John Kapelos

John Kapelos Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: March 8, 1956

Age: 68 years old

Birth Place: London, Ontario, Canada

John Kapelos has been extensively involved with Second City improvisational troupe throughout his career. Kapelos made his film debut as Mechanic #3 in the 1981 neo-noir crime drama "Thief." Following this appearance with bit parts in "Tootsie" and "Class," Kapelos came into the orbit of Chicago filmmaker John Hughes, who cast him in three of his motion pictures-"Sixteen Candles," "Weird Science," and "The Breakfast Club," the last of which provided Kapelos with his best-known role as Carl the Janitor. He spent the remainder of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s balancing comedy appearances alongside Steve Martin ("Roxanne") and Tom Hanks ("Nothing in Common") with dramatic exchanges with James Woods ("The Boost") and Richard Gere ("Internal Affairs").

Back in his home country, a fan base developed over his portrayal of Detective Don Schanke in the 1989 detective vampire series, "Forever Knight." In the United States, his theatrical versatility allowed him to work within a broad range of television genres including kids shows ("iCarly"), sci-fi ("The X-Files"), classic sitcoms ("Seinfeld"; "Home Improvement"), medical dramas ("ER"), and legal dramedy ("Boston Legal").

Credits

The Last Word

Actor
Brett Harper
Movie
2023

The Class

Actor
Nate
Movie
2022

Val

Actor
Bryan Foley
Movie
2021

Crossword Mysteries: Terminal Descent

Actor
Chauncey O'Connor
Movie
2021

Crossword Mysteries: Riddle Me Dead

Actor
Chauncey O'Connor
Movie
2021

Crossword Mysteries: Abracadaver

Actor
Chief O'Connor
Movie
2020

The Crossword Mystery

Actor
Chief O'Connor
Movie
2019

Love Shot

Actor
Tony
Movie
2019

Crossword Mysteries: Proposing Murder

Actor
Chief Chauncey O'Connor
Movie
2019

Magnum P.I.Stream

Guest Star
Hector Aquino
Series
2018

22 Chaser

Actor
Bissey
Movie
2018

The Unicorn

Actor
Louis
Movie
2018

The Shape of WaterStream

Actor
Mr. Arzoumanian
Movie
2017
92%

ConvictionStream

Guest Star
Jim McNally
Series
2016
20%

First Round Down

Actor
Sonny
Movie
2016

ImpastorStream

Guest Star
Judge Brendan Bell
Series
2015
33%

TransparentStream

Guest Star
Gary
Series
2014
91%

GracelandStream

Guest Star
Lawrence
Series
2013
86%

Afternoon Delight

Actor
Jack
Movie
2013

Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer

Actor
Detective Brady
Movie
2013

Free Ride

Actor
Coast Guard Captain
Movie
2013

Who the F Is Buddy Applebaum?

