Gary Busey

Though he received a great deal of acclaim early in his career for his performance as Buddy Holly in "The Buddy Holly Story" (1978), actor Gary Busey let his best work become overshadowed by increasingly bizarre personal behavior and speculation that a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 1988 had rendered him with a degree of brain damage. Adding fuel to the fire was a long struggle with cocaine and alcohol abuse, and occasional descents into violent behavior, which led Busey to embody an unsettling persona both on and off the screen. With film roles like the psychotic henchman Mr. Joshua in "Lethal Weapon" (1987) and an aging detective in "Point Break" (1991), the actor worked steadily in a wide array of popular movies and usually stole every scene he was in. Following solid supporting turns in "Under Siege" (1992) and "The Firm" (1993), Busey seemed destined to have a long, lucrative career as a talented character actor. But his increasingly troubled public appearances, which were marked by rambling bouts of armchair spirituality and sudden shifts in demeanor, generally earned more attention. While consistently working as a B-movie villain throughout the following decades, Busey occasionally winked at his public perception, as he did with his recurring stint as a crazier version of himself on "Entourage" (HBO, 2004-11). Though he seemed to confirm his troubled personal life with an appearance on "Celebrity Rehab" (VH1, 2008-12), Busey nonetheless remained one of the most - if not the most - unique performer working in Hollywood.