Stephen King's Favorite Cameo Came In A Beloved Crime TV Series

In 2010, when Kurt Sutter's Shakespearean biker gang show "Sons of Anarchy" was riding high with its third season, fans and "constant readers" couldn't quite believe their eyes when one of the world's most popular authors popped up in the FX series, totally out of the blue. It happened in the third episode, "Caregiver." Stephen King rode in a blood-red Harley Davidson, sporting a black leather jacket and long silver hair, and exuding an ominous vibe. What the heck was doing there? Well, his character, Bachman, was contacted by a SAMCRO member to dispose of a dead body.

It couldn't be more obvious that the show's writers are big King fans, citing the famed horror writer's well-known pseudonym, under which he wrote multiple novels, including "Thinner." "The Long Walk," and "The Running Man." It also comes as no surprise that the famous author and longtime motorcycle enthusiast chose this role as his absolute favorite when he was interviewed by Netflix in 2022. He said, "My finest moment was doing a cameo in 'Sons of Anarchy,' and I got to ride a motorcycle." 

When you watch his scenes (and you absolutely should, even if you've never seen a second of Kurt Sutter's series), it's obvious that Stephen King is having the time of his life. Bachman is a morose and taciturn weirdo who lets his actions and demeanor speak for him. After his entrance, he measures the limbs of the deceased, checking her teeth, breasts, and hair. He then proceeds to hand over a list of tools he'll need, and a request for some '80s music he'd like to listen to while he does his work, he also asks, "How is the drain in that slop sink?"

You couldn't write a more fitting cameo for the man who singlehandedly reshaped horror literature throughout the decades (not to mention the dozens of horror movies and TV shows adapted from his stories and the hundreds he inspired), The cameo came came about when King happened to be in California to accept an award. In a post to his official website, King explained, "I like to act — not that I'm much good at it, but I suspect most writers do — and a number of factors came together. I was in Los Angeles, where 'SOA' films, to accept a library award; creator Kurt Sutter assured me that he'd write me a suitably nasty part (in various films, I've been stuck playing a series of mentally challenged country bumpkins). Most important of all, he said he'd put me on a bitchin' Harley. How could I say no?"