A ctor Jerry Walsh is finding renewed joy on a much smaller stage in The Villages after decades of appearing in major film and television productions alongside Hollywood icons.

Jerry built an impressive résumé as a seasoned character actor in War of the Worlds, Fallen, Premium Rush, Law & Order, The Wire and Gotham but his story began far from the lights of Hollywood. 

“I got involved in acting in my mid-30s,” he says. “I had played semi-pro football, and a friend of mine, who’d become a model, got me into an acting class in Philadelphia.”

That decision set Jerry on a decades-long journey through the entertainment industry. His first job was as an extra in Rocky V, where a few friendly poker games with members of the Screen Actors Guild unexpectedly launched his professional career. 

“By the end of the shoot, I was in the union,” he says. “That’s how it all started.”

Jerry earned speaking roles in major productions over the years, working with stars like Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox. 

 A highlight of his career came on the set of War of the Worlds. “Spielberg looks at me and says, ‘Oh, I know Jerry. I want Jerry on the boat. And all I could think was, ‘Steven Spielberg knows me!’”

Jerry spent much of his career in front of the camera, but his most rewarding experiences came from teaching acting. 

“There’s nothing better than seeing that light go on when someone finally gets it,” he says. “That’s the moment every teacher lives for.”

Jerry returned to his theatrical roots after retiring and moving to The Villages, performing with The Villages Theatre Company and Acting Out. Most recently he rehearsed for The Last Roundup of the Guacamole Queens, a Texas comedy by Jones Hope Wooten.

“Film acting and stage acting are two completely different animals,” he says. “On stage, there are no do-overs. Once it starts, it goes.”

And Jerry continues to go.

“I loved it then and I still love it now,” he says. “It’s a lot of fun and that’s what keeps me coming back.” 

Photos: Cindy Peterson