Johnny Terris
Encyclopedia
Born in Toronto
and raised in Pictou County Nova Scotia
, Dutch-Canadian Johnny Terris is an actor, filmmaker, writer, producer, dancer, model, artist, photographer and visual video editor. He started out doing guerrilla style short films in the late 80's/early 90's and is known in independent film circles for being able to play a wide assortment of characters and the ability to change his appearance drastically.
He started doing films out of boredom of living in a small town and completed his first film in 1987 at the age of 14 on a 40$ budget and shot with a VHS camcorder in his parents home with his best friend. After leaving home in Pictou County two years later for Halifax, his early films usually delved into comedic-style violence and complete annihilation of filmatic structure and formula.
His next three pieces of work; a trio of short comedies, were passed around through various colleges and parties and started to pick up a small following in the early 90's with the younger punk and indie crowds in the city.
In early 2000, he moved to Hollywood California
where he turned down an offer to double for actor Johnny Depp
, although is compared more to in appearance to lesser known actor Skeet Ulrich
.
2002 saw Terris relocating to Maui Hawaii then studying dance and martial arts before taking a lead film role in Birmingham
Alabama
.
In 2004 he was featured in a television commercial for Safehouse Women's Shelter in which he played an abusive husband and refused payment for the job because it was such a good cause. He also played the disobedient and lazy husband in the comedic film "Faux Paw" which was screened to a sold out audience at Carver Theatre in downtown Birmingham
.
A few months later he played a psychiatrist in the drama thriller "Silent Alarm", who oversees the mental breakdown of a depressed young man addicted to painkillers and emotional trauma who is unable to speak or tolerate speech.
In the end of 2004 he traveled back to Hollywood California
with heavy metal legends Girlschool
on their US tour and filmed some behind the scenes/backstage footage of their Hollywood gig and soundcheck which also included members of AC/DC
and Motorhead. In 2007 he created and compiled two memorial tribute music videos to personal friend/original Girlschool
guitarist Kelly Johnson
, who lost her life that year due to a long battle with spinal cancer.
In 2009 Terris was cast to play Jack The Ripper
and Abraham Lincoln
in two off-Broadway plays by internationally known NYC playwrights Joe Landry and Brian Gazeley though had to pass on the projects due to conflicting schedules.
In 2011 he made the official decision to stop doing underground short films, decided to do horror full time and has released an autobiography on his early life and films titled "Sinister Splendor & Broken Glass".
He currently has places in both Pictou County and the West Coast and splits his time between the two.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and raised in Pictou County Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Dutch-Canadian Johnny Terris is an actor, filmmaker, writer, producer, dancer, model, artist, photographer and visual video editor. He started out doing guerrilla style short films in the late 80's/early 90's and is known in independent film circles for being able to play a wide assortment of characters and the ability to change his appearance drastically.
He started doing films out of boredom of living in a small town and completed his first film in 1987 at the age of 14 on a 40$ budget and shot with a VHS camcorder in his parents home with his best friend. After leaving home in Pictou County two years later for Halifax, his early films usually delved into comedic-style violence and complete annihilation of filmatic structure and formula.
His next three pieces of work; a trio of short comedies, were passed around through various colleges and parties and started to pick up a small following in the early 90's with the younger punk and indie crowds in the city.
In early 2000, he moved to Hollywood California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where he turned down an offer to double for actor Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
, although is compared more to in appearance to lesser known actor Skeet Ulrich
Skeet Ulrich
Bryan Ray Trout , best known as Skeet Ulrich, is an American actor best known for starring in the CBS drama Jericho as Jake Green and for portraying Billy Loomis in Scream...
.
2002 saw Terris relocating to Maui Hawaii then studying dance and martial arts before taking a lead film role in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
In 2004 he was featured in a television commercial for Safehouse Women's Shelter in which he played an abusive husband and refused payment for the job because it was such a good cause. He also played the disobedient and lazy husband in the comedic film "Faux Paw" which was screened to a sold out audience at Carver Theatre in downtown Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
A few months later he played a psychiatrist in the drama thriller "Silent Alarm", who oversees the mental breakdown of a depressed young man addicted to painkillers and emotional trauma who is unable to speak or tolerate speech.
In the end of 2004 he traveled back to Hollywood California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with heavy metal legends Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
on their US tour and filmed some behind the scenes/backstage footage of their Hollywood gig and soundcheck which also included members of AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
and Motorhead. In 2007 he created and compiled two memorial tribute music videos to personal friend/original Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
guitarist Kelly Johnson
Kelly Johnson (guitarist)
Bernadette Jean "Kelly" Johnson was an English guitarist, widely known in the UK in the early 1980s as the lead guitarist of the all-female British heavy metal band Girlschool.-Biography:...
, who lost her life that year due to a long battle with spinal cancer.
In 2009 Terris was cast to play Jack The Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
and Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in two off-Broadway plays by internationally known NYC playwrights Joe Landry and Brian Gazeley though had to pass on the projects due to conflicting schedules.
In 2011 he made the official decision to stop doing underground short films, decided to do horror full time and has released an autobiography on his early life and films titled "Sinister Splendor & Broken Glass".
He currently has places in both Pictou County and the West Coast and splits his time between the two.
Selected films
- The Bionic Cradle
- The Whores (Johnny Terris film)
- Destination Disturbed
- Room 405
- The Model (film)
- Sordid (film)
- Scruff (film)
- Inside Inoxia
- Young & Wasted
- Darlene's Dilemma
- Scrubland (film)
- Grease Monkey (film)