While some actors dream of leading roles, many would be lucky to have the broad career of character actor Michael Ironside who has over 200 film and television credits playing villains, anti-heroes, and quirky roles that are always great to watch.  My wife and I liked his recent portrayal of the wickedly magical Margolin in the two-part episode "The Most Evil Sorceror" in R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour.  He knows how to chew the scenery while still making the character multi-faceted.  He can scare viewers to death and then grab you with a surprisingly heartfelt tender moment.

The first time I remember seeing Ironside in a project was in V: The Final Battle when he played the gritty mercenary turned Earth's defender, Ham Tyler.  He would appear in many memorable roles after that -- Captain Oliver Hudson in SeaQuest 2032, Jean Rasczak in Starship Troopers, General Ashdown in Terminator Salvation, and General Sam Lane in Smallville.

From his early work in Scanners to his later appearances in Total Recall and his recent voicework as the supervillain Darksied in the Justice League cartoon, his presence always makes fans breathe a sigh of relief because they know that he'll bring unbridled enthusiasm, energy, and emotional dedication to every acting job he undertakes.