- Nearly died of head injuries in a motorcycle accident in December 1988.
- Both he and his actor-son Jake Busey are licensed pilots, having been trained at a flight school next-door to the Santa Monica airport.
- Along with Werner Klemperer, he is one of only two actors to appear in all three of the longest running prime time scripted series in US television history: Gunsmoke (1955), The Simpsons (1989) and Law & Order (1990).
- Had a plum-sized tumor removed from his sinus cavity. (May 1997)
- In 2014, he won season 14 of Celebrity Big Brother (2001) in the United Kingdom. He is the first ever American to win the reality show.
- Attended Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas in the early 1960s.
- Has black belts in all of the following martial arts: budo-jujitsu, capoeira, hapkido, "Jailhouse Rock" and kendo.
- Has three children: actor-son Jake Busey (born William Gary Jacob Busey, Jr.), with Judy Busey, daughter Alectra "Ellie" Busey (born 1994) with Tracy Hutchinson, son Luke Samson Busey with Steffanie Sampson (born February 23, 2010; weighing in at 6 pounds and 7 ounces). Luke's middle name, Sampson, is also his mother's maiden name.
- Had a successful local band, The Rubber Band, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Moved to Hollywood to pursue his music career.
- Transferred to Oklahoma State University, where he quit school one class short of graduation.
- Was considered for the role of Jay Pritchett on Modern Family (2009).
- As of 2022 he is the only member of the cast of 'Point Break' to attend a performance of the comedy lampoon play of the film 'Point Break Live!' and actually performed on stage with the actors to rapturous applause from the audience.
- He has published an autobiography: "Busey-isms". The book was released on September 7, 2018 (which would have been Buddy Holly's 82nd birthday).
- Appears in The Tractors music video Shortenin' Bread as the crazy cook.
- He was in a band called Carp (showed David Letterman an old LP of the band on Late Night with David Letterman (1982)).
- Has played Peter Keyes in Predator 2 (1990) and then, at one point, he was attached to do a cameo as John Yutani, the other half of the infamous Weyland-Yutani Company from the Alien films in Alien vs. Predator (2004), but the character was written out of the script.
- Has starred with Russell Wong in the unreleased 1997 pilot episode for a re-boot of Hawaii Five-O. This pilot episode was filmed in Hawaii, but was not released due to a decision from CBS-TV executives.
- (January 25, 1999) Arrested and released on bail after a fight with his wife, Tiani Warden.
- He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care".
- (October 4, 1999) Made a rare public appearance at the "Ray & Sharon Courts Hollywood Collectors & Celebrities Show" at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn in North Hollywood. He sold personally autographed pictures from his own collection and charged $15.00 to take a picture with him.
- Has appeared with Scott Glenn in four films: Angels Hard as They Come (1971), Hex (1973), My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991) and The Player (1992).
- (June 9, 1998) Filed for divorce from Tiani Warden; later withdrawn.
- Has appeared with Ed Lauter in four films: Dirty Little Billy (1972), The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972), The Last American Hero (1973) and Lolly-Madonna XXX (1973).
- The March 10, 1982, issue of Variety announced the film "The Glory Road", directed by Marjoe Gortner starring Gary Busey, Dabney Coleman, and Mary Crosby, started filming February 1, 1982, filming suspended February 8, 1982. The film went bankrupt and was never completed.
- Has appeared on Tulsa television as the character Teddy Jack Eddy, along with the host Gailard Sartain, in "Mazeppa's Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting".
- His stage credits include a college production of "Our Town", in which he portrayed a constable.
- Lampooned on Family Guy.
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