Encyclopedia
Joe Chrest
American academic and actor
Joseph Chrest (born May 26, 1963) is an American academic and actor. He has had roles in numerous films and television series including 21 Jump Street (2012) and its sequel 22 Jump Street (2014), Oldboy, The Butler (both 2013), The Perfect Date (2019), and as Ted Wheeler in Stranger Things (2016-2025).
01Early life and education
Chrest was born and raised in St. Albans, West Virginia, where he attended St. Albans High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Marshall University. In the late 1980s, he earned an MFA in acting from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
02Career
Chrest is an adjunct professor at the School of Theatre in Louisiana State University's College of Music & Dramatic Arts. He teaches a film acting class. Since 1992, he is a founding member of LSU's Swine Palace.
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | King of the Hill | Ben | |
| The Pelican Brief | Song and Dance Man from Bar | ||
| 1995 | The Underneath | Mr. Rodman | |
| 1997 | Clockwatchers | Detective | |
| Yukie | Michael | ||
| 1998 | Dangerous Proposition | Mark | |
| Out of Sight | Andy | ||
| 2000 | Erin Brockovich | Tom Robinson | |
| Lush | Greg | ||
| Auggie Rose | Rhineback | Uncredited | |
| 2002 | Full Frontal | Sex Shop Man #1 | |
| The Ring | Doctor | ||
| 2003 | Runaway Jury | Owens | |
| 2004 | The Aviator | Hell's Angels Director of Photography | |
| 2005 | The Skeleton Key | Paramedic | |
| 2007 | Ocean's Thirteen | Fender Roads' Manager | |
| 2008 | The Secret Life of Bees | Mr. Forrest | |
| Miracle at St. Anna | MP Doyle Ellis | ||
| Who Do You Love? | Malcolm Chisholm | ||
| 2009 | I Love You Phillip Morris | Steven's Dad | |
| Kink | Ed | Short film | |
| The Informant! | Visiting Client | ||
| The Blind Side | Clemson Coach | ||
| 2010 | Welcome to the Rileys | Jerry | |
| Louis | Tom Anderson | ||
| Red | Retirement Home Detective | ||
| Secretariat | Sports Broadcaster | ||
| Knucklehead | Child Services Inspector | ||
| 2011 | Drive Angry | F***ing Passenger | |
| Battle Los Angeles | 1st Sgt. John Roy | ||
| Mask Maker | Electrician | ||
| That's What I Am | Mr. Clear | ||
| Love, Wedding, Marriage | John | ||
| Seeking Justice | Detective Rudeski | ||
| Butter | Butter Fan | ||
| Texas Killing Fields | Salter | ||
| Jeff, Who Lives at Home | Paul | ||
| 2012 | 21 Jump Street | David Schmidt | |
| Battleship | JPL Controller | ||
| The Lucky One | Deputy Moore | ||
| Killing Them Softly | Business Suit Agent | ||
| On the Road | Virginia Cop | ||
| The Campaign | Rainbowland Audience | ||
| The Baytown Outlaws | ATF Agent | ||
| Playing for Keeps | Referee | ||
| 2013 | The Last Exorcism Part II | Pastor | |
| G.I. Joe: Retaliation | Chief of Staff | ||
| The Hot Flashes | Millie's Dad | ||
| Now You See Me | Elkhorn Janitor Agent | ||
| The Butler | White Usher | ||
| Oldboy | Johnny / Schizophrenic Man | ||
| Homefront | DEA Agent #1 | ||
| King of Herrings | The Professor | ||
| 2014 | Barefoot | Trooper | |
| 22 Jump Street | David Schmidt | ||
| Black or White | Dave | ||
| American Heist | Captain Sullivan | ||
| 2015 | Focus | Jeweler | Uncredited |
| Ant-Man | Frank | ||
| I Saw the Light | Oscar Davis | ||
| The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 | Mitchell | ||
| 2016 | Showing Roots | Fuzzy Canaday | |
| Cold Moon | Charles Darrish | ||
| Free State of Jones | James Eakins | ||
| LBJ | McGeorge Bundy | Uncredited | |
| Deepwater Horizon | Sims | ||
| Like Son | Jeff Rugger | ||
| 2017 | Gifted | Kevin Larsen | |
| 2018 | Assassination Nation | Lawrence | |
| The Front Runner | Ira Wyman | ||
| 2019 | The Dirt | David Lee | |
| The Perfect Date | Harvey Lieberman | ||
| Average Guys | Tommy | ||
| Turducken | Bob Miller | Short film | |
| 2020 | The Lovebirds | Red Robe Man | |
| 2021 | The Cran | Isaac | |
| 2022 | Where the Crawdads Sing | Dr. Cone | |
| 2023 | Quiz Lady | Mr. Walters | |
