Jack Coleman (actor)

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
YearFilmRoleNotes
1988The Pursuit of HappinessStan
1994Foreign StudentRex Jennings
1997SpawnDoctor
1997Time Under FireLance McCarthy
1998The LandladyPatrick Forman
2003Studio CityAndrew Mason
2008Beautiful LoserJimmy
2011The ContractThe PatronShort
2013EmitRance WoffordShort
2015The TankReed Baker
2016The Submarine KidMr.Koll
2019RattlesnakesRichie Hanson

Television

edit
YearTitleRoleNotes
1981–82Days of Our LivesJake KositchekMain role
1982–88DynastySteven CarringtonMain role
148 episodes
1984GlitterRusty WalkerEpisode: "In Tennis, Love Means Nothing"
1985Finder of Lost LovesDr. Eric JordanEpisode: "Wayward Dreams"
1985The Love BoatScott BarrettEpisode: "The Racer's Edge"
1986The ColbysSteven CarringtonEpisode: "The Wedding"
1989BridesmaidsMattTelevision film
1990Daughter of DarknessDevlinTelevision film
1990Children of the BrideDennisTelevision film
1991The Return of Eliot NessGil LabineTelevision film
1992Nightmare CafeFrank NolanMain role (6 episodes)
1993RubdownMarion PooleyTelevision film
1995Trapped in SpaceGrantTelevision film
1995Diagnosis: MurderEddie GaultEpisode: "A Blast from the Past"
1995Burke's LawTed D'ArcyEpisode: "Who Killed the Sweet Smell of Success?"
1995Touched by an AngelJeff RitchyEpisode: "Angels on the Air"
1997Angels in the EndzonePeter HarperTelevision film
1997Medusa's ChildDean CooperTelevision film
1998The Naked TruthColin Terell2 episodes
1998–2000Oh BabyRickRecurring role (11 episodes)
1998The NetDr. Steven GrafEpisode: "Transplant"
1999Replacing DadDr. Mark ChandlerTelevision film
1999Last RitesAgent Gary BlakeTelevision film
2001Special Unit 2George ArmstrongEpisode: "The Drag"
2001ProvidenceLarryEpisode: "The Mating Dance"
2002BeckerTonyEpisode: "The 100th"
2003According to JimSean CurranEpisode: "No Harm, No Fowl"
2004Kingdom HospitalPeter RickmanMain role; 13 episodes
2004Nip/TuckDr. Avery AthertonEpisode: "Rose and Raven Rosenberg"
2004CSI: MiamiMartin GillespieEpisode: "Murder in a Flash"
2004Without a TraceRoy DucekEpisode: "Trials"
2006–10HeroesNoah BennetMain role; 74 episodes
2006Cow BellesReed CallumTelevision film
2006EntourageBradleyEpisode: "What About Bob?"
2009Polar StormDr. James MayfieldTelevision film
2010The MentalistMax WinterEpisode: "Red Carpet Treatment"
2010HouseJoe DuganEpisode: "Office Politics"
2010–2013The OfficeState Senator Robert Lipton14 episodes
2011Rock the HouseMax PetersonTelevision film
2011Criminal MindsBill RogersEpisode: "Hope"
2011–12The Vampire DiariesBill Forbes5 episodes
2012Crash & BurnJack ColemanTelevision film
2012–14Ultimate Spider-ManDoctor Strange, AnnouncerVoice, 3 episodes[13]
2012–15CastleSenator William H. Bracken6 episodes
2013Burn NoticeAndrew Strong11 episodes
2013ScandalDaniel Douglas Langston6 episodes
2014SalvationDanielTelevision film
2014CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationJim LoganEpisode: "Love For Sale"
2014Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.Doctor StrangeVoice, episode: "Stranger in a Strange Land"[13]
2015Heroes RebornNoah BennetTV miniseries
2015–2021Chicago P.D."Disco Bob" Ruzek3 episodes
2015Avengers AssembleDoctor StrangeVoice, episode: "Widow's Run"[13]
2017Do I Say I Do?RobertTelevision film
2018How to Get Away with MurderMr. DeanEpisode: "He's a Bad Father"
2018Hawaii Five-OAgent Miller2 episodes
2021Ordinary JoeDr. Douglas BanksRecurring role
2022WestworldSenator Ken WhitneyEpisode: "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.
edit