In July 1991, Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break arrived at the cinema and clashed with Terminator 2: Judgment Day‘s (directed by Bigelow’s then husband, James Cameron). Whilst Terminator 2 would dominate, Point Break more than held its own, with a budget of $24 million, the film went on to make $83.5 million worldwide. Suddenly everyone was bleaching their hair and had a knowledge of surfing!
One of the most iconic images that Point Break delivered was its group of surfing bank robbers – The Ex-Presidents! Led by Ronald Reagan (aka Bodhi – played by Patrick Swayze) the Ex-Presidents consisted of Richard Nixon (aka Roach played by James Legros), Jimmy Carter (aka Nathaniel played by John Philbin) and Lyndon B. Johnson (aka Grommet played by Bojesse Christopher), but what ever happened to some of the most cinematic bank robbers of all time?
Ronald Reagan/Bodhi
Played by the legendary Patrick Swayze – the man was already a huge name at this point in his career with roles in Dirty Dancing, Roadhouse, The Outsiders, Red Dawn, Ghost and Youngblood. Following Point Break, Swayze would appear in Donnie Darko, Green Dragon, and Waking Up In Reno amongst others. His final movie role would by in 2009’s Powder Blue. Sadly Swayze passed away on September 14th 2009 aged 57 following a battle with pancreatic cancer,
Richard Nixon/Roach
Played by James LeGros, who apprenticed with the South Coast Repertory Theatre in Southern California before ending up in Hollywood was a well-seasoned professional when Point Break was released having debuted as Thrasher in the 1984 Knightrider episode “The Rotten Apples.” Further appearances included Simon & Simon, Blade in the Punky Brewster two part special “Fenster Hall,” The Ladies Club, Solarbabies, Fatal Beauty, *Batteries Not Included, Phantasm II, Drugstore Cowboy, and Born on the Fourth of July.
Following Point Break LeGros has maintained a very busy career including appearances in The Rapture, Singles, Bad Girls, The Low Life, Rosanne, Boys, Infinity, Countdown, and The Outer Limits. In 1998 he starred as Dr. Max Roacher in E.R. This was followed up with roles in L.A. Doctors, Enemy of the State, Psycho, and Common Ground. From 2000-2001 LeGros appeared as Mark Albert in Ally McBeal.
Roles in Friends, Damaged Care, Straight Into Darkness, Paradise and Law & Order took LeGros into the new millennium then in 2005 he was cast as Special Agent Raymond ‘Ray’ Fuller in Sleeper Cell. Other big roles at that time included Zodiac, Vantage Point, and Skateland.
In 2009 LeGros was cast as Dr. Dan Harris in the TV show Mercy which he played for a year before being cast as Wally Burgen in Mildred Place in 2011. Grey’s Anatomy, Girls, House and a host of other shows followed including the recurring role of Father Paul Whitley in Revenge. LeGros also played Wade Messer in the TV series Justified and would stay in that role until 2014. This was followed up with the role of Ellis McGee in Constantine.
Things went full circle in 2015 when LeGros cameoed as an FBI director in the remake of Point break – the film was not well received with many feeling it was an insult to the original movie. LeGros though remains active with recent roles in Castle Rock, Fear the Walking Dead, and Person of Interest.
Jimmy Carter/Nathaniel
Out all the cast of Point Break, John Philbin was the most comfortable having begun surfing at 12 years old. He then moved onto study acting at the University of California, Santa Barbara, as well as being on the university’s surf team. Due to his skill level, Philbin often gives surf training to actors to prepare them for film roles, one of the most notable being the surf instructor for actors in the film Blue Crush.
Philbin debuted in 1984 as Amos in Children of the Corn. He followed this up with roles in Grandview, U.S.A., Maximum Security, The Return of the Living Dead, Amazing Stories, Martians Go Home, Wiseguy, The Young Riders and Dillenger.
Following Point Break, Philbin appeared in Tombstone, Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story, The Killing Jar, Law & Order, Moonbase, ATF, The Break, Riptide, Zombie Farm, Soul Surfer, Shadow and Bikini Inception.
Philbin was arrested on February 28th 2015 in Los Angeles, California for brandishing a gun after a domestic dispute with his girlfriend. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor weapons charge and was sentenced to 30 days in county jail (credited with 26 days), plus 3 years probation and complete a 52-week AA program and domestic violence classes.
He soon bounced back with a roles in Bones, and has a number of projects due for release including White Wolves, Ghost Babe, and Undateable John.
