George Clooney is probably one of the best-known names in Hollywood, but he’s not the only successful actor in the family. As many fans already know, Clooney is the nephew of Rosemary Clooney, who appeared opposite Bing Crosby in 1954’s “White Christmas.” Rosemary Clooney was also a prolific singer, releasing several hits throughout the 1950s. What many fans may not realize, however, is that they have likely already seen performances from other members of this famous family.
Rosemary Clooney was the sister of George Clooney’s father, Nick Clooney, and she was married twice to another big-screen star, José Ferrer. Ferrer was known for his roles in classic movies such as “Cyrano de Bergerac” and “The Caine Mutiny,” and in his later years appeared in David Lynch’s “Dune.” Together, Rosemary Clooney and José Ferrer had five children. Their son, Miguel Ferrer, would follow his parents into the world of acting.
Miguel Ferrer, who passed away in 2017, appeared in numerous film and television roles throughout his career. His first major role was in 1987’s “RoboCop,” before he appeared in movies such as the Charlie Sheen comedy “Hot Shots! Part Deux” and Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 3.” On television, one of his best-known roles was Owen Granger on “NCIS: Los Angeles,” which he played from 2012 until shortly before his death.
Miguel Ferrer was another accomplished actor in the Clooney family
Acting talent must be a hereditary trait in the Clooney family, because Ferrer followed the example set by his mother Rosemary Clooney, father José Ferrer, and first cousin George Clooney, in pursuing an impressive screen career. After this breakthrough role in “RoboCop,” where he played Bob Morton, the brain behind the creation of the titular cyborg, Ferrer went on to appear in projects such as David Lynch’s highly acclaimed surrealist TV drama series, “Twin Peaks.” Here he played FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield, a role he reprised when the series returned in 2017.
His “NCIS: Los Angeles” character, Owen Granger, was the Assistant Director of NCIS for Special Operations. Ferrer first appeared on the series in Season 3, Episode 12, “The Watchers,” and remained a series regular through Season 8. His final appearance on the series was in the episode “Payback,” after which Granger was written out of “NCIS,” due to Ferrer’s passing. It was revealed in “NCIS” that Granger had died off-screen.
Among Ferrer’s lesser-known credits was an uncredited appearance in the pilot episode of the NBC medical drama “ER.” That appearance was notable because it allowed Ferrer to share the screen with his cousin, George Clooney, who played series lead Dr. Doug Ross.
This story originally appeared on TVLine
