Patrick Galen Dempsey is an American actor, known for his role as neurosurgeon
Dr. Derek ShepherdDerek Christopher Shepherd, also referred to as McDreamy, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey, who was nominated in 2006 and 2007 Golden Globe for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Drama for...
("McDreamy") on the medical drama
Grey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
. Prior to Grey's Anatomy he made several television appearances and was nominated for an
Emmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
. He has also appeared in several films, including
Sweet Home AlabamaSweet Home Alabama is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and stars Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, and Patrick Dempsey. The film was released on September 27, 2002.-Plot:...
,
Made of HonorMade of Honor is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Paul Weiland and story written by Adam Sztykiel . It was produced by Neal H. Moritz and was released by Columbia Pictures in North America on May 2, 2008...
,
Valentine's DayValentine's Day is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall and based on the novel by Michael Connelly. The screenplay and the story was written by Katherine Fugate, Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Akiva Goldsman, Rob Reiner, P. J...
,
FlypaperFlypaper is a comedy-drama film starring Patrick Dempsey, Ashley Judd, and Octavia Spencer and being directed by Rob Minkoff.-Plot:A man named Tripp is caught in the middle of two simultaneous robberies at a bank. One crew is more professional, the other crew consists of two men who call themselves...
and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Early life
Dempsey was born in
LewistonLewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
,
MaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and grew up in
BuckfieldBuckfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. Buckfield is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area. It is a member of Maine School Administrative District 39 along with nearby Hartford and Sumner...
, Maine, the youngest of three children born to Amanda and William Dempsey. He has Irish ancestry. He attended Buckfield High School and St. Dominic Regional High School. He was an adept
jugglerJuggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
, tying for second in a national juggling competition. He was also an accomplished skier and while in high school won the Maine state slalom championship.
As a child, Dempsey attended
Camp WekeelaCamp Wekeela is a 60-acre sleep-away summer camp in Maine with close to 300 campers and 135 employees. It is a traditional resident summer camp for boys and girls ages 7–16, in season from June to August....
located in
HartfordHartford is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. Hartford is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area...
,
MaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
.
Dempsey was diagnosed with
dyslexiaDyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
at age twelve. He told
Barbara WaltersBarbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
on her 2008 Oscar special that he thinks dyslexia "made him what he is today." “It’s given me a perspective of — you have to keep working,” Dempsey told Walters. “I have never given up.”
Early career
Dempsey was discovered by an invitation to audition for a role in the stage production of
Torch Song TrilogyTorch Song Trilogy is a collection of three plays by Harvey Fierstein rendered in three acts: International Stud, Fugue in a Nursery, and Widows and Children First! The story centers on Arnold Beckoff, a torch song-singing Jewish drag queen living in New York City in the late 1970 and 1980s...
. His audition was successful, and he spent the following four months touring with the company in Philadelphia. Dempsey also appeared on ABC family on a show Overnight Success by Teri DeSario, where he sings and juggles. He followed this with another tour,
Brighton Beach MemoirsBrighton Beach Memoirs is a semi-autobiographical play by Neil Simon, the first chapter in what is known as his Eugene trilogy. It precedes Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound.-Characters:*Eugene Morris Jerome, almost 15...
, in the lead role, which was directed by
Gene SaksGene Saks is an American stage and film director.-Life and career:Saks was born in New York City, the son of Beatrix and Morris J. Saks...
. Dempsey has also made notable appearances in the stage productions of On Golden Pond, with the Maine Acting Company, and as Timmy (the
Martin SheenRamón Gerardo Antonio Estévez , better known by his stage name Martin Sheen, is an American film actor best known for his performances in the films Badlands and Apocalypse Now , and in the television series The West Wing from 1999 to 2006.He is considered one of the best actors never to be...
role) in a 1990 Off-Broadway revival of
The Subject Was RosesThe Subject Was Roses is a Pulitzer Prize-winning 1964 play written by Frank D. Gilroy, who also adapted the work in 1968 for film with the same title.- Background :...
co-starring with
John MahoneyJohn Mahoney is a British born American actor, known for playing Martin "Marty" Crane, the retired police officer, father of Kelsey Grammer's Dr...
and
Dana IveyDana Robins Ivey is an American character actress, who has performed on Broadway and other stage roles, in film and on television.-Early life and family:Ivey was born in Atlanta, Georgia...
at the Roundabout Theatre in New York.
