Luis Contreras
Tall, lean, and wiry, 6-foot-4 Euro-Indigenous Latino American character actor. The son of Euro-Indigenous Latino American character actor, Roberto Contreras. Luis Contreras was born on September 18, 1950. Lean and wiry, often sporting a mass of curly hair and drooping mustache, with his piercing dark eyes and angular face Contreras ranged between portraying various criminals and police officers. Contreras made his film debut as a Federale in Steven Spielberg's wonderful science fiction classic "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." He also popped up as a zoot suiter in Spielberg's hilarious all-star comedy "1941." Contreras frequently acted in movies for director Walter Hill: "The Long Riders," "48 HRS.,""Extreme Prejudice," "Red Heat," "Geronimo: An American Legend," and "Last Man Standing." Contreras was especially memorable as a grocery store security guard in the cult classic sci-fi black comedy "Repo Man," the vicious ringleader of a gang of cocaine cowboys in "Stand Alone," a hostile eye-patched biker in the delightfully madcap "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," and a deranged homeless man who terrorizes a trio of teenage girls in the "A Night on the Town" episode of the hugely enjoyable horror anthology "After Midnight." Contreras also did guest appearances on the TV shows "CHiPs," "Quincy M.E.," "T.J. Hooker," "Knight Rider," "Riptide," "Hill Street Blues," "Simon & Simon," "Night Court," "Hunter," "Matlock," and "Carnivale", regularly working through the 1970s and 1980s. Luis Contreras died of cancer at the tragically young age of 53 on June 20, 2004.
Known For
Credits
- 2004 · Criminal as Carlos
- 2004 · Wednesday Afternoon as The Bartender
- 2003 · Carnivàle as Proprietor
- 2001 · Missing Pieces as Beggar
- 2000 · American Tragedy as Bum
- 2000 · Across the Line as Timex
- 1996 · Last Man Standing as Comandante Ramirez
- 1996 · The Winner as Guy in Couple
- 1994 · Dragstrip Girl as Raoul
- 1993 · Geronimo: An American Legend as Rurale Officer
- 1993 · The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. as El Gato
- 1993 · Rio Diablo as Pedro Almenzar
- 1993 · Bound by Honor as Realthing
- 1992 · Desert Kickboxer as
- 1991 · Dollman as Jackson
- 1991 · Lower Level as Street Person
- 1991 · Suburban Commando as Ringo
- 1990 · El Diablo as Pestoso
- 1989 · After Midnight as The Dogs' Master (segment "A Night on the Town")
- 1988 · Red Heat as Lupo
- 1988 · Sunset as Jail Inmates
- 1987 · Walker as Benito
- 1987 · The Oldest Rookie as
- 1987 · Straight to Hell as Sal
- 1987 · Police Story: The Freeway Killings as Apartment Manager
- 1987 · Extreme Prejudice as Lupo
- 1986 · Heart of the City as Desk Clerk
- 1986 · Running Scared as Thug (uncredited)
- 1986 · Big Trouble as Terrorist #2
- 1986 · Blue City as Lieutenant Ortiz
- 1986 · Matlock as Inmate #2
- 1985 · Stand Alone as Look-Out
- 1985 · Pee-wee's Big Adventure as Biker #2
- 1985 · Walking the Edge as Jesus
- 1984 · A Touch of Scandal as Eugenio Salvador
- 1984 · Hunter as Gunman
- 1984 · Repo Man as Mr. Humphries' Security Guard
- 1984 · Airwolf as Mule
- 1984 · Night Court as Defendant #2
- 1984 · Night Court as Mr. Alvarez
- 1982 · 48 Hrs. as Gang Member
- 1982 · Knight Rider as Coyote
- 1982 · Knight Rider as Voice #2
- 1982 · Tales of the Gold Monkey as
- 1982 · T. J. Hooker as Cezar Moro
- 1982 · T. J. Hooker as Louis Pordeo
- 1982 · Barbarosa as Angel
- 1981 · Falcon Crest as Inmate Tony
- 1981 · Simon & Simon as
- 1980 · Borderline as
- 1980 · The Long Riders as Man at the Bar
- 1980 · Heart Beat as Mexican Junkie
- 1980 · The Last Married Couple in America as Party Guest
- 1979 · 1941 as Zoot Suiter
- 1977 · Close Encounters of the Third Kind as Federale
- 1977 · CHiPs as
- 1976 · Quincy, M.E. as
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Beggar