Steven Bauer

American actor (born 1956)
Melanie Griffith
(m. 1981; div. 1989)
  • Ingrid Anderson
    (m. 1989; div. 1991)
  • Christiana Boney
    (m. 1992; div. 2002)
  • Paulette Miltimore
    (m. 2003; div. 2012)
  • Children2

    Steven Bauer (born Esteban Ernesto Echevarría Samson; December 2, 1956) is an American actor.

    Bauer began his career on PBS, portraying Joe Peña, the son of Cuban immigrants on ¿Qué Pasa, USA? (1977–1979). He played Manolo "Manny" Ribera, the right-hand man of Cuban drug lord Tony Montana, in the 1983 crime drama Scarface. He also played the drug cartel leader Don Eladio Vuente in Breaking Bad (2011) and in Better Call Saul (2017–2022) and the retired Mossad agent Avi Rudin in Ray Donovan (2013–2017).[1]

    Early life and education

    Bauer was born Esteban Ernesto Echevarría Samson, on December 2, 1956, in Havana, Cuba, the son of Lillian Samson Agostini, a schoolteacher, and Esteban Echevarría, a commercial pilot who worked for Cubana Airlines.[1][2][3][4] Bauer's maternal grandfather, whose family names were Samson and Bauer, was Jewish, and immigrated to Cuba from Germany, a refugee looking to escape the devastating effects World War II and Adolf Hitler had on his safety and home country.[5][6][7]

    Bauer's family emigrated from Cuba to the United States on Independence Day, 1960, when he was three years old, shortly after the end of the Cuban Revolution, settling in Miami, Florida.[1] Once in the United States, he began using the name Steven, an English form of his given name, Esteban. He graduated from Miami Coral Park High School in 1974 and went on to study acting at Miami Dade Community College and then at the University of Miami, where he befriended Ray Liotta.[8][1]

    Acting career

    Bauer's first substantial role was in the PBS bilingual sitcom ¿Qué Pasa, USA?, playing the teenage son of a Cuban exile family in Miami, from 1977 to 1979.[1] He also appeared in the 1980 TV miniseries From Here to Eternity. He was credited in these and a few other early projects as Rocky Echevarría. In 1981, Bauer starred in the television movie She's in the Army Now, where he met his first wife, actress Melanie Griffith. They both moved to New York City and stayed at Ray Liotta's apartment, while Liotta moved to Los Angeles and stayed at theirs. Both Bauer and Griffith studied under acting teacher Stella Adler, and he appeared in several off-Broadway productions. During this time he adopted the stage name "Steven Bauer".

    Bauer was given the role of Manny Ribera (the part played by George Raft in the original 1932 version) in the 1983 movie Scarface,[1] even though (like Raft) he was a relatively unknown actor at the time. The producers of Scarface were convinced that he was right for the role based on his strong audition, as well as his authentic Cuban background. His performance drew a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 1986 he had two other important roles. The first was as Det. Frank Sigliano in the Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines cop comedy Running Scared. The second was as an Israeli soldier named Avner in the Canadian CTV television movie Sword of Gideon, which tells the story of Mossad agents hunting down terrorists in the aftermath of the 1972 Munich massacre. The Sword of Gideon script was the basis for Steven Spielberg's later film Munich, which follows the same storyline and borrows heavily from the Sword of Gideon story and script. In 1990 Bauer played the role of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in the television miniseries Drug Wars: The Camarena Story alongside Benicio Del Toro and Craig T. Nelson. That same year, Bauer took over the series lead of the television show Wiseguy from Ken Wahl for the fourth and final season, playing U.S. Attorney Michael Santana after Wahl's character disappears.

    Since then, Bauer has made his career primarily, though not exclusively, in action films and crime dramas on both the big and small screens, including the movie The Lost City where he served in a minor role alongside the film's star and director Andy Garcia. He also appeared in the motion pictures Primal Fear and Traffic. In 2007 he appeared on an episode of Burn Notice. In 2011, Bauer appeared on the series Breaking Bad playing Mexican drug lord Don Eladio. He stars with Julianne Michelle in the feature film Awakened, a supernatural thriller.

    More recently, Bauer appeared as ex-Mossad agent turned private investigator Avi in the Showtime series Ray Donovan. Bauer also reprised his Breaking Bad role in 2017 in AMC's prequel Better Call Saul. In addition, he played El Santo in the American version of Queen of the South.

