Jack Coleman (actor)

Summary

John MacDonald Coleman (born February 21, 1958)[1] is an American actor who has played the role of Steven Carrington in the 1980s prime time soap opera Dynasty (1982–1988),[2] Noah Bennet in the NBC science-fiction drama series Heroes (2006–2010), State Senator Robert Lipton on The Office (2010–2013), and United States Senator William Bracken on the ABC series Castle (2012–2015).

Jack Coleman
Coleman in July 2015
Born
John MacDonald Coleman

(1958-02-21) February 21, 1958 (age 66)
OccupationActor
Years active1981–present
Spouse
(m. 1996)
Children1

Early life and education edit

Coleman was born February 21, 1958, in Easton, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. He is a sixth-generation descendant of Benjamin Franklin.[2] He attended Solebury School in Solesbury Township, Pennsylvania, and Duke University, where he decided to pursue acting as a career. After graduating from Duke in 1980, he attended Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut.[3]

Career edit

 
Coleman in June 2008

Coleman's first major role was in Days of Our Lives, where he appeared from 1981 to 1982 as the character of Jake Kositchek (aka The Salem Strangler).[4] He also made an appearance on Celebrity Bullseye. In 1982, he joined the cast of Dynasty when he took over the role of Steven Carrington,[5] one of the first gay characters on American television. Coleman played the role until the end of the show's eighth season in 1988.

He was a regular on the short-lived series Nightmare Cafe (1992), and appeared on the miniseries Kingdom Hospital (2004). He made guest appearances in The Net, CSI: Miami, Nip/Tuck, Without a Trace, Diagnosis: Murder, and Entourage.[6] He co-starred as Alyson & Amanda Michalka's father in the Disney Channel Original Movie Cow Belles.

He was nominated[clarification needed] for his performance in the play Stand-up Tragedy at the Mark Taper Forum, and won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his performance in Bouncers. He wrote the screenplays for Studio City, which he produced and acted in, and Can't Help Falling.[2]

Heroes edit

Coleman was a main cast member of science-fiction series Heroes, where he played Noah Bennet. Coleman states about portraying the character, "It's a combination of the light and dark. I don't want to just be a moustache twirling villain."[7] In 2015, he reprised his role as Noah Bennet in an "event miniseries" Heroes Reborn, which served as a continuation of the original Heroes storyline. In 2019, he starred in the film adaptation of Graham Farrow's award-winning, critically acclaimed stage play Rattlesnakes.[8]

2010-present edit

Coleman appeared in an episode of The Mentalist in October 2010. He played the role of a wealthy, arrogant murder suspect named Max Winter.[9] He also played a patient named Joe Dugan (a campaign manager of a New Jersey senator) in the House episode of "Office Politics" in 2010.

In Hallmark Channel’s film Rock The House (2010), Coleman played a lawyer named Max who finds a way to reconnect with his daughter and his old sense of joy when he gets back together with his music-making friends from his teenaged years. Starting in November 2010, Coleman had a recurring role on The Office as Pennsylvania State Senator Robert Lipton, the love interest for both Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) and Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez). He has appeared in the episodes "WUPHF.com", "Classy Christmas", "Michael's Last Dundies","Goodbye, Michael", "Jury Duty", "Fundraiser", "Free Family Portrait Studio", "New Guys", "Here Comes Treble", "The Boat", "The Whale", "Customer Loyalty" and "Vandalism".

From 2011 to 2012, Coleman played Bill Forbes on the third season of the CW drama The Vampire Diaries. In 2011, he appeared on the CBS drama Criminal Minds, playing Bill Rogers, a serial rapist, in the episode "Hope". In July 2012, it was announced that Coleman joined the fifth season of Castle as a new antagonist for Stana Katic’s character Kate Beckett.[10] He has appeared in the episodes "After the Storm", "Recoil", "In the Belly of the Beast", "Veritas", "XY", and "XX" playing Senator William H Bracken.

Coleman joined USA Network’s Burn Notice as a recurring part of the drama's truncated (13-episode) seventh and final season. He played Andrew Strong, a ranking CIA officer who has seen it all. Noble, but also obsessive at times, Strong is a relentless taskmaster who pushes Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) to do whatever it takes to complete the mission.[11]

In 2013, he played the closeted gay husband Daniel Douglas Langston of conservative Vice President Sally Langston on Scandal. In February 2014, he appeared in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Season 14 Episode 15 – "Love for Sale".

Personal life edit

Coleman married actress Beth Toussaint in 1996.[12] They have a daughter, Tess, born in 1999.

