- 2004: Starred with Christian Bale in "The Machinist"
- 2000: Played the abusive, alcoholic stepfather in "Crime and Punishment in Suburbia"
- 2000: Had featured role in "The Perfect Storm"
- 1998: Starred opposite Frederic Forrest in "One of Our Own"
- 1997: Reteamed with Verhoeven for "Starship Troopers"
- 1994: Created the recurring character of Dr William Swift on the hit NBC medical drama "ER"
- 1994: Starred with Bruce Dern in USA Network movie "Dead Man's Revenge"
- 1994: Played Colonel Dugan (the villain opposing Pat Morita) in "The Next Karate Kid"
- 1994: Joined cast of the NBC series "seaQuest DSV"
- 1991: Feature screenwriting and co-producing debut (also actor), "Chaindance"
- 1990: First film with director Paul Verhoeven, "Total Recall", playing the sociopathic intelligence agent Richter
- 1987: Portrayed Harry Bennett in syndicated miniseries "Ford: The Man and the Machine"
- 1987: Led a hi-tech commando unit in Walter Hill's "Extreme Prejudice"
- 1986: Appeared as Tom Cruise's flight instructor Dick 'Jester' Weatherly in Tony Scott's "Top Gun"
- 1984: Had a lead role in the NBC miniseries "V: The Final Battle" and its subsequent spin-off "V: The Series"
- 1983: Moved to L.A.
- 1980: Shone in David Cronenberg's "Scanners"; Cronenberg rewrote and expanded the part of Darryl Revok for Ironside
- 1979: American TV-movie debut, "The Family Man" (CBS)
- 1978: Feature acting debut, "High-ballin'"
- 1965: Wrote first play at age 15, "The Shelter", which won first prize in a Canada-wide university contest; produced the play with the prize money
- While in college, wrote, directed, edited, produced and acted in first film, "Down Where the Lights Are", attracting the attention of actor-director Janine Manatis, whom Ironside has called a major influence
- Canadian TV debut, "Look Back in Anger"
- Formed Wilmont Productions with producer Richard Davis




