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Not Bad For A Human
Lance Henriksen is a Hollywood icon, with well over 150 films to his name. He's best know as the empathetic android Bishop in Aliens and the intuitive criminal profiler Frank Black in the TV series "Millennium," but he has also played gunfighters and gangsters, an astronaut, a vampire, a sadistic monk, Charles Bronson and Abraham Lincoln. He's mentored Tarzan, Evel Knievel and the Antichrist, and fought Terminators, Aliens, Predators, Pinhead, Bigfoot, Superman, the Autobots, Mr. T, Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. He's worked with directors James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Kathryn Bigelow, Walter Hill, Sidney Lumet, Francois Truffaut, John Huston, David Fincher, John Woo, Jim Jarmusch and Sam Raimi... But this is just skimming the surface.
Henriksen is a true artist - a painter, a potter and a creative collaborator who brings complexity and humanity to all of his work by drawing on real life experiences that are often stranger than fiction. His biography not only celebrates the actor's screen persona, film by film, but also recounts the chaotic upbringing and early life experiences that shaped him, revealing the man behind the image. As Lance so candidly states, "This isn't just a book about me becoming an actor. It's about all the people I've crossed paths with over the years who have helped me flourish in spite of the chaos in my early life. It's about a lifelong process of becoming a human being."
Henriksen is a true artist - a painter, a potter and a creative collaborator who brings complexity and humanity to all of his work by drawing on real life experiences that are often stranger than fiction. His biography not only celebrates the actor's screen persona, film by film, but also recounts the chaotic upbringing and early life experiences that shaped him, revealing the man behind the image. As Lance so candidly states, "This isn't just a book about me becoming an actor. It's about all the people I've crossed paths with over the years who have helped me flourish in spite of the chaos in my early life. It's about a lifelong process of becoming a human being."
374 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2011
16 people are currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
Lance Henriksen
14 books11 followersAn intense, versatile actor as adept at playing clean-cut FBI agents as he is psychotic motorcycle-gang leaders, who can go from portraying soulless, murderous vampires to burned-out, world-weary homicide detectives, Lance Henriksen has starred in a variety of films that have allowed him to stretch his talents just about as far as an actor could possibly hope. He played "Awful Knoffel" in the TNT original movie Evel Knievel (2004) (TV), directed by John Badham and executive produced by Mel Gibson. Henriksen portrayed "Awful Knoffel" in this project based on the life of the famed daredevil, played by George Eads. Henriksen starred for three seasons (1996-1999) on "Millennium" (1996/I), Fox-TV's critically acclaimed series created by Chris Carter ("The X-Files" (1993)). His performance as Frank Black, a retired FBI agent who has the ability to get inside the minds of killers, landed him three consecutive Golden Globe nominations for "Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series" and a People's Choice Award nomination for "Favorite New TV Male Star".
Born in New York, Henriksen studied at the Actors Studio and began his career off-Broadway in Eugene O'Neill's "Three Plays of the Sea." One of his first film appearances was as an FBI agent in Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon (1975), followed by parts in Lumet's Network (1976) and Prince of the City (1981). He then appeared in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) with Richard Dreyfuss and François Truffaut, Damien: Omen II (1978) and in Philip Kaufman's The Right Stuff (1983), in which he played Mercury astronaut Capt. Wally Schirra.
James Cameron cast Henriksen in his first directorial effort, Piranha Part Two: The Spawning (1981), then used him again in The Terminator (1984) and as the android Bishop in the sci-fi classic Aliens (1986). Sam Raimi cast Henriksen as an outrageously garbed gunfighter in his quirky western The Quick and the Dead (1995). Henriksen has also appeared in what has developed into a cult classic: Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark (1987), in which he plays the head of a clan of murderous redneck vampires. He was nominated for a Golden Satellite Award for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in the TNT original film The Day Lincoln Was Shot (1998) (TV).
In addition to his abilities as an actor, Henriksen is an accomplished painter and potter. His talent as a ceramist has enabled him to create some of the most unusual ceramic artworks available on the art market today. He resides in Southern California with his wife Jane and their five-year-old daughter Sage.
