Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

A character actor who seems to pop up everywhere as the stereotypical cop, military officer and/or tough guy, von Bargen could turn in performances of stunning complexity when given the chance.

Daniel von Bargen was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 5, 1950 to Juanita (Bustle) and Donald L. von Bargen. Of German and English descent, he grew up in Cincinnati for most of his childhood before moving with his family to Southern California. He attended Purdue University, majoring in drama. He joined the Trinity Repertory Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island, after graduation and worked with them for many years. A breakthrough role in Mastergate (1992) by Larry Gelbart launched him onto Broadway. He starred in off-Broadway productions of "Beggars in the House of Plenty", "Macbeth", "The Cherry Orchard", "Hurlyburly", and "Uncle Vanya." On TV, he was best-known for his roles in Malcolm in the Middle (2000) and The West Wing (1999).

His role in The Postman (1997) as the Pineview sheriff who suspects Kevin Costner's character of being a fraud, was a stand-out as von Bargen infused the role with the pathos of a man caught between just trying to survive and wanting to believe in the hope the Postman represents. In an otherwise mediocre film, audiences were moved to tear up as his character shouts, "Ride Postman! Ride!", just before being put to death for assisting in the rebellion. His more evil side was brought out in Clive Barker's Lord of Illusions (1995) as he played Nix, an older, wiser, more magical and supernaturally gifted type of Charles Manson character rising from the dead to "murder the world".

Daniel von Bargen in Lord of Illusions (1995)

20 February 2012, called 911 (emergency) after shooting himself in the temple with a .38 caliber gun. Was listed as in a critical condition after the shooting.

When he was filming <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/title/tt0119925/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">The Postman (1997)</a>, he was forced to remain on location in
Washington State and was unable to go to his parents&#39; 50th wedding
anniversary. <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0000126/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">Kevin Costner</a>, director/star of the film, took time out from
filming and helped him make a video for his parents to make up for his
absence.

He has coincidentally appeared with husband and wife actors <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0434223/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">Jane Kaczmarek</a> and
<a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0925966/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">Bradley Whitford</a> in four different projects. Along with Kaczmarek, he appeared
in <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/title/tt0212671/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">Malcolm in the Middle (2000)</a>. With Whitford, he was in <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/title/tt0107978/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">RoboCop 3 (1993)</a>, <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/title/tt0107818/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">Philadelphia (1993)</a> and
<a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/title/tt0200276/?ref_=nmtrv_trv">The West Wing (1999)</a>.

Trivia

Daniel von Bargen

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