Draft:Danny Darst

'''Danny Darst''' (born '''Daniel Dean Darst'''; [[Oregon]]) is an American [[singer-songwriter]],
[[actor]], and [[composer]] whose career spans country music, film, television, and theatre.
Raised across the logging camps, loading docks, and produce fields of the [[Pacific Northwest]]
and Northern California, Darst worked as a long-haul truck driver before establishing himself
as a Nashville songwriter. He wrote two number-one country hits—"Roll On Big Mama"
(recorded by [[Joe Stampley]]) and "Black Sheep of the Family" (co-written with
[[Robert Altman]] and recorded by [[John Anderson (musician)|John Anderson]])—and composed
music for films by directors [[Jonathan Demme]] and Robert Altman.

As an actor, Darst is known for recurring collaborations with both directors, appearing in
''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'' (1991), ''[[Short Cuts]]'' (1993),
and ''[[Cookie's Fortune]]'' (1999). Director Robert Altman described Darst as
"the greatest living American poet."

==Early life==
Danny Darst was born '''Daniel Dean Darst''' in [[Oregon]] and raised across the logging camps,
loading docks, and produce fields of the [[Pacific Northwest]] and Northern California. His musical
sensibility was shaped during years spent driving an [[18-wheeler]], listening to country and folk
music through a CB radio. His primary influences include [[Willie Nelson]], [[Merle Haggard]],
[[Glenn Yarbrough]], the [[Kingston Trio]], [[Brook Benton]], and [[Frank Sinatra]].

==Music career==
===Songwriting and Nashville===
Darst established himself as a staff songwriter in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. His song "Roll On Big Mama",
recorded by [[Joe Stampley]], reached number one on the country charts. "Black Sheep of the Family",
co-written with [[Robert Altman]] and recorded by [[John Anderson (musician)|John Anderson]], also
reached number one. He additionally wrote "Blue Mercedes" for [[Johnny Duncan (musician)|Johnny Duncan]].

In 1977, [[NBC]] commissioned Darst to write the theme song for ''[[The Oregon Trail (TV series)|Oregon Trail]]''.
The resulting song, "Oregon Bound", was co-written with the show's star [[Rod Taylor]] and actor
[[Charles Napier (actor)|Charles Napier]], and recorded at Studio City in [[Burbank, California]].
This collaboration led to Darst being hired by Robert Altman at Lionsgate Studios.

Darst also composed and performed "Scottsville Express" for [[Russ Meyer]]'s 1975 film ''[[Supervixens]]'',
and contributed music to Demme's ''[[Melvin and Howard]]'' and ''[[Something Wild (1986 film)|Something Wild]]'' (1986).

===Discography===
Darst has released recordings through [[Steering Wheel Records]], including:
*''American Songwriter''
*''Danny Darst (Songs from Exit 10 the Play)'' — recorded in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]
*''Desert Jazz''

==Acting career==
===Theatre===
Darst's acting career began in theatre. In 1981, he appeared in ''2 by South'', written by Frank
South and starring [[Leo Burmester]] and [[Alfre Woodard]]. Playing his own original songs in the
production, ''[[The New York Times]]'' described his performance as "a chilling, hallucinatory
embodiment of the protagonist's phantom dreams." The production marked
[[Robert Altman]]'s debut as a theatre director; it ran in Los Angeles and New York City and was
filmed for the Arts Channel, marking the beginning of a lifelong creative partnership between Darst
and Altman.

===Film===
Darst's screen acting career began with [[Jonathan Demme]]'s 1980 film ''Handle with Care''. He
subsequently appeared in Demme's ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]''
(1991) as Sergeant Tate, ''[[The Manchurian Candidate (2004 film)|The Manchurian Candidate]]'',
and ''[[Swing Shift (film)|Swing Shift]]'' (1984, as Deacon, credited as Daniel Dean Darst).