Actor
Maggs
Movie
2013

Not That Funny

Actor
Kevork Sarkissian
Movie
2012

Puppy Love

Actor
Coach Thomas
Movie
2012

SuitsStream

Guest Star
Elias Gould
Series
2011
91%

Franklin & BashStream

Guest Star
Roland Stray
Series
2011
61%

No Ordinary FamilyStream

Guest Star
Derek
Series
2010
71%

Lost GirlStream

Guest Star
Wayne
Series
2010
66%

JustifiedStream

Guest Star
Series
2010
97%

Republic of DoyleStream

Guest Star
Series
2010

Junkyard Dog

Actor
Hellerman
Movie
2010

Modern FamilyStream

Guest Star
Stavros
Series
2009
85%

Tripping Forward

Actor
Vladdy
Movie
2009

The MentalistStream

Guest Star
Hank Draber
Series
2008

Dirty Sexy MoneyStream

Guest Star
Cameron
Series
2007
68%

Everybody Wants to Be ItalianStream

Actor
Steve Bottino
Movie
2007
9%

SharkStream

Guest Star
Series
2006
52%

PsychStream

Guest
Series
2006
89%

PsychStream

Guest Star
Series
2006
89%

Fifty Pills

Actor
Harold
Movie
2006

Category 7: The End of the WorldStream

Actor
Secretary of Homeland Security Jim Roberts
Miniseries
2005

Flight 29 Down

Actor
Capitan Russell
Show
2005

Criminal MindsStream

Guest Star
Series
2005

McBride

Actor
Bob Carter
Series
2005

The River King

Actor
Joey Tosh
Movie
2005

Shallow Ground

Actor
Leroy Riley
Movie
2005

Aurora Borealis

Actor
Stu
Movie
2005

McBride: Tune In for Murder

Actor
Bob Carter
Movie
2005

HouseStream

Guest Star
Dr. Kurtz
Series
2004
90%

Desperate HousewivesStream

Guest Star
Eugene Beale
Series
2004
72%

Boston LegalStream

Guest Star
Detective Wayne Farley
Series
2004
86%

CSI: NYStream

Guest Star
Bobby Rossmore
Series
2004

Knuckle Sandwich

Actor
Mr. O'Doogle
Movie
2004

Identity Theft: The Michelle Brown Story

Actor
Ray De Lucci
Movie
2004

Phil the Alien

Actor
General
Movie
2004

Cold CaseStream

Guest Star
Series
2003

One Tree HillStream

Guest Star
Series
2003

NCISStream

Guest Star
Victor Castor
Series
2003

I Accuse

Actor
Det. Murray
Movie
2003

Croon

Actor
Movie
2003

Mimic 3: Sentinel

Actor
Det. Gary Dumars
Movie
2003

Without a TraceStream

Guest Star
Series
2002

MonkStream

Guest Star
Paulie Flores
Series
2002
91%

The Dead ZoneStream

Guest Star
Patrick Hanchin
Series
2002

Ignition

Actor
Conor's Lawyer
Movie
2002

Crossing JordanStream

Guest Star
Series
2001

The Sports Pages

Actor
Marvin
Movie
2001

The District

Guest Star
Series
2000

CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationStream

Guest Star
Chief Duke Rittle
Series
2000

Gilmore GirlsStream

Guest Star
Orientation Leader
Series
2000

God, the Devil and Bob

Guest Voice
Show
2000

Bad Faith

Actor
Lou Miles
Movie
2000

The West WingStream

Guest Star
Seymour Little
Series
1999
81%

Judging Amy

Guest Star
Series
1999

It's Like, You Know ...

Guest Star
Show
1999

The Deep End of the OceanStream

Actor
George Karras
Movie
1999
42%

Johnny Skidmarks

Actor
Walter Lippinscott
Movie
1998

Young Hearts Unlimited

Actor
Jensen
Movie
1998

Timecop

Guest Star
Series
1997
0%

Life ... and Stuff

Guest Star
Show
1997

The PracticeStream

Guest Star
Series
1997

Goode Behavior

Guest Star
Show
1996

Nash BridgesStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

The Late ShiftStream

Actor
Robert Morton
Movie
1996

Wiseguy

Actor
Dave Goss
Movie
1996

Platypus Man

Guest Star
Show
1995

Cool and the Crazy

Actor
The Greek
Movie
1994

Dave's World

Guest Star
Series
1993

FrasierStream

Guest Star
Policeman
Series
1993
95%

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanStream

Guest Star
Series
1993
86%

The X-FilesStream

Guest Star
Special Agent Fordyce
Series
1993
74%

We're Talkin' Serious Money

Actor
Marty "the Greek"
Movie
1993

For the Love of Aaron

Actor
Dr. Teplitsky
Movie
1993

Forever Knight

Actor
Show
1992

Highway Heartbreaker

Actor
Det. Baker
Movie
1992

Man Trouble

Actor
Detective Melvenos
Movie
1992

Civil Wars

Guest Star
Andrew Lassick
Show
1991

Home ImprovementStream

Guest Star
Series
1991

And the Sea Will Tell

Actor
Show
1991

Defenseless

Actor
Jack Hammer
Movie
1991

Journey Into Darkness: The Bruce Curtis Story

Actor
Prosecutor Paul Chaiet
Movie
1991

SeinfeldStream

Guest Star
Barry
Series
1989
89%

Quantum LeapStream

Guest Star
Dr. Mustafa El Razul
Series
1989

Nick Knight

Actor
Det. Don Schanke
Movie
1989

The Boost

Actor
Joel Miller
Movie
1988

All's Fair

Actor
Eddie
Movie
1988

RoxanneStream

Actor
Chuck
Movie
1987
88%

MatlockStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

Nothing in CommonStream

Actor
Roger
Movie
1986
54%

The Breakfast ClubStream

Actor
Carl, the Janitor
Movie
1985
89%

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Lt. Howard Tartarus
Series
1984

Who's the Boss?Stream

Guest Star
Series
1984

Miami ViceStream

Guest Star
Series
1984
71%