Dempsey's first major feature film role was at age 21 with
Beverly D'AngeloBeverly Heather D'Angelo is an American actress and singer.-Early life:D'Angelo was born in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Priscilla , a violinist, and Gene D'Angelo, a bass player and television station manager. She is of part Italian ancestry...
in the movie
In The MoodIn the Mood is a 1987 film directed by Phil Alden Robinson. It is set in the 1940s and stars Patrick Dempsey and Beverly D'Angelo.Based on the true story of Ellsworth Clewer "Sonny" Wisecarver Jr., called the Woo Woo Kid, who became infamous in 1944 for having affairs with older women...
, the true
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
story about
Ellsworth WisecarverEllsworth Clewer "Sonny" Wisecarver Jr. , called the Woo Woo Kid, became infamous in 1944 for having affairs with older women. His behavior sparked public scandal, primarily because of his age; at age 14 he ran off with a mother of two ... only to do it again a year later...
who had relationships with older married women which created a national uproar. This was followed by the teen comedy
Can't Buy Me LoveCan't Buy Me Love is a 1987 teen comedy feature film starring Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson in a story about a nerd at a high school in Tucson, Arizona who gives a cheerleader $1,000 to pretend to be his girlfriend for a month. The film was directed by Steve Rash.-Plot:Ronald Miller is a...
in 1987 with actress
Amanda PetersonAmanda Peterson is an American actress. Peterson gained fame during the late 1980s when she portrayed Cindy Mancini, a Tucson, Arizona high-school student, in the movie Can't Buy Me Love.-Career:...
and
Some Girls-Synopsis:The story revolves around a college student Michael who goes to Quebec City, Canada for Christmas at the request of his college girlfriend Gabriella , after months of her stonewalling him after she left college in mid-semester....
with
Jennifer ConnellyJennifer Lynn Connelly is an American film actress, who began her career as a child model. She appeared in magazine, newspaper and television advertising, before making her motion picture debut in the 1984 crime film Once Upon a Time in America...
in 1988. This film was a flop. In 1989, he had the lead role in the film
LoverboyLoverboy is a 1989 American comedy film starring Patrick Dempsey, Kirstie Alley, and Carrie Fisher.-Plot:Randy Bodek is a rebellious slacker in college, living with his girlfriend Jenny . His father, furious over Randy's lack of direction or work ethic, pulls the funding for college and requires...
with actress
Kirstie AlleyKirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
and
Happy TogetherHappy Together is a 1989 American romantic comedy film starring Patrick Dempsey and Helen Slater. The film was marketed with the taglines, "Roommates by accident...lovers by choice", and "How do I love thee, Let me count the ways...". Brad Pitt, in one of his first roles, has a minor part in the...
with actress
Helen SlaterHelen Rachel Slater is an American actress and singer-songwriter.She appeared in the title role in the 1984 film Supergirl. In the following years she starred in several very successful comedy-drama films such as Ruthless People, The Secret of My Success, and City Slickers...
. Although the teen comedy and romance roles led to Dempsey being somewhat typecast for a time, he was able to avoid playing the same character as his career progressed.
1990s and 2000s
Dempsey made a number of featured appearances in television in the 1990s; he was cast several times in pilots that were not picked up for a full season, including lead roles in the TV versions of the films
The PlayerThe Player is a 1992 American satirical film directed by Robert Altman from a screenplay by Michael Tolkin based on his own 1988 novel of the same name....
and
About A BoyAbout a Boy is a 1998 novel by British writer Nick Hornby. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 2002.-Plot summary:The novel is about Will Freeman, a 36-year-old bachelor, and Marcus, an introverted, bullied 12-year-old who lives alone with his suicidal mother, Fiona...