Born in New York, Henriksen studied at the Actors Studio and began his career off-Broadway in Eugene O'Neill's "Three Plays of the Sea." One of his first film appearances was as an FBI agent in Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon (1975), followed by parts in Lumet's Network (1976) and Prince of the City (1981). He then appeared in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) with Richard Dreyfuss and François Truffaut, Damien: Omen II (1978) and in Philip Kaufman's The Right Stuff (1983), in which he played Mercury astronaut Capt. Wally Schirra.
James Cameron cast Henriksen in his first directorial effort, Piranha Part Two: The Spawning (1981), then used him again in The Terminator (1984) and as the android Bishop in the sci-fi classic Aliens (1986). Sam Raimi cast Henriksen as an outrageously garbed gunfighter in his quirky western The Quick and the Dead (1995). Henriksen has also appeared in what has developed into a cult classic: Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark (1987), in which he plays the head of a clan of murderous redneck vampires. He was nominated for a Golden Satellite Award for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in the TNT original film The Day Lincoln Was Shot (1998) (TV).
In addition to his abilities as an actor, Henriksen is an accomplished painter and potter. His talent as a ceramist has enabled him to create some of the most unusual ceramic artworks available on the art market today. He resides in Southern California with his wife Jane and their five-year-old daughter Sage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 22, 2011
I haven't read it yet, but 5 stars anyway. It is Lance.
August 27, 2011
Lance Henriksen has lived a difficult, crazy, and often exciting life, and more than qualifies for his own biography/autobio. I had the chance to meet Mr. Henriksen at a horror film convention this past summer, and he was one of the friendliest people I've ever met. I don't normally get too fan-boy-ish about meeting actors and whatnot, but as one of my favorites since I was kid, since my first viewing of "Aliens," it was a real pleasure to shake his hand and get his autograph.
The book is good. The pages fly pretty quickly, and the reader gets a good idea of where Lance's head was when he made some of these films, and where he is now, looking back on a life filled with achievements and some pretty big obstacles (i.g. being thrown in the naval rig, having no reading skills whatsoever, well into his twenties).
The book is written in a manner that allows Henriksen's co-author to provide the bio, the narrative, taking frequent breaks for paragraphs in Henriksen's own words. It's an interesting style, and one I haven't seen before in biographies, but I'm not completely sold on it. I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if the whole thing had been written as a bio or an autobio. When authors put out autobios with a co-author, it doesn't make it any less of a biography, and that kind of straight-forward writing makes for a more seemless read.
That isn't to say hearing these anecdotes and thoughts coming directly from Henriksen isn't rewarding. He talks like a regular person, like someone you might get a beer with; a regular, ordinary guy who's had a pretty incredible life.
The book is good. The pages fly pretty quickly, and the reader gets a good idea of where Lance's head was when he made some of these films, and where he is now, looking back on a life filled with achievements and some pretty big obstacles (i.g. being thrown in the naval rig, having no reading skills whatsoever, well into his twenties).
The book is written in a manner that allows Henriksen's co-author to provide the bio, the narrative, taking frequent breaks for paragraphs in Henriksen's own words. It's an interesting style, and one I haven't seen before in biographies, but I'm not completely sold on it. I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if the whole thing had been written as a bio or an autobio. When authors put out autobios with a co-author, it doesn't make it any less of a biography, and that kind of straight-forward writing makes for a more seemless read.
That isn't to say hearing these anecdotes and thoughts coming directly from Henriksen isn't rewarding. He talks like a regular person, like someone you might get a beer with; a regular, ordinary guy who's had a pretty incredible life.
April 4, 2016
A compelling, in-depth look into the life and work of one of my favourite actors. Henriksen's always made me believe in his roles, and I was interested in learning more about him when someone mentioned to me that he only learned to read in his thirties, did jail time, served in the Navy, was a shoeshine boy—basically he must have lead a very chaotic, interesting life, and this book definitely covers that in spades.
