Vernon Wells(I)
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Strong-featured Australian actor Vernon Wells was born December
1945 in Rushworth, rural Victoria, to Eva Maude (Jackson) and Michael Wells. He initially worked in a quarry, and then as a salesman. He was noticed by casting agents and started to appear in Australian
TV commercials, print ads, local Australian TV shows such as "Homicide"
and "Matlock Police".
His first cinema appearance was a minor role in Felicity (1978), a low budget,
erotic fantasy film. However, Wells was then fortunate to be cast as
the homicidal biker "Wez", in the big budget Mad Max 2 (1981) filmed around
Silverton near Broken Hill in outback New South Wales, Australia. It's
the role for which he is probably best known to international
audiences, as Wells portrays a psychotic, post apocalyptic gang leader
who relentlessly pursues hero Mel Gibson, before meeting a spectacular
death at the film's finale. Hollywood beckoned for Wells, and he
spoofed his mad biker role in the popular teen comedy Weird Science (1985), before
taking on another villainous role as the treacherous ex-soldier
"Bennett", who foolishly double crosses Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando (1985). Once more,
Wells meets a dramatic end, as he is impaled against a boiler at the
film's conclusion, as big Arnold remarks "Let off some steam, Bennett".
Wells continued to find regular work as a "villain" of one description
or another, predominantly in B-grade thrillers or action films
including Last Man Standing (1987), Circuitry Man (1990), Kick of Death (1997) and Starforce (2000). The talented Wells
then landed a recurring role as futuristic criminal "Ransik" in the
highly popular "Power Rangers" TV series, and subsequent series of
films including _Power Rangers Time Force: Photo Finish (2001)_, _Power Rangers Time Force: The End of Time (2002)_ and _Power Rangers Time Force: Dawn of Destiny (2002)_.
1945 in Rushworth, rural Victoria, to Eva Maude (Jackson) and Michael Wells. He initially worked in a quarry, and then as a salesman. He was noticed by casting agents and started to appear in Australian
TV commercials, print ads, local Australian TV shows such as "Homicide"
and "Matlock Police".
His first cinema appearance was a minor role in Felicity (1978), a low budget,
erotic fantasy film. However, Wells was then fortunate to be cast as
the homicidal biker "Wez", in the big budget Mad Max 2 (1981) filmed around
Silverton near Broken Hill in outback New South Wales, Australia. It's
the role for which he is probably best known to international
audiences, as Wells portrays a psychotic, post apocalyptic gang leader
who relentlessly pursues hero Mel Gibson, before meeting a spectacular
death at the film's finale. Hollywood beckoned for Wells, and he
spoofed his mad biker role in the popular teen comedy Weird Science (1985), before
taking on another villainous role as the treacherous ex-soldier
"Bennett", who foolishly double crosses Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando (1985). Once more,
Wells meets a dramatic end, as he is impaled against a boiler at the
film's conclusion, as big Arnold remarks "Let off some steam, Bennett".
Wells continued to find regular work as a "villain" of one description
or another, predominantly in B-grade thrillers or action films
including Last Man Standing (1987), Circuitry Man (1990), Kick of Death (1997) and Starforce (2000). The talented Wells
then landed a recurring role as futuristic criminal "Ransik" in the
highly popular "Power Rangers" TV series, and subsequent series of
films including _Power Rangers Time Force: Photo Finish (2001)_, _Power Rangers Time Force: The End of Time (2002)_ and _Power Rangers Time Force: Dawn of Destiny (2002)_.