. However he received good reviews as he portrayed real-life mob boss,
Meyer LanskyMeyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
in 1991, when
MobstersMobsters is a 1991 crime-drama film detailing the creation of the The Commission. Set in New York City, taking place from 1917 to 1931, it is a semi-fictitious account of the rise of Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.-Plot:This highly dramatized...
was put on the screen. His first major television role was a recurring role as Will's closeted sportscaster boyfriend on
Will & GraceWill & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
. He went on to play the role of Aaron Brooks, Lily & Judy's psychologically unbalanced brother, on Once & Again. Dempsey received an Emmy nomination in 2001 as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the role of Aaron. In 1993, he played a young John F. Kennedy in the 2-part TV mini-series JFK: Reckless Youth. In 2004, he co-starred in the highly acclaimed HBO production,
Iron Jawed AngelsIron Jawed Angels is a 2004 American drama film. It was directed by Katja von Garnier and starred Hilary Swank, Frances O'Connor, Julia Ormond, and Anjelica Huston. It focuses on the American women's suffrage movement during the 1910s. The film received acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival...
, opposite
Hilary SwankHilary Ann Swank is an American actress. Swank's film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid , as Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of sensei Mr. Miyagi...
and
Anjelica HustonAnjelica Huston is an American actress. Huston became the third generation of her family to win an Academy Award, for her performance in 1985's Prizzi's Honor, joining her father, director John Huston, and grandfather, actor Walter Huston. She later was nominated in 1989 and 1990 for her acting in...
. He also appeared as special guest star in
The PracticeThe Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
for 3 episodes finale season (8x13-8x15), as a married man who murdered his lover.
Dempsey had a high-profile role as the fiance of
Reese WitherspoonLaura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon , better known as Reese Witherspoon, is an American actress and film producer. Witherspoon landed her first feature role as the female lead in the film The Man in the Moon in 1991; later that year she made her television acting debut, in the cable movie Wildflower...
's character in
Sweet Home AlabamaSweet Home Alabama is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and stars Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, and Patrick Dempsey. The film was released on September 27, 2002.-Plot:...
. He also had a role as Detective Kincaid on
Scream 3Scream 3 is a 2000 American slasher film created by Kevin Williamson, directed by Wes Craven and written by Ehren Kruger, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette, released on February 4, 2000 as the third, and originally, concluding installment in the Scream film series...
. When
Scream 4Scream 4 is a 2011 American slasher horror film and the fourth installment in the Scream film series. Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, writer of Scream and Scream 2, the film stars an ensemble cast which includes David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Emma Roberts,...
was officially announced, it was speculated Dempsey would return. But in late April, writer Kevin Williamson confirmed the 3 main cast members who had survived the other 3 movies were the only returning characters. Dempsey's most recent roles include the 2007 Disney film Enchanted, and the
Paramount PicturesParamount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
film
Freedom WritersFreedom Writers is a 2007 American drama film starring Academy Award winner Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton and Patrick Dempsey. It is based on the book The Freedom Writers Diary by teacher Erin Gruwell who wrote the story based on Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach,...
where he reunites with his Iron Jawed Angels co-star
Hilary SwankHilary Ann Swank is an American actress. Swank's film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid , as Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of sensei Mr. Miyagi...
. He also voiced the character Kenai in
Brother Bear 2The soundtrack to Brother Bear 2 was released August 15, 2006. It is available only on digital outlets such as iTunes and walmart.com. It includes the following tracks:#Dave Metzger - Opening: Brother Bear 2 – 0:34...
.
Dempsey starred in the 2008 film
Made of HonorMade of Honor is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Paul Weiland and story written by Adam Sztykiel . It was produced by Neal H. Moritz and was released by Columbia Pictures in North America on May 2, 2008...
as Tom, and appeared in 2010's romantic comedy
Valentine's DayValentine's Day is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall and based on the novel by Michael Connelly. The screenplay and the story was written by Katherine Fugate, Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Akiva Goldsman, Rob Reiner, P. J...
; the latter film, directed by
Garry MarshallGarry Kent Marshall is an American actor, director, writer and producer. His notable credits include creating Happy Days and The Odd Couple and directing Nothing In Common, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Valentine's Day, and The Princess Diaries.-Early life:Marshall was born in the New York City...
