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Jon Van Ness

Jon Van Ness

Actor · Born December 23, 1947 (78) · Summitville, Indiana, USA

Born in Summitville, Indiana. A 1976 graduate of Butler University, he honed his acting skills at Christian Theological Seminary Reportory Theater at Butler. He was active in many Indiana venues including The Brown County Playhouse, The Black Curtain Dinner Theatre, and Starlight Musicals. Moved to New York and then Hollywood. His biggest break was his appearance in "Brubaker" where he became friends with Robert Redford. This led to his role in "The Natural."

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 23, 1947 (78)
From
Summitville, Indiana, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
23 on Motif · 27 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 5% in 30 days

What are Jon Van Ness' films like?

Across their 9 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Morality.

Genres

Horror3 titlesTypical Motif score: 15th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Motif score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Motif score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
26%
Morality
22%
Self
17%
Society
12%
Power
10%
Bonds
7%
Ideas
6%
Survival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeObsession2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 1 · Serious 3 · Dark 5

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 2 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

3 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 3 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 3
Threshold guardian
1 of 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Dread
4
Melancholic
4
Contemplative
2
Warm
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jon Van Ness' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 23 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jon Van Ness' titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

27 credits, 23 with a Motif page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Forgotten (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2022)

    as Henry Downs

  • Q-4: Dream Corporation (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Supernatural(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Creedy

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Andrew

    Motif score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Scorpio One (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Banner

  • Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Roger (segment "Buenos Dias")

    Motif score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Trial by Fire(1995)

    as Det. Morgan

    Motif score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Wick

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • From the Files of Joseph Wambaugh: A Jury of One(1992)

    as Rudy Karlotts

    Motif score: 19th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Rage and Honor(1992)

    as Talbot

    Motif score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Alligator II: The Mutation(1991)

    as Officer Trimble

    Motif score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Tune in Tomorrow...(1990)

    as Brent Moconnochie

    Motif score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Sunset(1988)

    as Director

    Motif score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Let's Get Harry(1986)

    as Mickey

    Motif score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Hitcher(1986)

    as Trooper Hapscomb

    Motif score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Amazing Stories(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Bowie

    Motif score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Natural(1984)

    as John Olsen

    Motif score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Bostonians(1984)

    as Henry Burrage

    Motif score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Dagger Eyes(1983)

    as (uncredited)

    Motif score: 28th percentile of all films

  • In the Custody of Strangers(1982)

    as Corky

    Motif score: 57th percentile of all films

  • X-Ray(1981)

    as Jack

    Motif score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Postman Always Rings Twice(1981)

    as Motorcycle Cop

    Motif score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Ruckus (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    as Deputy Dave

  • Brubaker(1980)

    as Zaranska

    Motif score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Tourist Trap(1979)

    as Jerry

    Motif score: 45th percentile of all films

  • End of the World(1977)

    as Mr. Sanchez

    Motif score: 1st percentile of all films

  • M*A*S*H(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as "Truman"

    Motif score: 94th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 90th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 27 titles from 1972 to 2022; peak year 1980.

Biggest box office

Brubaker (1980)

$37M worldwide

Highest rated

Brubaker (1980)

Motif 87th

Most popular right now

The Hitcher (1986)

Film career

19722022

Peak 1980 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 Motif title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting27 of 27: 27 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Motif score45th

By decade

1970s3 · acting1980s12 · acting1990s9 · acting2000s1 · acting2010s1 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 10 roles
7782

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jon Van Ness' films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 37th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Motif score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 23 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Universally Panned2
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Rage and Honor (1992)

57th percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Natural (1984)

Motif 89th · 81% liked

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jon Van Ness' work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles54–84 · median 80 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles11–65 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 31
Profanity5 titles22–66 · median 46 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 35
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles58–79 · median 69 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jon Van Ness work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jon Van Ness' Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jane Alexander shares the most, 2.

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles