Rex Linn
With a voice like gravel and a stare that could stop a clock, he's the quintessential character actor who brings authentic grit to every lawman and villain he plays.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American actor·Birthday: November 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Rex Linn didn't chase stardom; he built a rock-solid career one memorable supporting role at a time. The Oklahoma native, with his unmistakable drawl and weathered presence, seemed destined to play authority figures and tough customers. After a stint in the oil business, he moved to Los Angeles and found his niche. While his turn as the villainous Richard Travers in 'Cliffhanger' gave him international exposure, it was his decade-long run as stoic homicide detective Frank Tripp on 'CSI: Miami' that made him a familiar face. Linn excels at portraying men who have seen it all, a quality he brought to the acclaimed 'Better Call Saul' as the composed, morally flexible banker Kevin Wachtell. His filmography is a map of American genre storytelling, where his reliability and authentic Southwestern essence make every scene he's in feel more grounded.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Rex was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Rex Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Rex's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played Detective Frank Tripp for all ten seasons of the hit CBS series 'CSI: Miami.'
- Portrayed Kevin Wachtell, a recurring character, in the critically acclaimed series 'Better Call Saul.'
- Appeared as the antagonist Richard Travers in the Sylvester Stallone film 'Cliffhanger.'
- Had notable roles in a string of Western and action films including 'Wyatt Earp' and 'Rush Hour.'
Did You Know?
He worked in the oil and gas industry in Oklahoma and Texas before becoming an actor.
He is a close friend of actor and fellow Oklahoman Toby Keith, and has appeared in several of his music videos.
He is an avid pilot and owns his own airplane.
He played a Secret Service agent in the film 'In the Line of Fire' starring Clint Eastwood.
“I play the part they give me, and I play it for real.”