, follows five interconnecting stories about Los Angelinos anticipating (or in some cases dreading) the holiday of love.
Universal Pictures acquired the rights to the prize-winning novel
The Art of Racing in the RainThe Art of Racing in the Rain is a 2008 novel by American author and film producer Garth Stein — told from a dog's point of view. The novel became a New York Times bestseller, has remained on the list for more than 40 weeks, and became a #1 BookSense Pick.-Synopsis:The novel follows the...
in July 2009, for Dempsey to star in. The project has not been able to find a director. Dempsey starred as antagonist Dylan Gould in the 2011 movie Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Grey's Anatomy
Dempsey has received significant public attention for his role as Dr. Derek Shepherd in the drama
Grey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
. Prior to landing the role of Derek Shepherd, Dempsey auditioned for the role of Dr. Gregory House on another medical show,
HouseHouse is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
. Initially a midseason replacement, the show was very well received and has become a highly rated program. Dempsey's character Derek is often referred to as "McDreamy" and has received press attention for his sex appeal and the character's romance with resident and now-wife Meredith Grey (played by
Ellen PompeoEllen Kathleen Pompeo is an American actress, known for playing the title role of Meredith Grey on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy.-Early life:...
). Dempsey also appeared in one episode of Private Practice, playing the same character as in Grey's Anatomy.
Dempsey was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama at the 2006 Golden Globes for the role. His success on the show has led to his becoming a spokesman for Mazda and State Farm Insurance. Regarding the eighth season, Dempsey stated that, "It will be my last. I do not know about the other characters. But for me it's over." But, after this comment stirred up some fans, his publicist released a statement saying that Dempsey's comments were somewhat taken out of context. His rep claims that he was referring to his contract ending next season and that it's uncertain what he will do next. On June 30, 2011 Dempsey announced on
Lopez TonightLopez Tonight was an American late-night television talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican American to host a late-night talk show on an English-language network in the United States. The...
that he will be returning to the show for season 8.
Other work
He has been the face of L'Oreal and
VersaceGianni Versace S.p.A. , usually referred to as Versace, is an Italian fashion label founded by Gianni Versace in 1978.The first Versace boutique was opened in Milan's Via della Spiga in 1978, and its popularity was immediate. Today, Versace is one of the world's leading international fashion houses...
and was featured in ads for Serengeti sun glasses. In November 2008 he launched an Avon fragrance named Unscripted, and due to its success a second fragrance named Patrick Dempsey 2 was launched in October 2009.
Personal life
Dempsey was diagnosed with
dyslexiaDyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
at age 12. As a result, it is necessary for him to memorize all his lines in order to perform, even for auditions where he was unlikely to get the part.
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
put Dempsey's hair on its end-of-the-decade "best-of" list, saying, "What made Grey's Anatomy a mega-medi-hit? It could have something to do with creator Shonda Rhimes' scalpel-sharp writing…or McDreamy's impossibly luxurious man hair. Just saying."
Marriages and family
He has been married twice. In 1987, he married actress and acting coach Rocky Parker (born 26 February 1939 in Brooklyn, New York). She was his best friend's mother and appeared with Dempsey in the film
In the MoodIn the Mood is a 1987 film directed by Phil Alden Robinson. It is set in the 1940s and stars Patrick Dempsey and Beverly D'Angelo.Based on the true story of Ellsworth Clewer "Sonny" Wisecarver Jr., called the Woo Woo Kid, who became infamous in 1944 for having affairs with older women...
. The couple divorced in 1994.
On July 31, 1999, Dempsey married Jillian Fink. The couple have three children, daughter Tallulah Fyfe (born 20 February 2002) and twins Sullivan Patrick and Darby Galen (born 1 February 2007). The family resides in Malibu and also has a home in Texas. They own a farmhouse in Maine as well, but that property is currently for sale.
Race car driver
Dempsey enjoys auto racing in his spare time, having driven the pace car in the
Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, and raced in the Rolex 24 at Daytona
sports car raceSports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
and Tecate SCORE
Baja 1000SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in November. The Baja 1000 is part of the SCORE Championship Desert Racing Series that include the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the new San Felipe Challenge of Champions in place of the Primm 300 which had...
off-road raceOff-road racing is a format of racing where various classes of specially modified vehicles compete in races through off-road environments.-North America:...
