It seems as though when you needed a relatively large, menacing man – particularly an Australian one – with a mohawk during the 1980s, casting directors needed to look no further than Vernon Wells. His most notable role was that of Wez in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. But my favorite film in which he appeared was Weird Science – which in essence was in a role that was merely spoofing the Mad Max part. He led the bikers who invaded Wyatt and Gary’s party and delivers the classic quote “You two can’t even take a shower with a beautiful woman without wearing your jeans!!”
Beyond these two roles, there wasn’t a lot of note for me, although he did star in Commando, Innerspace, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action. I had had Bob pick me up the signed photo below at one of the Hollywood Collectors Shows in 1996, but I didn’t get a chance to meet him until he appeared at the show on July 18, 2009.
He looked relunctant at first to merely pose for a photo with me, even after I showed him what I had already purchased thirteen years earlier, but he did it nonetheless. He even mimicked my thumbs-up pose, which I struck for no apparent reason during our quick photo shoot. Perhaps if he had still had the mohawk and the whip, I would have been too scared to even ask him.
Celebrities of the Summer Hollywood Show will continue…
ALMIGHTY WEZ!!!! Great actor. He had kind of a Freddie Mercury look going in Commando.
Eric Hubble
February 17th, 2010