Known For
Acting
Born
Sep 18, 1950
Died
Jun 20, 2004
Place of Birth
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Credits
55 titles
Luis Contreras
Biography
Tall, lean, and wiry, 6-foot-4 Euro-Indigenous Latino American character actor. The son of Euro-Indigenous Latino American character actor, Roberto Contreras. Luis Contreras was born on September 18, 1950. Lean and wiry, often sporting a mass of curly hair and drooping mustache, with his piercing dark eyes and angular face Contreras ranged between portraying various criminals and police officers. Contreras made his film debut as a Federale in Steven Spielberg's wonderful science fiction classic "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." He also popped up as a zoot suiter in Spielberg's hilarious all-star comedy "1941." Contreras frequently acted in movies for director Walter Hill: "The Long Riders," "48 HRS.,""Extreme Prejudice," "Red Heat," "Geronimo: An American Legend," and "Last Man Standing." Contreras was especially memorable as a grocery store security guard in the cult classic sci-fi black comedy "Repo Man," the vicious ringleader of a gang of cocaine cowboys in "Stand Alone," a hostile eye-patched biker in the delightfully madcap "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," and a deranged homeless man who terrorizes a trio of teenage girls in the "A Night on the Town" episode of the hugely enjoyable horror anthology "After Midnight." Contreras also did guest appearances on the TV shows "CHiPs," "Quincy M.E.," "T.J. Hooker," "Knight Rider," "Riptide," "Hill Street Blues," "Simon & Simon," "Night Court," "Hunter," "Matlock," and "Carnivale", regularly working through the 1970s and 1980s. Luis Contreras died of cancer at the tragically young age of 53 on June 20, 2004.
Known For
Filmography
Criminal
Carlos
Wednesday Afternoon
The Bartender
Carnivàle
Proprietor
Missing Pieces
Beggar
American Tragedy
Bum
Across the Line
Timex
Last Man Standing
Comandante Ramirez
The Winner
Guy in Couple
Dragstrip Girl
Raoul
Geronimo: An American Legend
Rurale Officer
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
El Gato
Rio Diablo
Pedro Almenzar
Bound by Honor
Realthing
Desert Kickboxer
Dollman
Jackson
Lower Level
Street Person
Suburban Commando
Ringo
El Diablo
Pestoso
After Midnight
The Dogs' Master (segment "A Night on the Town")
Red Heat
Lupo
Sunset
Jail Inmates
Walker
Benito
The Oldest Rookie
Straight to Hell
Sal
Police Story: The Freeway Killings
Apartment Manager
Extreme Prejudice
Lupo
Heart of the City
Desk Clerk
Running Scared
Thug (uncredited)
Big Trouble
Terrorist #2
Blue City
Lieutenant Ortiz
Matlock
Inmate #2
Stand Alone
Look-Out
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Biker #2
Walking the Edge
Jesus
A Touch of Scandal
Eugenio Salvador
Hunter
Gunman
Repo Man
Mr. Humphries' Security Guard
Airwolf
Mule
Night Court
Defendant #2
48 Hrs.
Gang Member
Knight Rider
Coyote
Tales of the Gold Monkey
T. J. Hooker
Cezar Moro
Barbarosa
Angel
Falcon Crest
Inmate Tony
Simon & Simon
Borderline
The Long Riders
Man at the Bar
Heart Beat
Mexican Junkie
The Last Married Couple in America
Party Guest