. He was a co-owner of the
Vision RacingVision Racing was a racing team in the Indy Racing League founded in 2005 when Tony George purchased the assets of the defunct Kelley Racing and hired his stepson Ed Carpenter to be the driver. The team has previously raced in the Izod IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and the Grand-Am Sports...
IndyCar SeriesThe IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
team and current owner of Dempsey Racing, which is presently racing two Mazda RX-8 cars in the
GRAND-AMGRAND-AM Road Racing or GRAND-AM is an auto racing sanctioning body that was established in 1999 to organize road racing competitions in North America...
Rolex Sports Car SeriesThe Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
GT class. He participates in this series as often as his schedule allows, as he is unable to race while filming a movie due to insurance issues. In 2009, he raced a
Team SeattleTeam Seattle is an endurance auto racing team and charitable organization founded by racing driver Don Kitch, Jr. in 1997 to raise funds for the Seattle Children's Hospital. Team Seattle's drivers and other supporting teams who compete in the 24 Hours of Daytona gain pledges from donors based on...
Advanced Engineering
Ferrari F430The Ferrari F430 is a sports car that was produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari from 2004 to 2009, as a successor to the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show...
GT in the
2009 24 Hours of Le MansThe 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 77th Grand Prix of Endurance, an endurance auto race run over 24 hours. It took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest over June 13–14, 2009 and was started by Fiat and Ferrari chairman Luca...
's GT2 class, and finished ninth in class.
Dempsey announced he would be in the 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona along with other races throughout the season in a Mazda RX-8. Dempsey finished in third place in the GT Class of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Dempsey is also known to have a collection of sports and collector cars.
Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing and Dempsey Challenge
In 1997, Dempsey's mother was diagnosed with
ovarian cancerOvarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
. She was treated for the disease and had two relapses and had it treated another two times. In response to his mother's bouts with cancer, Dempsey helped start the
Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center in his home town of
LewistonLewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
, Maine. In October 2009 when Dempsey introduced the first Dempsey Challenge, registration was closed after reaching the goal of 3,500 cyclists, runners and walkers. The event raised more than $1 million for the cancer center. His mother was in the crowd as Dempsey finished his 50-mile ride. The Challenge has since become an annual October event presented by
AmgenAmgen Inc. is an international biotechnology company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. Located in the Conejo Valley, Amgen is the world's largest independent biotech firm. The company employs approximately 17,000 staff members. Its products include Epogen, Aranesp, Enbrel, Kineret,...
in the Lewiston-Auburn area.
Filmography
| Film |
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 1985 |
The Stuff The Stuff is a 1985 American horror film written, produced, and directed by Larry Cohen and starring Michael Moriarty, Garrett Morris, Andrea Marcovicci, and Paul Sorvino. It was also the last film of noted actor Alexander Scourby.-Plot:...
|
Underground Stuff buyer #2 |
|
| Heaven Help Us Heaven Help Us is a 1985 comedy-drama film starring Andrew McCarthy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kevin Dillon, Donald Sutherland, Wallace Shawn, Stephen Geoffreys, John Heard, and Patrick Dempsey.-Story:...
|
Corbet |
|
| 1986 |
Meatballs III: Summer Job Meatballs III: Summer Job is a 1986 film that was the third installment in the Meatballs film series, and the first in the series to be Rated R. Unlike Meatballs Part II, this film follows Rudy , grown up and working on a summer job for an angry boss named Mean Gene...
|
Rudy |
|
| 1987 |
Can't Buy Me Love Can't Buy Me Love is a 1987 teen comedy feature film starring Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson in a story about a nerd at a high school in Tucson, Arizona who gives a cheerleader $1,000 to pretend to be his girlfriend for a month. The film was directed by Steve Rash.-Plot:Ronald Miller is a...
