College days

J. August Richards (Gunn) attended USC with George Hertzberg (Adam) and Danny Strong (Jonathan). He says of his time there:

“I went to USC with George Hertzberg and Danny Strong, and we were all in the BFA programme there where we did a lot of plays and stuff.

George and I were in the exact same class so we spent four years together in a programme. George is hilarious, George is one of my closest friends. It was a good experience. Danny’s great too.”

Gunn’s entrance

The character of Gunn is introduced in the following way in the script for War Zone:

We start in low and see a pair of black leather boots walk into frame. We move up to reveal black leather pants and the bottom of a black coat. We move further up to reveal a gloved hand holding a drawn sword. The camera moves all the way up to reveal, not Angel, but a YOUNG MAN. Hard beyond his years. This is CHARLES GUNN. Standing behind and to the sides of him are now FOUR SIMILARLY HARD LOOKING YOUTHS. One holds a crossbow, two are holding nasty looking pikes, and the fifth, CHAIN, holds a nastly length of chain with a spiked ball on it.

Idling behind them is a crappy but tricked out, old pick-up truck with a Gatling gun on the bed, aimed over the cab, and stake pikes on either side. Off this stand off of the Mexican variety……..

David Herman

David Herman played David Nabbit in seasons one and two of Angel. He was born on February 20, 1967 in New York, New York, graduated from the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and went on to appear in Born on the Fourth of July, Lost Angels and Let It Be Me. Herman was one of the original nine cast members of MADtv when the series aired in 1995. His strange but funny characters included Generation X anchorman Marsh, concerned father Joel Linder, and Joe Don. He left MadTV in 1997 and has appeared in 24, Dude, Where’s My Car?, Fun with Dick and Jane, and Office Space.

He has provided voices for Futurama, King of the Hill, American Dad!, Father of the Pride and the Jak video game series. Herman is a very skilled celebrity impressionist - his subjects including Tom Hanks, Woody Allen, Patrick Stewart, John Ritter, Larry Flynt, Tim Allen, Larry King, Anthony Hopkins, David Duchovny and Bob Dole.

J. August Richards

J. August Richards was born Jaime Augusto Richards III on August 28, 1973 in Washington, D.C. His family originated from Panama and he was raised in a bilingual household in Maryland. Richards was accepted into the University of Southern California, and also won numerous scholarships and grants to study theatre. He has appeared in many plays, plus Conviction, CSI: Miami, Undressed, Moesha, The West Wing, The Practice, Sliders, Chicago Hope, JAG, Diagnosis Murder, Space: Above and Beyond, Family Matters and The Cosby Show.

Charles Gunn

Charles Gunn was born in inner-city Los Angeles where he looked after his sister Alonna from a very young age. He became leader of a gang of street-fighters who protected their turf from vampires, which hardened him mentally and gave him great fighting strength and skill. Angel was unable to save Alonna from being turned into a vampire, but eventually gained Gnn’s trust, despite being a vampire. Gunn was forced to stake his own sister, which made him question himself.

Angel began calling on Gunn’s strength when he needed back up in battle or if he needed protection for the people he cared about when he couldn’t do it himself. Gunn eventually became a full-time member of Angel’s gang, which led to a conflict of loyalties with his old gang ties. He realised that his old gang were killing otherwise innocent and harmless demons which led to a showdown, in which Gunn chose Angel over his old friends.

With Angel Investigations, Gunn had a new life with a mission to pursue. He fell in love with Fred Burkle, and their relationship became the centre of his life. He did anything for her, and eventually killed the person responsible for deliberately sending Fred to Pylea in order to save her from having to carry the burden of doing it herself. This action effectively ended their relationship as the guilt of what Gunn had done for her made Fred unable to stay with him. Gunn and Fred stayed friends and continued to fight side by side as part of Angel’s team.

When the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart offered itself to Angel Investigations, Gunn submitted to a procedure at the hands of the W&H medical department which enhanced his mind with a comprehensive understanding of the law. This led to Gunn finally shedding his image as Angel’s burly sidekick, and made him feel more integral to his friends’ mission. Gunn’s mental powers begin to diminish and, fearful of losing his new talents and position of respect, Gunn made a pact with the doctor who implanted his knowledge. He got a permanent upgrade in exchange for signing a release form on an ancient curio stuck in customs.

The curio turned out to be a sarcophagus for the Old One, known as Illyria. Illyria infected Fred and killed her from within. Devastated by his part in her death, Gunn willingly offered himself to take Lindsey’s place in a hell dimension in order to free their former nemesis and get information on how to stop the Senior Partners. Saved by the team, Gunn returned to W&H, determined to seek redemption for his sins. Gunn finally returned to his roots - he defeated Circle member, Senator Bruckner and, despite being seriously injured in the process, went to meet up with Angel and the rest of the team to stage one last fight against the army of the Senior Partners.

David Nabbit

David Nabbit was a nerdy billionaire software developer who had become rich through his digital pager network. He first sought Angel for help from a blackmailer in War Zone. He attempted to befriend the gang at Angel Investigations, bored of his lifestyle, and feeling he wasn’t leading a real life as they were. He provided investment advice to Angel in First Impressions and was not seen on screen again.

Nabbit’s appearances

David Nabbit was supposed to become a recurring character in Angel, but this didn’t work out due to scheduling. He appears in War Zone, To Shanshu In L.A., and in the season two episode First Impressions.

A Friend From Rio

At David Nabbit’s party in War Zone we hear “Para Lennon & McCartney” by A Friend From Rio.

Madam Dorian’s

Madam Dorian’s is a brothel staffed by demon prostitutes, located in Bel Air. Angel visited there in War Zone to question Lina over photos taken of David Nabbit there. As we see increasingly in Angel - humans and demons mix more frequently and publicly than in Buffy.

Dungeons and Dragons

Giles, Xander, Andrew and Amanda play the game Dungeons and Dragons to pass the time before going to battle in Chosen. The nerds were playing Dungeons and Dragons when they decided to take over Sunnydale, seen in a flashback in Flooded. Xander thought he found the “frost demon” from Smashed in a Dungeons and Dragon manual. In Showtime, Giles and Anya visit Beljoxa’s eye. This is a reference to Beljoxa - a dangerous Dungeons and Dragons creature which has many eyes.
In War Zone, David Nabbitt says, “”Are you familiar with Dungeons & Dragons?” and in To Shanshu in L.A., he says, “Tonight’s my turn to be Dungeon Master”, on his way to a Dungeons and Dragons game.

Seen at 19.43 minutes:

When Cordelia is bandaging Angel up in War Zone, the wound on his had that he got when he stopped the crossbow arrow has disappeared.