Brad Carter Explained

Brad Carter
Birth Name:David Bradley Carter
Birth Date:5 December 1973
Birth Place:Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Other Names:Guy playing guitar during brain surgery
Years Active:2007–present

David Bradley Carter (born December 5, 1973) is an American film and television actor, guitarist, painter, sculptor, and photographer, known for playing Charlie Lange in True Detective and Leland Gruen in Sons of Anarchy.

After suffering from brain disease and tremors that caused his hands to shake, he underwent brain surgery in 2013, which he recorded and posted on YouTube. The video went viral, and he became known as the "guy playing guitar during brain surgery".

Early life and education

Carter was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and raised in Macon, Georgia.[1] He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Valdosta State University, located in Valdosta, Georgia.

Career

In 2010, Carter made guest appearances in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Disney's Zeke and Luther, Justified, True Blood, and New Girl. He portrayed Rankin in one episode of the Showtime series Dexter, wherein his character was killed.[2]

In 2012–13, Carter made guest appearances in The Mentalist, Bones, Longmire, and .

In 2014, Carter made guest appearances in two episodes of HBO's True Detective opposite Matthew McConaughey as Charlie Lange, an ex-husband of murdered Dora Lange, the case around which the series revolves.[3] Later, he portrayed Leland Gruen, an Aryan Brotherhood member, in three episodes of FX's Sons of Anarchy. Then he played John Stokes, a stockyard master, in the miniseries Ascension.

In 2015, Carter starred in the film Dixieland, and portrayed murder victim John McIntyre in Black Mass, directed by Scott Cooper, and based on a true story. Carter appeared in the drama The Revenant (2015), opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.[4] He appeared in the 2018 film Eat Me opposite Michael Shamus Wiles, directed by Adrian Cruz.[5] [6]

Brain surgery

Nader Pouratian, director of UCLA's Neurosurgical Movement Disorders Program, performed brain surgery on Carter twice, in January and March 2013. The first surgery was to implant electrodes in his brain, and the second was to put wires down his neck.[7] Carter had first noticed tremors in his hands in 2006, which were misdiagnosed as symptoms of Lyme disease by three specialists. During the operation, Carter needed to be awake for the best results, so his doctors suggested that he play guitar during his operation to see when his tremors weakened.[8]

A video recording was made of Carter's operation, which was later posted on YouTube. The video went viral and received media attention worldwide. Carter became known as the "guy playing guitar during brain surgery." The hospital staff had requested the video recording to help allay those suffering from similar diseases who were curious about the surgery.[9]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007Avenging AngelGunman #2Television film
2008Night LifeDaveTelevision film
2009Karma BitchPool Man JimShort film
2010The Boy Who Stole'd ChristmasWadeShort film
2010Red Dead Redemption: The Man from BlackwaterDeputy Marshal Jonah (voice)Short film
2012One WeekRoyShort film
2012Crash & BurnJT SteckelTelevision film
2012SmashedFelix
2013The Sleepy ManRedShort film
2013String TheoryClintShort film
2014SwelterMechanic
2014The GunCrazed ScavenerShort film
2015Untitled Johnny Knoxville ProjectJukeboxTelevision film
2015DixielandLarry Pretty
2015Black MassJohn McIntyre
2015PariahBreederTelevision film
2015The Highway Is for GamblersSimon
2015The 7 SevensJesseShort film
2015The RevenantJohnnie Uncredited
2016Free State of JonesLt. Barbour
2017The Scent of Rain and LightningBilly
2018Eat MeBob
2018ArmedShep/Stew
2018White Boy RickWeapon Salesman
2019The Devil to PayDixon Runion
2020EmperorGrady
2021Old HenryBranigan

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008The RichesBilly1 episode
2009It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaCarney1 episode
2010Zeke and LutherSteve2 episodes
2010JustifiedBobby Joe Packer2 episodes
2010True BloodKris1 episode
2010DexterRankinEpisode: "My Bad"
2010Criminal MindsCharlie1 episode
2011Harry's LawStevie Kazz1 episode
2011CastleBobby Spurlock1 episode
2012HouseSheldonEpisode: "Runaways"
2012New GirlStranger1 episode
2012Darius Cole1 episode
2012MyMusicLenny's Dad1 episode
2012The MentalistPhil Rawson1 episode
2013BonesNick Bennett1 episode
2013LongmireRiley Manning1 episode
2013The Cheerleader DiariesCoach Eugene Hines6 episodes
2008-2013Gerald Tolliver / Rudy3 episodes
2014True DetectiveCharlie Lange2 episodes
2014PerceptionGary Williams1 episode
2014Sons of AnarchyLeland Gruen4 episodes
2014AscensionJohn Stokes3 episodes - miniseries
2014-2015Preface to Being JadedHomeless Man2 episodes
2018I'm PoppyAble AbrahamLead role
2021YellowstoneCheckers2 episodes
2022OzarkDeputy Ronnie Wycoff3 episodes

Videogames

YearTitleRole
2010Red Dead RedemptionDeputy Marshal Jonah
2010Deputy Marshal Jonah

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brad Carter's bio. bradcarter.me. July 17, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150721150100/http://www.bradcarter.me/bradcarter.me/BIO.html. July 21, 2015. mdy-all.
  2. Bierly . Mandi . 'Sons of Anarchy': Brad Carter on Leland, and other roles his mom can't watch. July 17, 2015. . October 15, 2014.
  3. News: Martinez . Carlos . Brad Carter Makes a Splash in 'True Detective'. July 17, 2015. patch.com. January 30, 2014.
  4. News: Yamato. Jen. 'Zeroville' Adds Seth Rogen, Megan Fox & More; Brad Carter Lands 'The Revenant;' Noah Segan Enlists in 'War Pigs'. July 17, 2015. . October 24, 2014.
  5. News: 'Eat Me' Will Test Human Endurance (Exclusive). July 17, 2015. . December 5, 2014.
  6. Web site: Film Review: Eat Me (2018). Nathan. Wycoff. March 12, 2018. Horrornews.net.
  7. News: Villacorte. Christina. Actor-musician Brad Carter chases his dream before time runs out. July 17, 2015. . September 11, 2013.
  8. News: Carroll. Linda. Actor has brain surgery while awake and strumming a guitar. July 17, 2015. . July 10, 2013.
  9. News: Skinner. Keven. Brad Carter Teases New Syfy Series Ascension, His Upcoming Album & Final Season of Sons of Anarchy [Interview]]. July 17, 2015. gotham-news.com. October 27, 2014.