|
Ronald Miller |
Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
|
| In the Mood In the Mood is a 1987 film directed by Phil Alden Robinson. It is set in the 1940s and stars Patrick Dempsey and Beverly D'Angelo.Based on the true story of Ellsworth Clewer "Sonny" Wisecarver Jr., called the Woo Woo Kid, who became infamous in 1944 for having affairs with older women...
|
Ellsworth 'Sonny' Wisecarver |
|
| 1988 |
Some Girls -Synopsis:The story revolves around a college student Michael who goes to Quebec City, Canada for Christmas at the request of his college girlfriend Gabriella , after months of her stonewalling him after she left college in mid-semester....
|
Michael |
|
| In a Shallow Grave |
Daventry |
Limited release |
| 1989 |
Loverboy Loverboy is a 1989 American comedy film starring Patrick Dempsey, Kirstie Alley, and Carrie Fisher.-Plot:Randy Bodek is a rebellious slacker in college, living with his girlfriend Jenny . His father, furious over Randy's lack of direction or work ethic, pulls the funding for college and requires...
|
Randy Bodek |
|
| Happy Together Happy Together is a 1989 American romantic comedy film starring Patrick Dempsey and Helen Slater. The film was marketed with the taglines, "Roommates by accident...lovers by choice", and "How do I love thee, Let me count the ways...". Brad Pitt, in one of his first roles, has a minor part in the...
|
Christopher Wooden |
|
| 1990 |
Coupe de VilleCoupe de Ville is a 1990 American comedy-drama film directed by Joe Roth. It stars Daniel Stern, Arye Gross, and Patrick Dempsey as three very different brothers asked by their father to drive the titular Cadillac Coupe DeVille from Detroit to Miami....
|
Robert 'Bobby' Libner |
|
| 1991 |
Mobsters Mobsters is a 1991 crime-drama film detailing the creation of the The Commission. Set in New York City, taking place from 1917 to 1931, it is a semi-fictitious account of the rise of Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.-Plot:This highly dramatized...
|
Meyer LanskyMeyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
|
|
| Run Run is a 1991 film, directed by Geoff Burrowes. The movie stars Patrick Dempsey and Kelly Preston.-Synopsis:Boston law student and part-time mechanic Charlie Farrow is asked by his boss to deliver a new Porsche from Boston to Atlantic City for a client...
|
Charlie Farrow |
|
| 1993 |
Bank Robber -Plot:Billy , is a well dressed bank robber who decides to do one last heist so he can sail off to a tropical island with his girlfriend, Selina . On his last robbery, he forgets to destroy a surveillance camera...
|
Billy |
|
| 1994 |
With Honors |
Everett Calloway |
|
| Ava's Magical Adventure |
Jeffrey |
|
| 1995 |
OutbreakOutbreak is a 1995 American disaster film starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey. The film was directed by Wolfgang Petersen. In addition, Outbreak features Cuba Gooding, Jr., Donald Sutherland, and Patrick Dempsey....
|
Jimbo Scott |
|
| 1997 |
Hugo Pool Hugo Pool is a 1997 American comedy-drama film starring Alyssa Milano and Patrick Dempsey and directed by Robert Downey, Sr.-Plot:...
|
Floyd Gaylen |
Limited release |
| 1998 |
DenialDenial is a 1998 film written and directed by Adam Rifkin. It was released to video under the title Something About Sex. The plot revolved around couples as they struggle with the hardships of maintaining a monogamous relationship. It starred Jonathan Silverman, Leah Lail, Patrick Dempsey,...
|
Sam |
|
| The Treat |
Mike |
Jonathan Gems Jonathan Gems is a British playwright and screenwriter mostly known for his work on Mars Attacks!, directed by Tim Burton. He also wrote the film's novelization....
film |
| There's No Fish Food in Heaven |
The Stranger |
aka Life in the Fast Lane |
| 1999 |
Me and Will |
Fast Eddie |
|
| 2000 |
Scream 3 Scream 3 is a 2000 American slasher film created by Kevin Williamson, directed by Wes Craven and written by Ehren Kruger, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette, released on February 4, 2000 as the third, and originally, concluding installment in the Scream film series...
