Michael Berryman
Michael John Berryman (born September 4, 1948)[1] is an American character actor.[2] Berryman was born with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, a rare condition characterized by the absence of sweat glands, hair, and fingernails; his unusual physical appearance has allowed Berryman to make a career out of portraying characters in a number of cult films, horror films and B movies. He first came to prominence for his roles in Miloš Forman's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes (1977). He has appeared in a wide range of feature films and television series, including Star Trek, The X-Files, and Highway to Heaven, in which he portrayed Satan.
Michael Berryman
Early life[edit]
Michael John Berryman was born September 4, 1948, in Los Angeles, California, the second of two children of Sloan and Barbara Berryman.[1] He has one elder sister, Virginia.[3] Berryman is of partial German descent;[4] his German great-grandfather was a doctor who worked in Vienna.[5] Berryman's mother was a nurse, and his father was a U.S. Navy neurosurgeon[1] who was deployed to the Hiroshima fallout zone in the wake of the atomic bombing.[6]
Berryman was born with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, a rare genetic condition that affects the development of sweat glands, skin, hair, and fingernails.[7] The condition also led Berryman to develop cranial synostosis, requiring him to undergo cranial reconstructive surgery as a child.[3]
He was raised Roman Catholic and attended Saint Monica Preparatory in Santa Monica.[8] Berryman became an avid surfer from a young age.[4] After completing high school, Berryman attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he studied botany and zoology.[9] Prior to becoming an actor, he worked as a florist.[7]
Personal life[edit]
Berryman is a strong advocate for environmental protection and lived on a wolf sanctuary for ten years.[13]