Brian Van Holt was born July 6, 1969 in Waukegan, Illinois and was raised in Huntington Beach, California. Van Holt previously did modeling before becoming a professional actor. He is often cast as a tough military man or law enforcement agent. He made his major film debut in the romantic comedy, Whipped, opposite Amanda Peet and gained further recognition in the role of Task Force Ranger Sgt. Jeff Struecker in Ridley Scott’s highly successful Black Hawk Down. On television, Van Holt was a government agent on the sci-fi series, Threshold, opposite Carla Gugino.
Butchie Yost, played by Brian Van Holt on John from Cincinnati, is the drug-dependent son of surfing legend Mitch Yost and his wife, Cissy. A talented and skilled surfer like his father, Butchie went from surfing icon to a junkie because of his rebellious and stubborn streak. Because of his drug addiction, he has been unable to care for his son, Shaun, who is being raised by his grandparents.
(Photo courtesy of HBO)