|
Det. Mark Kincaid |
|
| 2002 |
Sweet Home Alabama Sweet Home Alabama is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and stars Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, and Patrick Dempsey. The film was released on September 27, 2002.-Plot:...
|
Andrew Hennings |
|
| 2003 |
Lucky 7 Lucky 7 is a 2003 made-for-TV film starring Patrick Dempsey and Kimberly Williams.-Plot:Amy Myer is a woman whose dying mother made out a timeline for Amy's life and predicted she would marry her seventh boyfriend...
|
Peter Connor |
|
The Emperor's ClubThe Emperor's Club is a 2002 drama film that tells the story of a prep school teacher and his students. Based on Ethan Canin's short story "The Palace Thief," the film is directed by Michael Hoffman and stars Kevin Kline. The film is set at a fictional boys' prep school, St. Benedict's Academy,...
|
Older Louis Masoudi |
|
| 2004 |
Iron Jawed AngelsIron Jawed Angels is a 2004 American drama film. It was directed by Katja von Garnier and starred Hilary Swank, Frances O'Connor, Julia Ormond, and Anjelica Huston. It focuses on the American women's suffrage movement during the 1910s. The film received acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival...
|
Ben Weissman |
|
| 2006 |
Brother Bear 2The soundtrack to Brother Bear 2 was released August 15, 2006. It is available only on digital outlets such as iTunes and walmart.com. It includes the following tracks:#Dave Metzger - Opening: Brother Bear 2 – 0:34...
|
Kenai |
Voice only |
| Shade |
Paul Parker |
Short film |
| 2007 |
Freedom WritersFreedom Writers is a 2007 American drama film starring Academy Award winner Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton and Patrick Dempsey. It is based on the book The Freedom Writers Diary by teacher Erin Gruwell who wrote the story based on Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach,...
|
Scott Casey |
|
| Enchanted |
Robert Philip |
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss.This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss....
(with Amy AdamsAmy Lou Adams is an American actress and singer. Adams began her performing career on stage in dinner theaters before making her screen debut in the 1999 black comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous...
) |
| 2008 |
Made of Honor Made of Honor is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Paul Weiland and story written by Adam Sztykiel . It was produced by Neal H. Moritz and was released by Columbia Pictures in North America on May 2, 2008...
|
Tom Bailey |
|
| 2010 |
Valentine's Day Valentine's Day is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall and based on the novel by Michael Connelly. The screenplay and the story was written by Katherine Fugate, Ivan Reitman, Jason Reitman, Akiva Goldsman, Rob Reiner, P. J...
|
Harrison Copeland |
|
| Easy A Easy A is a 2010 teen comedy film written by Bert V. Royal, directed by Will Gluck, and starring Emma Stone. The screenplay was partially inspired by the novel The Scarlet Letter. The film was shot at Screen Gems studios and in Ojai, California. Screen Gems distributed with a release on...
|
Himself (in a scene taken from Can't Buy Me Love) |
|
| 2011 |
Transformers: Dark of the Moon |
Dylan Gould |
|
| Flypaper Flypaper is a comedy-drama film starring Patrick Dempsey, Ashley Judd, and Octavia Spencer and being directed by Rob Minkoff.-Plot:A man named Tripp is caught in the middle of two simultaneous robberies at a bank. One crew is more professional, the other crew consists of two men who call themselves...
|
Tripp |
|
| Television |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1986 |
A Fighting Choice A Fighting Choice is a 1986 television film directed by Ferdinand Fairfax. Produced by Walt Disney Television and broadcast on ABC, the film stars Patrick Dempsey as a teenager suffering from epilepsy.- Plot :...
|
Kellin Taylor |
TV movie |
Fast TimesFast Times is a seven-episode 1986 television sequel to the 1982 movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High that was produced by Amy Heckerling, who directed the original film. Cameron Crowe, who penned the original Fast Times novel and film screenplay, served as creative consultant. Moon Unit Zappa...
|
Mike Damone |
Television series |
| 1989 |
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! is an American television series based upon Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 video games. It was originally broadcast via first-run syndication to mostly independent or Fox television stations from September 4, 1989, to December 1, 1989, with...
