Lee Arthur Horsley (born May 15, 1955) is an American retired film, television, and theater actor known for starring roles in the television series Nero Wolfe (1981), Matt Houston (1982–1985), and Paradise (1988–1991). He starred in the 1982 film The Sword and the Sorcerer and recorded the audiobook edition of Lonesome Dove.
Career Horsley began his acting career touring in stage productions of West Side Story, Damn Yankees, and Oklahoma!. In 1981, he portrayed TV detective Archie Goodwin in the short-lived NBC drama series Nero Wolfe. He played the title character in the 1982–1985 ABC detective series Matt Houston, and starred as Ethan Allen Cord in the 1988–1991 Western Heritage Award-winning series Paradise. This was followed by a lead role on the CBS police drama Bodies of Evidence (1992–1993). He also starred opposite Lynda Carter in a series set in the French and Indian War era, Hawkeye. Horsley also starred as Rafe Beaudeen in North and South: Book II and as Nick Burnham in the Danielle Steel miniseries, Crossings opposite Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer.
He appeared in the feature-length cult film The Sword and the Sorcerer in 1982, and he appeared in its sequel Tales of an Ancient Empire in 2010. He recorded the audiobook edition of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove and Chuck Norris's Justice Riders. In 2006, Horsley and Marshall R. Teague traveled the world in search of exotic game on the Outdoor Life Network for the reality show, Benelli's Dream Hunts. Horsley appeared in the 2012 Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained as Sheriff Gus and then in Tarantino's 2015 western The Hateful Eight as a stagecoach driver.
In the 1987–1988 theatre season, Horsley acted in the Jerry Herman musical, Mack and Mabel, at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey with Janet Metz, Scott Ellis, Ed Evanko, and Ruth Williamson in the cast. Robert Johanson was director.
Personal life Horsley was born in Muleshoe, Texas, the seat of Bailey County. He grew up in the Denver, Colorado area, sang in a church choir and graduated from Englewood High School in 1973. Horsley married Stephanie Downer in 1980 and fathered a daughter, Amber, in 1981 and a son, Logan, in 1983. Horsley is an outdoorsman, horseman, rodeo participant, and western novelist.
Filmography
+Film Year Title Role Notes 1982 The Sword and the Sorcerer Prince Talon Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Actor 1994 Unlawful Passage Peter Browning 1999 Nightmare Man Ed Cody 2003 Dismembered Joe Kenny 2005 Jasper: The Story of a Mule Narrator Voice role 2007 Showdown at Area 51 Diamond Joe Carson 2009 Crossing Over Ray Cooper Scenes Deleted 2010 Tales of an Ancient Empire Talon Sequel to The Sword and the Sorcerer 2012 Django Unchained Sheriff Gus 2015 The Hateful Eight Ed
Television +Television Year Title Role Notes 1981 Nero Wolfe Archie Goodwin 14 episodes 1982 The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch Captain John Cain TV movie 1983 The Love Boat Greg Munford Episode: "China Cruise"1985 Thirteen at Dinner Bryan Martin TV movie When Dreams Come True Alex Kazloff TV movie 1982–85 Matt Houston Matlock 'Matt' Houston 67 episodes1986 North and South, Book II Rafe Beaudeen Miniseries Crossings Nick Burnham Miniseries 1987 Infidelity Nick Denato TV movie 1988 Dolly Jim Miller Season 1, episode 15 1989 Single Women Married Men Ross Marino TV movie 1990 The Face of Fear Graham Harris TV movie 1991 Palomino Tate Jordan TV movie 1988–91 Paradise Ethan Allen Cord Western Heritage Award (won) 1992–93 Bodies of Evidence Lt. Ben Carroll 16 episodes1994 The Corpse Had a Familiar Face Ben Nicholson TV movie French Silk Detective Cassidy TV movie 1994–95 Hawkeye Natty 'Hawkeye' Bumppo 22 episodes 1995 Snowy River: The McGregor Saga Seamus O'Neil Episodes: "Rough Passage", "The Prodigal Father (1)" and "The Prodigal Father (2)"1996 The Care and Handling of Roses Tom Doster TV movie Home Song Tom Gardner TV movie 1998 Wind on Water Gardner Poole 2001 Touched by an Angel Guy Garfield Episode: "I Am an Angel" 2019 The Hateful Eight: Extended Version Ed Miniseries
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