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Film Role Notes
1988 The Pursuit of Happiness Stan
1994 Foreign Student Rex Jennings
1997 Spawn Doctor
1997 Time Under Fire Lance McCarthy
1998 The Landlady Patrick Forman
2003 Studio City Andrew Mason
2008 Beautiful Loser Jimmy
2011 The Contract The Patron Short
2013 Emit Rance Wofford Short
2015 The Tank Reed Baker
2016 The Submarine Kid Mr.Koll
2019 Rattlesnakes Richie Hanson

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1981–82 Days of Our Lives Jake Kositchek Main role
1982–88 Dynasty Steven Carrington Main role
148 episodes
1984 Glitter Rusty Walker Episode: "In Tennis, Love Means Nothing"
1985 Finder of Lost Loves Dr. Eric Jordan Episode: "Wayward Dreams"
1985 The Love Boat Scott Barrett Episode: "The Racer's Edge"
1986 The Colbys Steven Carrington Episode: "The Wedding"
1989 Bridesmaids Matt Television film
1990 Daughter of Darkness Devlin Television film
1990 Children of the Bride Dennis Television film
1991 The Return of Eliot Ness Gil Labine Television film
1992 Nightmare Cafe Frank Nolan Main role (6 episodes)
1993 Rubdown Marion Pooley Television film
1995 Trapped in Space Grant Television film
1995 Diagnosis: Murder Eddie Gault Episode: "A Blast from the Past"
1995 Burke's Law Ted D'Arcy Episode: "Who Killed the Sweet Smell of Success?"
1995 Touched by an Angel Jeff Ritchy Episode: "Angels on the Air"
1997 Angels in the Endzone Peter Harper Television film
1997 Medusa's Child Dean Cooper Television film
1998 The Naked Truth Colin Terell 2 episodes
1998–2000 Oh Baby Rick Recurring role (11 episodes)
1998 The Net Dr. Steven Graf Episode: "Transplant"
1999 Replacing Dad Dr. Mark Chandler Television film
1999 Last Rites Agent Gary Blake Television film
2001 Special Unit 2 George Armstrong Episode: "The Drag"
2001 Providence Larry Episode: "The Mating Dance"
2002 Becker Tony Episode: "The 100th"
2003 According to Jim Sean Curran Episode: "No Harm, No Fowl"
2004 Kingdom Hospital Peter Rickman Main role; 13 episodes
2004 Nip/Tuck Dr. Avery Atherton Episode: "Rose and Raven Rosenberg"
2004 CSI: Miami Martin Gillespie Episode: "Murder in a Flash"
2004 Without a Trace Roy Ducek Episode: "Trials"
2006–10 Heroes Noah Bennet Main role; 74 episodes
2006 Cow Belles Reed Callum Television film
2006 Entourage Bradley Episode: "What About Bob?"
2009 Polar Storm Dr. James Mayfield Television film
2010 The Mentalist Max Winter Episode: "Red Carpet Treatment"
2010 House Joe Dugan Episode: "Office Politics"
2010–2013 The Office State Senator Robert Lipton 14 episodes
2011 Rock the House Max Peterson Television film
2011 Criminal Minds Bill Rogers Episode: "Hope"
2011–12 The Vampire Diaries Bill Forbes 5 episodes
2012 Crash & Burn Jack Coleman Television film
2012–14 Ultimate Spider-Man Doctor Strange, Announcer Voice, 3 episodes[13]
2012–15 Castle Senator William H. Bracken 6 episodes
2013 Burn Notice Andrew Strong 11 episodes
2013 Scandal Daniel Douglas Langston 6 episodes
2014 Salvation Daniel Television film
2014 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Jim Logan Episode: "Love For Sale"
2014 Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. Doctor Strange Voice, episode: "Stranger in a Strange Land"[13]
2015 Heroes Reborn Noah Bennet TV miniseries
2015–2021 Chicago P.D. "Disco Bob" Ruzek 3 episodes
2015 Avengers Assemble Doctor Strange Voice, episode: "Widow's Run"[13]
2017 Do I Say I Do? Robert Television film
2018 How to Get Away with Murder Mr. Dean Episode: "He's a Bad Father"
2018 Hawaii Five-O Agent Miller 2 episodes
2021 Ordinary Joe Dr. Douglas Banks Recurring role
2022 Westworld Senator Ken Whitney Episode: "Well Enough Alone"

References edit

  1. ^ Jack Coleman Biography (1958–)
  2. ^ a b c "From 'Dynasty' To NBC's 'Heroes,' Life Never Looked Better Through "Horn Rimmed Glasses" For New Series Regular Jack Coleman" (Press release). NBC Universal Media Village. 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2007-01-13.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Nuytens, Gilles; Coleman, Jack (18 February 2007). "Jack Coleman interview". The Scifi World. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Jack Coleman". BBC. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
  5. ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe (9 November 2021). "Jack Coleman, John James & Gordon Thomsom Team up for our Dynasty: Tales from the set". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  6. ^ TV Guide interview. Retrieved on 2007-09-27
  7. ^ Jack Coleman on Heroes Season 2[permanent dead link]. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  8. ^ Myers, Kimber (April 25, 2019). "Review: Revenge tale 'Rattlesnakes' aspires to neo-noir, but is simply a grind". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  9. ^ "Keck's Exclusives: Heroes' Hiro and H.R.G. Land New CBS Gigs". TVGuide.com. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  10. ^ "Castle Casts Jack Coleman – Season 5 – TVLine". TVLine.com. 22 July 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  11. ^ Jack Coleman & Stephen Martines Join USA's ‘Burn Notice’ As Recurring.
  12. ^ "Beth Toussaint Biography (1962–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
  13. ^ a b c "Jack Coleman (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved February 4, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.

External links edit