|
The Plant |
1 episode |
| 1990 |
The General Motors Playwrights Theater |
|
1 episode "Merry Christmas, Baby" |
| 1993 |
For Better and for Worse |
Robert Faldo |
TV movie |
| JFK: Reckless Youth |
John F. Kennedy |
Miniseries |
| 1995 |
Bloodknot |
Tom |
TV movie |
| 1996 |
The Right to Remain Silent |
Tom Harris |
TV movie |
| A Season in Purgatory A Season in Purgatory is a 1993 novel by Dominick Dunne. It was inspired by the 1975 murder of Martha Moxley, for which Michael Skakel, the nephew of Ethel Skakel Kennedy, eventually was convicted...
|
Harrison Burns |
Miniseries |
| 1997 |
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1997 television movie produced by Village Roadshow Pictures, based on the novel of the same name by Jules Verne.-Events:In this version:...
|
Pierre ArronaxTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a classic science fiction novel by French writer Jules Verne published in 1870. It tells the story of Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus as seen from the perspective of Professor Pierre Aronnax...
|
Miniseries |
| The Escape |
Clayton |
TV movie |
| The Player The Player is a 1992 American satirical film directed by Robert Altman from a screenplay by Michael Tolkin based on his own 1988 novel of the same name....
|
Griffin Mill |
TV movie |
| 1998 |
The Bible: Jeremiah |
JeremiahJeremiah Hebrew：יִרְמְיָה , Modern Hebrew:Yirməyāhū, IPA: jirməˈjaːhu, Tiberian:Yirmĭyahu, Greek:Ἰερεμίας), meaning "Yahweh exalts", or called the "Weeping prophet" was one of the main prophets of the Hebrew Bible...
|
TV movie |
| Crime and Punishment Crime and Punishment is a 1998 television film directed by Joseph Sargent. It stars Patrick Dempsey and Ben Kingsley.-Cast:*Patrick Dempsey as Rodya Raskolnikov*Ben Kingsley as Porfiry*Julie Delpy as Sonia Marmeladova*Eddie Marsan as Dimitri...
|
Raskolnikov |
|
| 2000 |
Will and Grace |
Matthew |
2000–2001 (3 episodes) |
| 2000 |
Once and Again Once and Again is an American television series that aired on ABC from September 21, 1999 to April 15, 2002. It depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father...
|
Aaron Brooks |
2000–2002 (4 episodes)
Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series |
| 2001 |
Blonde |
Cass |
Miniseries |
Karen SiscoKaren Sisco is a television series about a fictional United States Marshal created by novelist Elmore Leonard.As a U.S. Deputy Marshal, based on Miami, Florida's Gold Coast, Karen must deal with the underbelly of South Beach nightlife and Palm Beach highlife while tracking down fugitives. She also...
|
Carl |
1 episode |
| About a Boy |
Carl |
TV movie |
| 2004 |
Iron Jawed AngelsIron Jawed Angels is a 2004 American drama film. It was directed by Katja von Garnier and starred Hilary Swank, Frances O'Connor, Julia Ormond, and Anjelica Huston. It focuses on the American women's suffrage movement during the 1910s. The film received acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival...
|
Ben Weissman |
TV movie |
The PracticeThe Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
|
Dr. Paul Stewart |
3 episodes |
| 2005–present |
Grey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
|
Dr. Derek ShepherdDerek Christopher Shepherd, also referred to as McDreamy, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey, who was nominated in 2006 and 2007 Golden Globe for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Drama for...
|
2005–present (146 episodes)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast in a Drama Series (2006)
People's Choice Award for Favorite Male TV StarThe People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett...
(2007, 2008)
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series (2005, 2006)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast in a Drama Series (2006, 2008)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series (2005)
Nominated—People's Choice Award for Favorite Male TV StarThe People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett...
(2009) |
| 2009 |
Private Practice |
Dr. Derek ShepherdDerek Christopher Shepherd, also referred to as McDreamy, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey, who was nominated in 2006 and 2007 Golden Globe for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Drama for...
|
TV episode ("The Ex-Life") |
External links