The Lone Gunmen

The Lone Gunmen, as any X-Files fan should know, are Agent Mulder's conspiracy-loving associates, who not only have suspicious minds but also techy expertise (and Internet experience) to help Mulder figure out certain aspects of his cases. As Gunman Byers noted in the Gunmen's first appearance in "E.B.E.,": "That's why we like you, Mulder. Your ideas are weirder than ours."

Frohike, who notes in his first appearance that Agent Scully is "hot," is played by X-Files assistant director Tom Braidwood, who occasionally still assistant directs.

[Tom and Bob Goodwin behind camera]

Here is Tom with Producer R.W. Goodwin
on the Vancouver set; Gillian Anderson
as Agent Dana Scully waits
in the background for the shoot

Braidwood, incidentally, also appeared in name only in the first-season episode "Shadows," wherein secretary Lauren Kite's boss has apparently killed himself. Lauren drives into the work parking lot one day to see that her boss's parking space is about to be painted over with a new name, and the painter holds a large plastic template for spray-painting the new name: Tom Braidwood.

Dean Haglund, an improvisational comic in Vancouver, plays the rock 'n' rollin' Langly, with his long, blond hair and black geeky glasses.

Bruce Harwood said he used to see his stuffier character, Byers, as a university professor type, with his neat wool jackets and ties. Later, he decided that although technically smart, Byers wasn't really an intellectual. "I decided he works for Xerox," he said in an article printed in the Official X-Files Magazine. "He's the guy who comes around in a suit and tie and fixes the photocopiers. His whole focus is on maintaining the Lone Gunmen office and the newsletter (Magic Bullet)."

New!
Our favorite paragons of paranoia get the full treatment (ala "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man") in an upcoming episode about The Lone Gunmen, "Unusual Suspects," to be aired Nov. 16.

[color pic of Mulder with Gunmen]

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