Lyndon B. Johnson/Grommet
In Point Break, Bojesse Christopher played Grommet, Bodhi’s reckless younger brother but he had a wide career before the movie. Born and raised in San Francisco, he first appeared as Rick in some episodes of Married: With Children, then as Greaser in Ferris Bueller (the TV series), and he also had a recurring role as “Stoned Surfer” in DEA.
Following Point Break, Christopher appeared in Dead Silence, Meatballs 4, Silk Stalkings, Sleepwalkers, and Quantum Leap. Then between 1992-1993 Christopher began playing the role of Billy O’Connell in Picket Fences, and then in 1994 bagged the recurring role of Andy in Beverly Hills 90210. Further roles included Tank Girl, Unhappily Ever After, High Incident, Pacific Blue, Sometimes They Come Back… Again, and Good Vs Evil.
In 2015, like LeGros, Christopher cameoed as an FBI director in the remake of Point Break. This was followed up with roles in Extraction: Genesis, Sable, PSY: Dark Arts, and The Head Thieves.
In 2019, Christopher will be playing the role of Detective Richard Kitting in the third season of True Detective.
Honorary Mention: Rosie
Played by Hero of Cult- Lee Tergesen, Rosie was not a surfer but was Bodhi’s right hand man who got involved in the gangs’ criminal activities. You can read all about Lee by hitting the link.
Ogun Bat is a Japanese superhero created by Takeo Nagamatsu in 1931 and is considered to be the first Japanese superhero. The anime ran 52 episodes between April 1st 1967 and March 23rd Read more
Released in December 1980, Zork: The Great Underground Empire - Part I aka Zork I was an interactive fiction video game written by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling, Bruce Daniels and Tim Read more
Zoolander is back but a lot has happened since 2001! Rest assured the Ben Stiller comedy features familiar faces and a few new ones with plenty to get you excited. Read more
At a dinner party with their wives, NASA scientist Dr. Keith Ritchie (Tony Huston) reveals to his colleague Dr. Curt Taylor (John Agar) that he has secretly been in communication Read more
In Italy during World War II, an American military patrol discovers a spaceship that has crash-landed in the woods, along with its alien crew. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm9fnNfLg8M A nearby Nazi unit also Read more
Zone Fighter was a tokusatsu science fiction/superhero television series produced by Toho Company Ltd. It aired from April 2nd 1973 to September 24th 1973, with a total of 26 episodes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdhcjsVLDQY The series follows Read more
Zone 414 is an upcoming American science fiction thriller film written by Bryan Edward Hill and directed by Andrew Baird. The film stars Guy Pearce, Matilda Lutz, Jonathan Aris, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Olwen Fouéré, Colin Salmon, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Read more
When the government's latest crime deterrent, obmoz, goes completely off the rails and starts to destroy everything from the underfunded super team Planetronix to the president himself, who ya gonna Read more
Homemade horror-comedy feature Zomblogalypse received its UK premiere at Dead Northern Film Festival - in association with Fangoria and Shudder - at City Screen York on 26th September 2021. The Read more
Tony Todd is back in an all new zombie movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBlWz-n-nec When the world is in shambles, plagued by a zombie outbreak, only the strong will survive, but just how Read more
Columbus, Tallahasse, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL6NTQhEqn4 Read more
In Zombieland 2: Double Tap, Columbus, Tallahasse, Wichita, and Little Rock move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of Read more
Directed by Chris Watson and distributed by Troma Entertainment, Zombiegeddon begins as Satan creates a human-like race called zombies. When the zombies begin taking over the world, dirty cops Jeff Read more
Zombie With A Shotgun is the feature adaptation of the popular web series of the same name. Aaron and Rachel are on the run due to the fact that Aaron is Read more
Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, Zombie Tidal Wave aims to pick up where the Sharknado franchise left off. More serious in tone, the film plays more like the original Sharknado Read more
It's a Zombie Tsunami! From the same twisted minds behind Sharknado comes an all-new disaster: Zombie Tidal Wave starring Ian Ziering. Watch the world premiere Saturday August 17th at 9/8c Read more
Zombie Hotel ran for twenty-six episodes in 2006 and focuses on Fungus and Maggot - two child zombies who pretend to be human to get into their local school. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzXhCDspKxU Read more
11 years ago, a zombie virus killed many people, while others had their family members turned into zombies. Society is still angry, and so outside the city, a zombie fight Read more
Haiti, 1962. A man is brought back from the dead to work in the hell of sugar cane plantations. 55 years later, a Haitian teenager tells her friends her family Read more
Brett Summers
Founded Cult Faction in 2014. Some would describe him as a teacher, writer, dream weaver, and visionary... some would not...
More Stories
Final trailer released for Leave The World Behind
Godzilla x Kong : The New Empire trailer released
New poster released for The Beekeeper