| Killers of the Flower Moon | Lawyer Freeling | ||
| Ganymede | Big Lee | ||
| 2024 | Lisa Frankenstein | Dale Swallows | |
| Fly Me to the Moon | Senator Vanning | ||
| 2025 | Senior Prank | Officer Wyatt |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Law & Order | Lt. Charles Bates | Episode: "Conduct Unbecoming" |
| House of Secrets | Batist | Television film | |
| 1994 | Family Matters | Officer Carmichael | Episode: "Good Cop, Bad Cop" |
| Columbo | Mercer | Episode: "Undercover" | |
| Cries from the Heart | Brandon Richards | Television film | |
| 1995 | Sweet Justice | Dylan | Episode: "Bloodlines" |
| Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long | Carl Weiss | Television film | |
| Fallen Angels | Dino | Episode: "The Professional Man" | |
| 1996 | The Lottery | Deputy Jeff Simmons | Television film |
| Nash Bridges | Kevin McMillan | Episode: "The Brothers McMillan" | |
| Millennium | Raymond Dees | Episode: "5-2-2-6-6-6" | |
| Desert Breeze | Jack | Television film | |
| 1997 | Promised Land | Gary McNeely | Episode: "Downsized" |
| 1998 | Chicago Hope | Judas | Episode: "Tantric Turkey" |
| 1999 | Snoops | Joel Hilburn | Episode: "Singer in the Band" |
| Hefner: Unauthorized | Ed Gunn | Television film | |
| 2000 | Touched by an Angel | Joe | Episode: "Finger of God" |
| 2001 | Level 9 | Derek Santos | Episode: "Wetware" |
| 2004 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Al Maguire | Episode: "Getting Off" |
| Deadwood | Persimmon Phil | Episode: "Deep Water" | |
| Star Trek: Enterprise | Bar Patron | Episode: "Home" | |
| 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story | Jake Elder | Television film | |
| Nikki and Nora | Charlie | ||
| 2005 | Medium | Henry Yellen | Episode: "Coded" |
| Faith of My Fathers | Craner | Television film | |
| Surface | Rich's Friend | Episode: "Episode 5" | |
| 2006 | Thief | Art Luster | Episode: "Everything That Rises Must Converge" |
| 2007 | K-Ville | Det. Ray McPherson | Episode: "Ride Along" |
| 2008 | Front of the Class | Jim Ovbey | Television film |
| 2010 | House of Bones | Benjamin | |
| One Tree Hill | Investor | Episode: "We All Fall Down" | |
| 2011 | Hound Dogs | Trainer | Television film |
| 2012 | Breakout Kings | Detective Estes | 2 episodes |
| Treme | James Townsend | ||
| 2013 | Occult | Agent Colquitt | Television film |
| 2014 | Nashville | Ed Marshall | Episode: "I'll Keep Climbing" |
| True Detective | Detective Demma | 5 episodes | |
| 2016 | Killing Reagan | Jerry Parr | Television film |
| 2016-2025 | Stranger Things | Ted Wheeler | 23 episodes |
| 2017 | Sun Records | Vernon Presley | 7 episodes |
| 2018 | Mr. Mercedes | Detective | 2 episodes |
| The Purge | Ross Bailes | 3 episodes | |
| 2019 | Looking for Alaska | Walter Halter | 4 episodes |
| 2020 | When the Streetlights Go On | Mr. Chambers | 10 episodes |
| 2022 | The First Lady | Dr. Pursh | 2 episodes |
| A Friend of the Family | Bishop Matthew Paulsen | 6 episodes | |
| 2026 | High Potential | Ramsey Pike | Episode: "Grounded" |
Theatre
| Month/Year | Venue | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1986 | LSU Theatre | The Rimers of Eldritch | Lanford Wilson | |
| May 1987 | LSU Theatre | The Rose Tattoo | "In a large and energetic cast, Joe Chrest and Amanda P. White bring credibility to their small (unaccented) roles." | |
| April 1988 | LSU Theatre | Fool for Love | Martin | The cast also performed at the Kennedy Center as part of the American College Theater Festival. |
| December 1988 | LSU Theatre | The Wild Duck | Gregers Werle | |
| August 2001 | Theatre West Virginia | The Sound of Music | Captain von Trapp | He was also director of the play. |
| May 28-July 6, 2025 | Mark Taper Forum | Hamlet | Detective Fortinbras/Ghost of Hamlet's father |
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Joe Chrest”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Joe Chrest (55267204452) (cropped).jpg by Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.