There were some places where Maddrey's text was either a little rough or exact repetitions within a few pages (I think probably only noticeable if you read this in one sitting like I just did) but the interview segments and quotes by Henriksen really resonated with his voice—I can literally hear his signature gravelly delivery in his words.
I also found myself nodding along in complete agreement with much of what he said about his craft—writing is much the same for me.
A fascinating and enjoyable read. :)
There were some places where Maddrey's text was either a little rough or exact repetitions within a few pages (I think probably only noticeable if you read this in one sitting like I just did) but the interview segments and quotes by Henriksen really resonated with his voice—I can literally hear his signature gravelly delivery in his words.
I also found myself nodding along in complete agreement with much of what he said about his craft—writing is much the same for me.
A fascinating and enjoyable read. :)
November 6, 2014
Being a fan of Lance Henricksen's work, I was undoubtedly eager to read this. I got exactly what I'd hoped and more, from this. It is a fascinating story of his youth and how he overcame the difficulties he experienced there, and indeed so many great stories of people he met that helped him become the great actor and artist he is today. I learned a lot be reading this book. I highly recommend it. A quick and entertaining read.
November 13, 2011
Not sure why I read this, but I'm glad I did. Seems like a good guy with an insane approach to acting. After reading this, I'm kind of convinced he should be cast in everything.
September 2, 2017
"One thing I know for sure: God didn't bring me this far to drop me on my ass."
Lance Henriksen is well known to SF and horror fans for such films and TV shows as Aliens, The Right Stuff, Millennium, Pumpkinhead, Aliens vs. Predator, and much more.
In his autobiography, Henriksen depicts a childhood fraught with poverty and insecurity with a mother who survived a succession of failed, and sometimes violent, marriages. His brief service in the U.S. Navy was no less problematic and ended in his arrest and discharge after going AWOL.
Wandering across the country and through Europe with a strong passion for art, Henriksen finally found his calling in acting—despite illiteracy. He eventually used scripts to teach himself to read. Over time, he moved from stage to film and, reluctantly, to television, becoming close friends with directors and actors such as James Cameron, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, and others.
Most of the narrative focuses on Henriksen's method of embodying the characters he portrays and often breathing life into them by going off script and improvising lines that he feels would be more natural than what had been written. On many occasions, his directors were receptive, other times less so. Many pages are dedicated to his experiences making Aliens, The Right Stuff, and Pumpkinhead while an entire chapter is devoted to the arc of Frank Black, his leading character from the Chris Carter series, Millennium.
Frequent mention is made of Henriksen's enjoyment of pottery as an art form. When filming on location domestically or overseas, he frequently sought out potters who were creating the most original work. At one point, Henriksen himself had created so many pieces that his wife prompted him to open an online shop.
Though he admits to making a string of low-budget films simply to pay the bills, Henriksen tried to find something redeeming in nearly every character he portrayed and to this day, the septuagenarian still enjoys learning and growing as an actor and exploring new concepts.
It should be noted that I acquired my signed hardcopy edition of Not Bad for a Human directly from Mr. Henriksen at Monster Mania convention in August 2011. In fact, we swapped books. I gave him a copy of my first novel, Testing the Prisoner, and we chatted briefly about independent publishing.
Lance Henriksen is well known to SF and horror fans for such films and TV shows as Aliens, The Right Stuff, Millennium, Pumpkinhead, Aliens vs. Predator, and much more.
In his autobiography, Henriksen depicts a childhood fraught with poverty and insecurity with a mother who survived a succession of failed, and sometimes violent, marriages. His brief service in the U.S. Navy was no less problematic and ended in his arrest and discharge after going AWOL.
Wandering across the country and through Europe with a strong passion for art, Henriksen finally found his calling in acting—despite illiteracy. He eventually used scripts to teach himself to read. Over time, he moved from stage to film and, reluctantly, to television, becoming close friends with directors and actors such as James Cameron, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, and others.
