaid. For whatever reason, Quaid has engaged in unusual behavior in recent years.

In September 2009, Quaid and his wife were arrested in Texas for defrauding an innkeeper, burglary, and committing conspiracy in California. Quaid and his wife allegedly departed a Santa Barbara, California hotel with an outstanding balance due of approximately $10,000. Although the Quaids made bail and eventually paid the balance, they were still prosecuted for the crime. The Quaids were supposed to appear in district court in Santa Barbara but failed to do so. The Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office later requested bench warrants for the arrest and extradition of the Quaids from Texas in October 2009 after they failed to appear in court. The Quaids later failed to appear at court in April 2010 and forfeited a $1 million in bail that they had previously paid. Arrest warrants for the Quaids were again issued in April 2010.

In April 2010 the Quaids finally appeared in court and their lawyer was able to resolve the case, resulting in a dismissal of the case . The case was dismissed against Randy Quaid for lack of evidence. Quaid's wife, Evi, on the other hand pled no contest to a misdemeanor count of defrauding an innkeeper and was granted probation and ordered to serve 240 hours of community service.


Quaid and his wife ran afoul of the law again in September 2010 when they were charged with burglary. The Quaids apparently were squatting in a guest house, i.e., living in the guest house without permission. The Quaids claimed that they had owned the property since the 1990s, but the property owner produced documents that showed the house was sold to the current owner in 2007. The previous owner had apparently purchased the property from the Quaids years earlier. The Quaids are currently being accused of causing more than $5,000 worth of damage to the guest house.

The Quaids claim that the home was wrongfully transferred to a third party by the use of the forged signature of a dead woman named Ronda Quaid in 1992. Bench warrents were later issued for the Quaids in October 2010 after they failed to appear in court for a hearing on the burglary charges.

Instead of owning up to the wrongdoing of he and his wife, Quaid decided to flee in the country in October 2010. Quaid and his wife sought protection under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act after being arrested at the US-Canadian border in Vancouver B.C. The Quaids have sought refugee status on the grounds that they fear for their lives in the United States as numerous actors have died under mysterious circumstances committed by the "Hollywood star whackers". The Quaids were granted bail on the condition that they post a $10,000 bond. The Quaids, however, failed to post the requisite bond and were subsequently arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency. The Quaids were later released on October 27, 2010 after it was determined that Evi Quaid is a "prima facie Canadian citizen."

Randy Quaid has had a long and successful acting career and is known throughout the world for his various quirky roles. However, Quaid's personal life is very strange to say the least and a result, there should be no doubt that Randy Quaid is one washed-up celebrity!

*** Update - October 12, 2015 ***

Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi, were arrested on Saturday, October 10, 2015 while attempting to cross into the United States from Canada.  They are reportedly being held awaiting extradition on arrest warrants outstanding in California.  

Quaid looks completely disheveled in this photo taken by the Vermont state police!

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahhh. Finally done, and a great entry this is! Any more in the works?

KevinFederballs said...

Yay, a new entry! Took ya long enough!

BOTR said...

Finally, no more Pete Rose at the top of the page! Hopefully it doesn't take another seven months for a new entry to be posted.

Movie Fan said...

^^^ Anonymous, I some washed-up celebrities in mind, such as Wesley Snipes and Val Kilmer but have not yet started on their entries.

Anonymous said...

Him and his old lady both look like trailer park trash

Anonymous said...

Hey Movie Fan..you really need to do a post on Mackenzie Phillips..anyone who would make up a story about having sex with their father is pretty washed up..you should also do one on Grace Slick..she's definetly a washed up old hag.

Anonymous said...

About time you do an update.

The Blue Light Buzz said...

Are there any chances of doing a hip-hop celebrity named Marion "Suge" Knight? The former CEO of Death Row Records?

Sue said...

I am thrilled there is finally a new entry. Couldn't have picked a better washed up nut. Charlie Sheen should be appearing here soon.

BOTR said...

Can't wait for the Val Kilmer one. I had a huge crush on him when I saw Willow, but now he looks like a bloated buttmunch.

Mike Hunt said...

Yes, please do an entry for Val Kilmer. In this pic he looks like a kilmer whale:

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Entertainment/images-7/val-kilmer-fat-beach.jpg

Nards of Goat said...

Goddammit, Movie Fan!! I love this blog...and you, too;) But Randy Quaid?! Sure he's hit a rough patch. Doesn't everybody? He's not like Dustin or Leif. He's still got some go in that rotund physique. I watch the "Vacation" videos over and over and over metanlly undressing him, unlike that ugly hag Bev D'Angelo (whom I mentally DRESS). Please find someone else deserving of ridicule! I know you won't take Randy off, but he's the stuff I jerk my turkeyneck to several times every night...and mark my words, HE WILL BE BACK! Long live this blog, and fuck all you haters!

Ed said...

Please add Val Kilmer to the list! He is one fat sweaty and smelly looking washed up celebrity!

Reed said...

Butch "Eddie Munster" Patrick is a megaloser. He recently got in a fight with another huge loser, Jeff "Kenickie" Conaway at an autograph show. You dont have to to twtnty pages, but both of these guys would be ripe for an entry, esp Eddie Munster.

BOTR said...

^^^

Agreed on both of these; I'm kind of surprised that they haven't been on here yet.

(A fight at an autograph show? Sounds like something Dustin Diamond would do.)

Anonymous said...

Your site is the best movie fan but we need more entries!!!

Anonymous said...

The lot of you are taking the troubles of another human being and ADDING to them by spreading noxious and scurrilous slander. Even IF any of these former celebrities are guilty of any of the things so heartlessly gossiped, SO F*ing WHAT.

It doesn't mean it is okay to kick someone when they are already obviously, down.

What branch of the masons are you working for?

Anonymous said...

Oh, after "blog owner approval" . Isn't that convenient? Too bad the targets of your poison pen don't have the option to keep bad press or criticism away from them. Let alone outrageous out and out lies.

Anonymous said...

Do one for Jan Micheal Vincent! At one time he was the highest paid actor for a TV show in the 80s for his role on Airwolf!

Anonymous said...

I hate to say it but...

...Carrie Fisher please!

...Margot Kidder too while I'm thinking about it!

Movie Fan said...

^^^ I already did one on Margo Kidder. http://washedupcelebrities.blogspot.com/2008/09/margot-kidder.html

Anonymous said...

Too late on Kenickie. he's dead.

Arbi Baraev said...

I don;t know too much about randy quaid except for his supporting roles, and in some movies i didn't even know that was him, but regardless he has accomplished a lot. unfortunately he's gone pretty down hill in his personal life starting with this whole "star whackers" ordeal. he even wrote a song about it (look on youtube). he can probably get other supporting roles so i don't think he's due for a dirt nap yet, but i wonder how long he can hold on to his sanity. i bet his wife isn't helping matters either since she is also on the drugs...

Anonymous said...

I've heard that he and kid brother Dennis Quaid detest each other and haven't spoken in years.

Arbi Baraev said...

to anon september 4th:

based on a Hartford Examiner article written by Roz Zurko it is alleged that dennis distances himself from randy because Evi is one crazy bitch (leads one to believe she has a huge part in randy's mire) he is also estranged from his own mother. evi it seems ws kicked out of several boarding schools in the North East (maine), and moved to LA to pursue a modeling career, which is how she attracted randy and his life went downhill.

art photographer and dirty old man helmut newton presents some of evi's work:
http://www.mak.at/mysql/ausstellungen_show_page.php?a_id=202&lang=en

this one she sent to a paper:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e-zofJBcVwY/TJY6KDZ-kxI/AAAAAAAABE0/nyaDoKC3Nmw/s1600/images-16.jpg

and this one is reprehensible and probably fake since we know randy weighs 300 pounds:
http://mainstreetmallonline.com/fanstuff/listingview.php?num=9018&ref=2

with a disturbed woman like that holding randy's balls it's kind of hard for dennis to act like nothing's the matter and embrace them. btw evi wasn't that bad looking, but nowadays after the herion she looks like suzan b. anthony...

Anonymous said...

There's something about that woman of his. Shes always smiley and happy, like shes up to something. She's probably the source of all the crazy to begin with.

Joe said...

randy quads bond was recently raised to 10 million and is still awaiting approval to live in canada. famed bounty hunter duane"dog" chapman has publicly challenged Quad to come back to the states to face his charges and has even offered to meet quad at the US/canada border himself.

Anonymous said...

Hey ALL OF YOU, until you've walked in their shoes you have very little right to Hating on them like this.

Misus Yellow Cab said...

I was waiting for someone to comment on that. She's smiling in every picture - her paparazzi shot, her mug shot, her being-taken-away-In-handcuffs-shot. Creepy.

Eddie R said...

What a dirtbag!

Anonymous said...

LMAO at the designation "Hollywood star whackers" (which should actually be Hollywood Woody Wackers!

Anonymous said...

WAIT....I thought Randy won an Oscar for his stunning performance in Brokeback......I think Randy is a funny bloke and yes, I bet he's extremely jealous of his B movie brother but having said that, I do believe he needs to seek therapy for his bizarre personal life. As for the Oscar, I am getting my movies mixed up. It was Heath who played the gay tent arsef*cker in Brokeback who won the Oscar for dressing up like a clown in Batman.

Anonymous said...

Sad that most of these posts are all against the actor. I like what one person said....if you haven't walked in their shoes you really have nothing to say. Have any of you really thought about the fact that you only know as much as the media shows and wants to portray. If you do your research and dig into history you would come to learn that what Randy Quaid is talking about it is very real. He isn't the first one to speak up and many have been murdered for the same. Don't be so naive and believe life is so great for these actors/celebrities. Do your research and put the pieces together. Obviously the media and people in great power are not going to come out and say that this is going on. The guy is normal and lives a normal life....so he's sharing something that is hard to swallow. Why does everyone assume he is crazy?? Open your eyes people....and stop looking for dirt on people. The person running this page should find something better to do with their time.

Anonymous said...

Randy bought me some waffles one time after a long meth fueld frenzy at a Motel 6.

Unknown said...

No updates of Randy Quaidon this site? It mocks and ridicules, but doesn't have the deceny to at least stay timely??? Did you fall asleep headmaster?
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/actor-randy-quaid-ordered-held-500-000-bail-vermont-n443116

Movie Fan said...

Thanks for the heads up, Monster Mash!

Unknown said...

Extremely talented actor and gifted artist

Unknown said...

I wish him well...