    Personal life

    Bauer has married four times: first to Melanie Griffith, from 1981 until 1989; second to Ingrid Anderson, from 1989 until 1991; third to Christiana Boney, from 1992 until 2002; and fourth to Paulette Miltimore, from 2003 until 2012. He has two sons: Alexander Griffith Bauer (born August 22, 1985) with Griffith, and Dylan Dean Steven Bauer (born May 14, 1990) with Anderson.[9][10][11][1][12]

    In 2010, Bauer was falsely named as the driver of a vehicle that struck and killed 24-year-old Brent Rosenberg of Malibu. Rosenberg was walking on Pacific Coast Highway toward his parked car on the east side of the road when he was struck by a sport utility vehicle.[13][14] Initial reports said Bauer was the driver of the vehicle but police officials later said it was a different person of the same name involved in the fatality.[15]

    Filmography

    Film

    Year Film Role Notes
    1981 She's in the Army Now Nick Donato TV movie
    1982 An Innocent Love Duncan Widders TV movie
    1983 Valley Girl Guy In Pink Shirt
    Scarface Manolo "Manny Ray" Ribera
    1984 Body Double Assistant Director
    Thief of Hearts Scott Muller
    1986 Running Scared Detective Frank Sigliano
    Sword of Gideon Avner TV movie
    1987 Tales from the Hollywood Hills: A Table at Ciro's Tony Montoya TV movie
    1988 Wildfire Frank
    The Beast of War Khan Taj
    1989 Gleaming the Cube Al Lucero
    1991 A Climate for Killing Paul McGraw
    Sweet Poison Bobby TV movie
    False Arrest Detective Dan Ryan TV movie
    1992 Drive Like Lightning Charlie TV movie
    Raising Cain Jack Dante
    1993 Snapdragon Dr. David "Doc" Hoogstraten
    1994 Woman of Desire Jonathan Ashby/Ted Ashby
    Improper Conduct Sam
    Stranger by Night Bobby Corcoran Video
    Terminal Voyage Reese
    1995 Codename: Silencer Vinnie Rizzo
    Wild Side Tony
    1996 Primal Fear Joey Pinero
    Navajo Blues Nick Epps/John Cole
    1997 Plato's Run Sam Video
    Sisters and Other Strangers Anthony Quintana TV movie
    The Blackout Mickey's Studio Actor
    Star Portal Dr. Ray Brady Video
    Miami
    Kickboxing Academy Carl
    1998 The Versace Murder FBI Agent John Jacoby
    Naked Lies Kevin Dowd
    2000 Warm Texas Rain Rush Video
    Forever Lulu Lou
    Rave Antonio
    For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story Angel TV movie
    Traffic Carlos Ayala
    El Grito Ibarra
    Glory Glory Jack
    2001 Boss of Bosses Vito Genovese TV movie
    The Learning Curve Mark York
    2002 King of Texas Menchaca TV movie
    Malevolent Captain Greg Pruitt
    2003 Masked and Anonymous Edgar
    Nola Leo
    2004 Raptor Island Azir TV movie
    Doing Hard Time Detective Anthony Wade Video
    2005 How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer Victor Reyes
    Keeper of the Past The Mayor Short
    Hitters Anonymous Theodore 'Teddy' Swan
    Pit Fighter Manolo
    The Lost City Castel
    La fiesta del Chivo Juan Jose Viñas
    2006 Ladrones & Mentirosos Oscar
    Dead Lenny Lenny Long Video
    2007 Kings of South Beach Allie Boy TV movie
    The Last Sentinel Drone Scientist
    Category 4 Robert Short
    Planet Raptor Captain Mace Carter TV movie
    Natural Born Komics Video
    2008 Smother Carl Short
    Mutants Marcus Santiago
    I Didn't Know Who I Was Mr. David Hernandez Short
    Dark World Rick
    2009 Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia General Manuel Valez Video
    Charlie Valentine Ferucci
    From Mexico with Love Tito
    Camouflage Bobby
    The Intruders Michael Foster
    2010 Bulletface Ned Walker
    Fast Lane Lt. Baynes
    Toxic Conrad
    Shadows in Paradise Agent Stubbs
    A Numbers Game Neal Black
    Enemies Among Us Senator Fred Edmonds
    Zenitram Frank Ramírez
    Suicide Dolls Hank
    Raven William
    Disarmed Col. Caine
    Venus & Vegas Francis
    Promises Detective Stevens
    One in the Gun Arthur
    Crumble Reda Short
    Boyle Heights Tino
    2011 The Last Gamble Steven
    Session Jake Tellman
    Joshua Tree Jefferey
    Mommy & Me Brad Johnson
    Pimp Bullies Mr. Watson
    Jackie Goldberg Private Dick Mr. Lincoln
    Driving by Braille Rudolf Corso
    2012 Paloma Enrique Short
    Sins Expiation Williams
    ATypical Love Brad Johnson
    For the Love of Money Hector
    Garbage Steven
    A Dark Truth Tony Green
    Werewolf: The Beast Among Us Hyde Video [16]
    Gothic Assassins VOX
    Success Driven The Husband Short
    Showstopper Detective Vinnie Randall
    Revan Shadow
    Knuckleheads Manny
    2013 Day of Redemption Jeffrey Cambell
    Real Gangsters Nick "Big Nick" Salens
    Once Upon a Time in Queens P.O. Ramirez
    Five Thirteen Ernesto Esteban
    Chavez Cage of Glory Brother Jose
    Awakened Lucas Drake
    Seasick Sailor Waldorf Short
    2014 The Lookalike Frank
    Killing Frisco Esteban
    2015 Sweet Lorraine Lou
    2016 Kill My Coquette: 3rd & Bonnie Brae Short
    Beyond the Game Eric
    Restored Me Armando
    J.L. Family Ranch Hector Arrieta
    Toyed Mr. Martinez Short
    King of LA Adrian TV movie
    2017 Andover Father Gregory
    Culture of Fear Vega
    Avenge the Crows Ronaldo
    Blue Eyes Russian TV movie
    2019 Counterpunch Tomas
    2020 Deported Male INS Agent
    2021 Flinch Joseph Doyle
    Women Is Losers Don Juan
    My Dead Dad Uncle Tommy
    Love on the Rock Claudio Fairbanks
    Mister Mayfair Mike
    Mister Mayfair 2 - A Song to Kill For Mike
    2022 Nothing Is Impossible Archie Touraine