Most of the narrative focuses on Henriksen's method of embodying the characters he portrays and often breathing life into them by going off script and improvising lines that he feels would be more natural than what had been written. On many occasions, his directors were receptive, other times less so. Many pages are dedicated to his experiences making Aliens, The Right Stuff, and Pumpkinhead while an entire chapter is devoted to the arc of Frank Black, his leading character from the Chris Carter series, Millennium.
Frequent mention is made of Henriksen's enjoyment of pottery as an art form. When filming on location domestically or overseas, he frequently sought out potters who were creating the most original work. At one point, Henriksen himself had created so many pieces that his wife prompted him to open an online shop.
Though he admits to making a string of low-budget films simply to pay the bills, Henriksen tried to find something redeeming in nearly every character he portrayed and to this day, the septuagenarian still enjoys learning and growing as an actor and exploring new concepts.
It should be noted that I acquired my signed hardcopy edition of Not Bad for a Human directly from Mr. Henriksen at Monster Mania convention in August 2011. In fact, we swapped books. I gave him a copy of my first novel, Testing the Prisoner, and we chatted briefly about independent publishing.
February 1, 2013
If you're a fan of Lance Henriksen, you'll definitely enjoy this book. Moreover, if you appreciate the craft of acting, you'll definitely appreciate this book.
As far as I can tell, aside from sourced quotes spanning Lance's long career, this book is a conversation between Lance and Joseph Maddrey (co-author). Maddrey starts the topic, Lance responds with great detail and insight, and finally, Maddrey completes the topic. The preceding model culminates into a format that allows for quick and continous reading.
The greatest thing to take from this book: Lance Henriksen lives his roles, unlike many actors, who simply "act." You'll explore numerous characters, both good and bad, that either improved or drained Lance Henriksen when their accompanying productions were over. Naturally, Lance's method of choice had and continues to have positive and negative impacts on his life outside of acting, making this an autobiography with a pulse.
I give this book a solid "A."
As far as I can tell, aside from sourced quotes spanning Lance's long career, this book is a conversation between Lance and Joseph Maddrey (co-author). Maddrey starts the topic, Lance responds with great detail and insight, and finally, Maddrey completes the topic. The preceding model culminates into a format that allows for quick and continous reading.
The greatest thing to take from this book: Lance Henriksen lives his roles, unlike many actors, who simply "act." You'll explore numerous characters, both good and bad, that either improved or drained Lance Henriksen when their accompanying productions were over. Naturally, Lance's method of choice had and continues to have positive and negative impacts on his life outside of acting, making this an autobiography with a pulse.
I give this book a solid "A."
March 30, 2012
I loved this book. Written as a biography with a strong element of qualitative analysis from published articles and personal interviews both old and new with the subject, Lance Henriksen, as well as his friends and colleagues, Not Bad for a Human gives the reader a look at the life and career of an extremely talented actor who overcame incredible odds to achieve success, while simultaneously sharing insight into the man himself, including both his strengths and flaws. I was already familiar with his work, but I came out of this book with greatly increased respect for Henriksen as a person as well. Highly recommended to anyone who's familiar with any of his films or television work, or really for anyone who's looking for an incredible, inspiring, complex story.
December 2, 2011
Very interesting biography of Lance Henriksen that includes his massively frelled-up childhood up through the present. He talks about his movies and a lot of stuff behind the scenes, as well as what was going on in his life at the time. His stories and anecdotes were awesome. Who knew how hilarious the man is? I was lucky enough to hear him talk and to meet him briefly at Scarefest in Lexington, KY this past October, and he was actually surprisingly sweet and friendly.
4 stars for the book itself, 5 stars for it being Lance Henriksen, one of my all-time fave actors.
4 stars for the book itself, 5 stars for it being Lance Henriksen, one of my all-time fave actors.
April 3, 2012
So far so good! I am more than a little biased in that I'm a huge fan of Mr. Henriksen's acting and artwork; however, I don't think my bias is the only reason I find this autobiography to be soo good (so far).
