John Vernon
ActingAbout John Vernon
John Keith Vernon (February 24, 1932 – February 1, 2005) was a Canadian actor. He made a career in Hollywood after achieving initial television stardom in Canada. He was best known for playing Dean Wormer in Animal House, the Mayor in Dirty Harry and Fletcher in The Outlaw Josey Wales.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of John Vernon reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of John Vernon's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 36% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), John Vernon remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Welcome to America, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best John Vernon Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from John Vernon's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of John Vernon.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Los Angeles Plays Itself | Mal Reese in Point Blank (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman | Rupert Thorne (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2002 | Sorority Boys | Old Man | Average | Similar → |
| 2002 | Welcome to America | Det. Golding | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2000 | Stageghost | Slim | Average | Similar → |
| 1999 | Hell Hath No Fury: The Making of The Outlaw Josey Wales | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1998 | The Yearbook: An Animal House Reunion | Self - Dean Wormer | Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Family of Cops | Frank Rampola | Average | Similar → |
| 1989 | Afghanistan: The Last War Bus | Ken Ross | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1988 | I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | Mr. Big | Average | Similar → |
| 1988 | Deadly Stranger | Mr. Mitchell | Average | Similar → |
| 1988 | Killer Klowns from Outer Space | Curtis Mooney | Hit | Similar → |
| 1987 | Blue Monkey | Roger Levering | Flop | Similar → |
| 1987 | Ernest Goes to Camp | Sherman Krader | Flop | Similar → |
| 1986 | Fuzzbucket | Principal | Average | Similar → |
| 1985 | Fraternity Vacation | Chief Ferret | Flop | Similar → |
| 1984 | Savage Streets | Principal Underwood | Average | Similar → |
| 1984 | The Blood of Others | Charles | Flop | Similar → |
| 1983 | Little Red Riding Hood | Father | Average | Similar → |
| 1983 | Chained Heat | Warden Bacman | Flop | Similar → |
| 1983 | Curtains | Jonathan Stryker | Flop | Similar → |
| 1982 | Airplane II: The Sequel | Dr. Stone | Average | Similar → |
| 1981 | Heavy Metal | Prosecutor (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1980 | Herbie Goes Bananas | Prindle | Flop | Similar → |
| 1980 | Fantastica | Jim McPherson | Average | Similar → |
| 1978 | Animal House | Dean Vernon Wormer | Hit | Similar → |
| 1977 | Golden Rendezvous | Luis Carreras | Flop | Similar → |
| 1977 | Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night | Dr. Orrin Helgerson | Hit | Similar → |
| 1977 | The Uncanny | Pomeroy (segment "Hollywood 1936") | Average | Similar → |
| 1977 | A Special Day | Emanuele Taberi | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1976 | The Outlaw Josey Wales | Fletcher | Hit | Similar → |
| 1975 | The Swiss Family Robinson | Charles Forsythe | Average | Similar → |
| 1975 | Brannigan | Ben Larkin | Average | Similar → |
| 1975 | The Impostor | Sheriff Turner | Average | Similar → |
| 1974 | Sweet Movie | Aristote Alplanalpe, AKA M. Kapital | Flop | Similar → |
| 1974 | W | Arnie Felson | Average | Similar → |
| 1974 | The Black Windmill | McKee | Average | Similar → |
| 1974 | The Questor Tapes | Geoffrey Darro | Average | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Six Million Dollar Man: The Solid Gold Kidnapping | Julian Peck | Hit | Similar → |
| 1973 | Charley Varrick | Maynard Boyle | Hit | Similar → |
| 1972 | Fear Is the Key | Vyland | Average | Similar → |
| 1971 | Dirty Harry | The Mayor | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1971 | Face-Off | Fred Wares | Flop | Similar → |
| 1971 | One More Train to Rob | Timothy Xavier Nolan | Flop | Similar → |
| 1969 | Topaz | Rico Parra | Average | Similar → |
| 1969 | Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here | Hacker | Average | Similar → |
| 1967 | Point Blank | Mal Reese | Hit | Similar → |
| 1967 | The Rock | Self (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1964 | Nobody Waved Goodbye | Lot Supervisor | Average | Similar → |
| 1956 | 1984 | Big Brother (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
John Vernon - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of John Vernon?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring John Vernon is "Welcome to America" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has John Vernon acted in?
John Vernon has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by John Vernon?
Other notable films include "Afghanistan: The Last War Bus", "A Special Day", and "Los Angeles Plays Itself".