    Television

    Year Show Role Notes
    1977–79 ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? Joe Peña Main cast (seasons 1-3)
    1978 The Rockford Files Jesus Hernandez Episode: "A Fast Count"
    1980 From Here to Eternity Pvt,. Ignacio Carmona Episode: "Pearl Harbor"
    1981 Hill Street Blues Officer Fuentes Recurring cast (season 1)
    One Day at a Time Eduardo Diaz Episode: "I Do, I Do"
    1985 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Gambler Episode: "Pilot"
    1990 Drug Wars: The Camarena Story DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Episode: "Part 1-3"
    Wiseguy Michael Santana Main cast (season 4)
    1992 Red Shoe Diaries Michael Episode: "Safe Sex"
    1998 The Outer Limits Sergeant Waylon Dumar Episode: "Nightmare"
    Welcome to Paradox Detective Angel Cardenas Episode: "Our Lady of the Machine"
    1999 Walker, Texas Ranger Lorenzo Cabral Episode: "Rise to the Occasion"
    2000 Relic Hunter Tony Episode: "Fertile Ground"
    2001 Nash Bridges Lima Episode: "Out of Miami"
    V.I.P. Blake Thompson Episode: "Val Under Covers"
    UC: Undercover Carlos Cortez Recurring cast
    2005 Sex, Love & Secrets Stefano Episode: "Territorial Defense"
    2006 E! True Hollywood Story Himself Episode: "Scarface"
    South Beach Lieutenant Rivera Recurring cast
    2007 Burn Notice Reyes Episode: "Hard Bargain"
    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Raphael Gardner Episode: "Paternity"
    2009 Cold Case Osmany "Oz" Leon Episode: "Stealing Home"
    American Dad! Jaramillo (voice) Episode: "Stan's Night Out"
    Mental Diego Suarez Episode: "Coda"
    2010 Hacienda Heights Mayor Eduardo Garcia Main cast (season 2)
    2011 Breaking Bad Don Eladio Vuente Recurring cast (season 4)
    2012 Common Law Miguel Avila Episode: "In-Laws vs. Outlaws"
    2013 The Mentalist Don Clyde Episode: "Little Red Corvette"
    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Bobby Esposito Episode: "Passed Pawns"
    2013–17 Ray Donovan Avi Rudin Main cast (seasons 1-5)
    2014 The Night Shift Milo Osborne Recurring cast (season 1)
    Hawaii Five-0 Jimmy Sykes Episode: "Ho'oilina"
    2015 Battle Creek Roderigo Episode: "Sympathy for the Devil"
    2015–17 Blue Bloods Gerry Guerrero Guest cast (seasons 6-7)
    2017–18 Queen of the South Santos Recurring cast (season 2), guest (season 3)
    2017–22 Better Call Saul Don Eladio Vuente Guest cast (season 3 & 5-6)
    2018 Goliath Willie Episode: "Diablo Verde"
    2019 Supergirl Bernardo Rojas Episode: "Confidence Women"
    2021 NCIS Miguel Torres Episode: "Sangre"
    2023 S.W.A.T. Sancho Zamora Episode: "Legacy"
    White House Plumbers Dr. Manuel Artime Episode: "True Believers"
    The Blacklist Vicente Sandoval Episode: "Wormwood (No. 182)"

    Video games

    Year Game Role
    2006 Scarface: The World Is Yours The Sandman
    2012 Call of Duty: Black Ops II Additional Voices
    Hitman: Absolution Birdie
    2016 Let It Die Kommando Kawasaki

    Music videos

    Year Song Artist Role
    1984 "Noche de Copas" Maria Conchita Alonso Main Lover Interest
    1985 "Would I Lie to You?" Eurythmics Biker Boyfriend
    "Dare Me" The Pointer Sisters Caucasian Boxer
    "Conga" Miami Sound Machine Crowd Dancer
    2007 "Secret Admirer" Pitbull Extra
    2013 "Hold On, We're Going Home" Drake Kidnapper
    2018 "Let Me" Zayn Kingpin
    "Entertainer"

    See also

    References

    1. ^ a b c d e f g Coto, Juan Carlos (November 10, 1990). "Steven Bauer Wises Up". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
    2. ^ Steven Bauer Biography (1956–)
    3. ^ Perez Rivera, Francisco (November 16, 1984). "What's in a name? For Steven Bauer, it's more important what isn't". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-02-10.[dead link]
    4. ^ "Steven Bauer Biography (1956-)". www.filmreference.com. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
    5. ^ Keller, Joel (July 16, 2013). "Steven Bauer on Being Ray Donovan's Enforcer, Teaching Gus Fring Spanish and Hanging With Pacino". Parade. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
    6. ^ Zekas, Rita (1986-11-26). "Steve Bauer's got the looks and the talent". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2011-02-10. My grandfather was a German Jew He married a Cuban girl of Italian descent[dead link]
    7. ^ Kleiner, Dick (March 14, 1984). "Steven Bauer is tough new face". The Frederick Post. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
    8. ^ Steven Bauer's official MySpace profile Archived 2014-09-07 at the Portuguese Web Archive
    9. ^ "Melanie Griffith Has Had 3 Notable Men in Her Life — Meet Her Husbands!". Closer. August 15, 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
    10. ^ "Steven Bauer Walks the Drug World's Dark Side—Again". People. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
    11. ^ Thompson, Avery (July 26, 2014). "Steven Bauer: 'Scarface' Actor, 57, Dating Young Lyda Loudon, 18". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
    12. ^ Sandra Bernhard. Melanie Griffith Reveals She Was Still Married to Steven Bauer While Pregnant with Dakota Johnson!. Sirius XM. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
    13. ^ "Actor's car hits pedestrian in Malibu". United Press International. September 19, 2010. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
    14. ^ "'Scarface' Actor Involved In Malibu Pedestrian Crash". CBS News. September 18, 2010. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
    15. ^ "Vehicle strikes and kills pedestrian on PCH". The Malibu Times. September 22, 2010. Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
    16. ^ Foy, Scott (September 16, 2011). "Universal's New Werewolf Casts a Steven and a Stephen". Dread Central. Retrieved June 4, 2020.

    External links

    • Steven Bauer at IMDb
    • Steven Bauer at AllMovie
    • Steven Bauer's official MySpace profile
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