Right now, what's stuck out to me the most is the way it's written. I find I much prefer the Quoted anecdotes spread through out Joseph Maddrey's prose. It makes his words feel more like his, where as in other autobiographies, I always wonder how much is the voice of the person the book is about versus how much is the voice of the other author. Here, I know.
Right now, what's stuck out to me the most is the way it's written. I find I much prefer the Quoted anecdotes spread through out Joseph Maddrey's prose. It makes his words feel more like his, where as in other autobiographies, I always wonder how much is the voice of the person the book is about versus how much is the voice of the other author. Here, I know.
September 8, 2012
Ever had a book hook you in just by reading an opening quote? This one did. Lance has lived a very interesting and intense life, not just as on screen, but, definitely off. This is not just an amazing autobiography, but a very inspirational one as well. It is highly recommended. I've met Lance at Texas Frightmare Weekend a few years ago and he was a very friendly and personable man. I can't wait to meet him again and have sign my copy of this.
February 6, 2012
A great read about one of the most intriguing character actors around. The first two thirds are by far the most interesting - 1) Pre movies and 2) movies. The final third is more philosophical musings... I just found this section a little tedious and indulgent. If it had just been the first two sections this would have got 5 stars easily.
June 30, 2014
The most complete, entertaining and informative biography I've had the pleasure of reading. Lance is a true gentlemen and a master of his craft, and hearing him talk about the filmmaking process, along with the illustrations by famous graphic novel illustrators, made for an a fan's dream come true. Buy this book.
October 31, 2011
He has lead a very interesting life, how he got his start in acting made me laugh, he his political but in his own way or right, I meant him on a book tour and the book does no justice as to show what type of person he really is. I think this could be in my opinion a volume one.
June 25, 2011
Such an inspiring life story as well as an entertaining history, of sorts, of the past 40 years of film. This book proves what fans have known for years: Lance is one of a kind.
April 2, 2012
Inhaled it. Wow. What a life... and an interesting approach to an acting career. You can't engineer that kind of mentality, that informed perspective.
Definitely recommended.
Definitely recommended.
September 23, 2012
Quick read but a fun one. I think it was self published
August 9, 2013
An interesting look into an interesting man. I knew of his difficult childhood, but this was eye opening. Lance Henriksen is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood.
October 29, 2016
Well written and a fantastic subject. Just not very deep. Would love to read an autobiography on this actor. If you are a fan defiantly read this book.
June 5, 2025
Written in 2011, this is a autobiography/biography of Lance's life and he shares many personal details and impressions of films he's worked on. It's a very engaging read. I could not put it down once I've started.
Naturally one's love of this type of book is based on one's interest in the person, and I have been a fan since Aliens. I've since gone out of my way to seek out his appearances in other films because he is such a commanding presence I've always wanted to see what else he could do. This book tells me what he's capable of that's never been on any screen or any stage.
I knew nothing of his first twenty years and now I can understand why he brings such depth and understanding to any of his roles. I knew he was an artist, but now--in his own words--I can understand what art does for him and means for him.
These insights and others make this a must-read for anyone who has enjoyed his work. Highest possible recommendation.
Naturally one's love of this type of book is based on one's interest in the person, and I have been a fan since Aliens. I've since gone out of my way to seek out his appearances in other films because he is such a commanding presence I've always wanted to see what else he could do. This book tells me what he's capable of that's never been on any screen or any stage.
I knew nothing of his first twenty years and now I can understand why he brings such depth and understanding to any of his roles. I knew he was an artist, but now--in his own words--I can understand what art does for him and means for him.
These insights and others make this a must-read for anyone who has enjoyed his work. Highest possible recommendation.
April 21, 2021
A biography of one of our most enigmatic actors consisting basically of interviews with him regarding certain movies/plays/TV shows. An “in his own words,” type of deal. To me, his character in the “Millennium” series, Frank Black, was iconic, examining one mans journey into darkness and then back to the light. Henriksen considers himself a method actor and many of his stories regarding this range from comical to flat out appalling. I will always take the time to watch this guy act. His integration of himself into his characters is amazing and definitely helps him transcend many of the, shall we say, questionable acting jobs he’s had. A quick and insightful read for fans of Lance Henriksen.
January 16, 2025
I'm a fan of autobiographies, and this one started strong. I bought it in 2024 at a convention where Lance was kind enough to sign it for me. I learned much more about his personal life than I thought I would. The sections where articles on him were used were only slightly jarring. When we spoke, he commented that he thought I wouldn't like him as much after reading the book. I think I like him less as an unknown idol only because I understand him more as a human being . The book goes up to 2011, so I'm wondering what his thoughts on the last ten years have been. Perhaps he will comment on those in his next book.
March 10, 2022
I've always thought Lance Hendrickson was a good actor, but I never truly appreciated him as an actor until reading this book. He's not only talented, but an interesting guy who has lived quite a life. He spent the majority of his youth being a homeless, illiterate drifter before stumbling into acting, and took off from there. It's very inspirational that he started so humbly and got so far. It definitely makes the title appropriate!
June 3, 2023
I picked this up at LA Comicon while Lance was there giving autographs with the co-author Joseph. I really loved this book because of the way the stories were told. It was very reminiscent of listing to my uncle tell stories of his life back in the day as he travelled all over and met some pretty wild people (or was the pretty wild person someone else was meeting.)
March 1, 2021
Amazing autobiography on an underrated character actor. I loved what I learned and I really enjoyed the stories that Lance shares. This was my first horror autobiography and I gotta say, it was definitely not bad. In fact, it was pretty damn good!
February 6, 2024
Good lord, Lance Henriksen has led an insane life, and he's an incredible storyteller.
Also, on this book's copyright page, where the ISBN number is supposed to be, it says "F--k ISBN numbers."
That's everything I need in a biography/memoir!
Also, on this book's copyright page, where the ISBN number is supposed to be, it says "F--k ISBN numbers."
That's everything I need in a biography/memoir!
August 11, 2011
The first 20 pages of this book (which kind of bridges the gap between profile and autobiography) really hooked me. Here was the tale of an actor who, early in his career, was functionally illiterate, unable to even read his own scripts. This inability to read was the result of an upbringing that went staggeringly wrong, and yet it produced a good man, a great actor, and a powerful artist.
It looked like the book would be about the transformative power of art, but ultimately, it ends up being little more than a catalog of Henricksen's films.
So much goes left unsaid. I wanted to know more about Henricksen's transformation, less about his movies. One of his friends even says that every time the actor came home from a film project, he never talked about the movie, only the people he met along the way.
There's some great stuff here, but Maddrey really needed to dig deeper, to push his source for more detail and depth, and to really dig deep into himself to capture the growth and rebirth of his subject.
It's a good book, but not a great one. Too bad.
It looked like the book would be about the transformative power of art, but ultimately, it ends up being little more than a catalog of Henricksen's films.
So much goes left unsaid. I wanted to know more about Henricksen's transformation, less about his movies. One of his friends even says that every time the actor came home from a film project, he never talked about the movie, only the people he met along the way.
There's some great stuff here, but Maddrey really needed to dig deeper, to push his source for more detail and depth, and to really dig deep into himself to capture the growth and rebirth of his subject.
It's a good book, but not a great one. Too bad.
May 18, 2015
Not bad. Occasionally it becomes something of a laundry list of B movie roles, and there are some glaring omissions - Victor Salva's sex crime conviction comes immediately to mind, but this is a quick read that contains some funny anecdotes, along with the odd perceptive insight. Fans of Henriksen will dig it.
Currently reading
May 13, 2011Came in the mail today, the biography of one of my favorite actors since I was about 5 years old. Published by one of my favorite authors today Steve Niles' Bloody Pulp Books. Can't wait to get reading.
May 2, 2022
I loved Lance Henriksen's performance in the movie Pumpkinhead and had wondered what kind of person he was like in real life. He went from someone who only had a 3rd grade education and was illiterate to having the gift to put on an excellent performance in films and TV shows! :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews