Born in Houston October 1, 1950, Randy Quaid made his mark playing supporting parts and oddball characters. Discovered as a drama student in college, his first significant film role came in The Last Picture Show (1971), followed by the 1972 comedy What's Up Doc?Quaid copped an Oscar nod for his supporting turn as a hapless seaman in The Last Detail (1973). Other notable movies for Quaid include Midnight Express (1978) and National Lampoon's Vacation (1983).
He moved to television in 1985, joining the "Saturday Night Live" cast for one season. Quaid painted a vivid portrait of President Lyndon Johnson in the miniseries "LBJ: The Early Years," earning a Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination for his efforts.Returning to the big screen, Quaid appeared in Days of Thunder (1990), Kingpin (1996) and The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000). He's the older brother of actor Dennis Quaid.