Through his relationship with [[Robert Altman]], Darst appeared in ''[[O.C. and Stiggs]]'' (1987),
''[[Short Cuts]]'' (1993, as Aubrey Bell), ''[[The Gingerbread Man (film)|The Gingerbread Man]]''
(1998, as Sheriff Hope), and ''[[Cookie's Fortune]]'' (1999, as Billy Cox).

===Television===
On television, Darst starred as Captain Randolph Southard in the CBS telefilm ''[[The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988 film)|The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial]]'' (1988), directed by Robert Altman.
He appeared in the pilot for Fox's ''[[Models Inc.]]'' (1994) and had a recurring role as Monty in
''[[Melrose Place]]'' (Fox, 1995–1996).
He also appeared as himself in Altman's HBO series ''Tanner''.


==Playwriting==
Darst wrote and produced ''Exit 10'', a semi-autobiographical play whose original songs were
recorded and released as the album ''Danny Darst (Songs from Exit 10 the Play)''.


==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Director !! Notes
|-
| 1975 || ''[[Supervixens]]'' || — || [[Russ Meyer]] || Wrote/performed "Scottsville Express"
|-
| 1980 || ''Handle with Care'' || — || [[Jonathan Demme]] || Feature film debut
|-
| 1984 || ''[[Swing Shift (film)|Swing Shift]]'' || Deacon || [[Jonathan Demme]] || Credited as Daniel Dean Darst
|-
| 1986 || ''[[Something Wild (1986 film)|Something Wild]]'' || — || [[Jonathan Demme]] || Composed music
|-
| 1987 || ''[[O.C. and Stiggs]]'' || Schwab commercial singer || [[Robert Altman]] ||
|-
| 1988 || ''[[The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988 film)|The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial]]'' || Capt. Randolph Southard || [[Robert Altman]] || CBS telefilm
|-
| 1991 || ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'' || Sergeant Tate || [[Jonathan Demme]] || Academy Award Best Picture winner
|-
| 1993 || ''[[Short Cuts]]'' || Aubrey Bell || [[Robert Altman]] ||
|-
| 1994 || ''[[Models Inc.]]'' || Jimmy Kester || — || Fox pilot
|-
| 1995–1996 || ''[[Melrose Place]]'' || Monty (recurring) || — || Fox television series
|-
| 1998 || ''[[The Gingerbread Man (film)|The Gingerbread Man]]'' || Sheriff Hope || [[Robert Altman]] ||
|-
| 1999 || ''[[Cookie's Fortune]]'' || Billy Cox || [[Robert Altman]] ||
|}


== References ==

{{Reflist|refs=
{{cite web |url=https://steeringwheelrecords.com/danny-darst-bio/
|title=Danny Darst – Behind The Music |publisher=Steering Wheel Records |access-date=April 22, 2026}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0201719/
|title=Danny Darst |publisher=[[IMDb]] |access-date=April 22, 2026}}

{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/10/15/theater/one-act-dramas-2-by-south.html
|title=One-Act Dramas: 2 by South |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 15, 1981 |access-date=April 22, 2026}}

{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/06/books/editors-choice-1981.html
|title=Editors' Choice 1981 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 6, 1981 |access-date=April 22, 2026}}

{{cite web |url=https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/24725/all
|title=Danny Darst – Songwriter Credits |publisher=SecondHandSongs |access-date=April 22, 2026}}

{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/silence-of-the-lambs-elevator-scene/
|title=The Most Terrifying Part of The Silence of the Lambs Isn't the One You Think
|last=Farley |first=Lloyd |date=July 21, 2024 |publisher=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/danny_darst
|title=Danny Darst |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=April 22, 2026}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.fandango.com/people/danny-darst-152976/biography
|title=Danny Darst Biography |publisher=[[Fandango (company)|Fandango]] |access-date=April 22, 2026}}

}}

[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American country singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American stage actors]]
[[Category:American composers]]
[[Category:Actors from Oregon]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Oregon]]
[[Category:Living people]]