Timothy Busfield
Encyclopedia
Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield (born June 12, 1957) is an American
actor
and director
best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon
on the television series The West Wing. In 1991 he received a Primetime Emmy Award
as best supporting actor in a drama series.
. The son of university professors, Busfield as a boy frequently visited the Michigan State University
drama department, where his father, Roger, taught. His mother, Jean, taught literature and enjoyed the company of writers. Busfield said he remembers coming home from school and finding his mother and English novelist Graham Greene
sharing a drink at the kitchen table. Busfield studied drama at East Tennessee State University
and appeared with Actors Theatre of Louisville
before traveling to New York and roles with Circle Repertory Company
. Busfield also briefly served in the U.S. Naval Reserve. A baseball lover and amateur athlete, Busfield has moonlighted as a semi-pro pitcher for the Sacramento Smokeys. He is the brother-in-law of fellow West Wing actor Joshua Malina
.
with Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. He plays the part of a mortar gunner on the practice range. In 1984 Busfield landed his first major film part, as Arnold Poindexter in Revenge of the Nerds
. He reprised the role in the sequel to that movie, Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
.
Busfield's first television series was Trapper John, M.D.
, in which he played the physician son of the title character. Immediately prior to being cast on the 1980s series Thirtysomething, he was still often playing teenagers and young adults, and the producers of the show asked him to grow his beard so he'd look old enough for the role. He would win an Emmy Award
for this controversial role. Later he was cast in the lead of other series, although none have lasted very long. Produced by Steven Spielberg
, The Byrds of Paradise
with Arlo Guthrie
may be the most memorable for its setting in Hawaii
and its offbeat characters.
In 1994, Busfield starred in the film Little Big League
. Other film appearances include Sneakers
, Field of Dreams
with Kevin Costner
and First Kid
with comedian Sinbad
.
Busfield went to London
in 1993 to make the television film Wall Of Silence, in which he played Ephraim Lipshitz, a Mossad
agent infiltrating a community of Hasidic Jews.
In 1997, Busfield starred in the film the TV Canadian, Trucks
.
Recurring television roles include White House
correspondent Danny Concannon
on The West Wing
; and the title character's incorrigible brother on the sitcom Ed
, a show on which he was a co-executive producer and supervising producer.
Busfield also dabbles in directing television and has directed multiple episodes of Thirtysomething, Without a Trace
(on which he appeared as a divorce lawyer, in a wheelchair, for Jack Malone), and the Sorkin
/Schlamme predecessor to The West Wing, Sports Night
.
Beginning in September 2006, Busfield was a regular on the short lived Sorkin/Schlamme series, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
, where he played Cal Shanley
, the fictional show's director. He also directed 6 episodes. After Studio 60, he continued to direct episodes of Las Vegas
. He has also appeared in various episodes of Entourage
playing himself, directing the fictional series Five Towns.
He recently guest starred in the Law & Order
episode, "Brilliant Disguise".
credits include A Few Good Men. With elder brother, Buck Busfield, he is co-founder of the B Street Theatre in Sacramento, California
, where he has appeared in and directed numerous contemporary works. The Busfield brothers also established Fantasy Theatre, a touring troupe that plays to children. Busfield writes children's plays for the Fantasy troupe.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon
Danny Concannon
Daniel "Danny" Concannon is a fictional White House correspondent for the Washington Post played by Timothy Busfield on the television serial drama The West Wing. Danny first appeared in the third episode of Season 1, "A Proportional Response," where he mentioned that he had been a White House...
on the television series The West Wing. In 1991 he received a Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
as best supporting actor in a drama series.
Background
Busfield was born in Lansing, MichiganLansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
. The son of university professors, Busfield as a boy frequently visited the Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
drama department, where his father, Roger, taught. His mother, Jean, taught literature and enjoyed the company of writers. Busfield said he remembers coming home from school and finding his mother and English novelist Graham Greene
Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene, OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
sharing a drink at the kitchen table. Busfield studied drama at East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...
and appeared with Actors Theatre of Louisville
Actors Theatre of Louisville
Actors Theatre of Louisville is a performing arts theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1964 by Louisville native Ewel Cornett, local producer Richard Block and actor Ken Jenkins of Scrubs fame, and was designated the "State Theater of Kentucky" in 1974. It is run as a...
before traveling to New York and roles with Circle Repertory Company
Circle Repertory Company
The Circle Repertory Company, originally named the Circle Theater Company, was a theatre company in New York City that ran from 1969 to 1996. It was founded on July 14, 1969, in Manhattan, in a second floor loft at Broadway and 83rd Street by director Marshall W...
. Busfield also briefly served in the U.S. Naval Reserve. A baseball lover and amateur athlete, Busfield has moonlighted as a semi-pro pitcher for the Sacramento Smokeys. He is the brother-in-law of fellow West Wing actor Joshua Malina
Joshua Malina
Joshua Charles Malina is an American film and stage actor. He is perhaps most famous for portraying Will Bailey on the NBC drama The West Wing and Jeremy Goodwin on Sports Night.-Personal life:...
.
TV and film
In 1981, Busfield had a small part in the blockbuster StripesStripes (film)
Stripes is a 1981 American comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman, starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, P. J. Soles, and John Candy. It also featured several actors in their first significant film roles, including John Larroquette, Sean Young, John Diehl, and Judge Reinhold. It was one...
with Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. He plays the part of a mortar gunner on the practice range. In 1984 Busfield landed his first major film part, as Arnold Poindexter in Revenge of the Nerds
Revenge of the Nerds
Revenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy film satirizing social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, John Goodman, and Donald Gibb...
. He reprised the role in the sequel to that movie, Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise is the 1987 sequel to the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds. Its cast featured most of the main actors from the earlier film, including Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Curtis Armstrong, Larry B. Scott, Timothy Busfield, Donald Gibb, and Andrew Cassese....
.
Busfield's first television series was Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D. is an American television medical drama and spin-off of the film MASH, concerning a lovable surgeon who became a mentor and father figure in San Francisco, California. The show ran on CBS from September 23, 1979, to September 4, 1986....
, in which he played the physician son of the title character. Immediately prior to being cast on the 1980s series Thirtysomething, he was still often playing teenagers and young adults, and the producers of the show asked him to grow his beard so he'd look old enough for the role. He would win an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An 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...
for this controversial role. Later he was cast in the lead of other series, although none have lasted very long. Produced by Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
, The Byrds of Paradise
The Byrds of Paradise
The Byrds of Paradise is an American television series that ran during the 1993-94 season on ABC. The hour-long drama centering on a father and his three children, abruptly relocated to Hawaii from New Haven after the sudden death of the children's mother...
with Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Davy Guthrie is an American folk singer. Like his father, Woody Guthrie, Arlo often sings songs of protest against social injustice...
may be the most memorable for its setting in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and its offbeat characters.
In 1994, Busfield starred in the film Little Big League
Little Big League
Little Big League is a 1994 family film about a 12-year-old who suddenly becomes the owner and then manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team. It stars Luke Edwards, Timothy Busfield and Dennis Farina.-Plot:...
. Other film appearances include Sneakers
Sneakers (film)
Sneakers is a 1992 caper film directed by Phil Alden Robinson, written by Robinson, Walter F. Parkes, and Lawrence Lasker and starring Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, Ben Kingsley, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix, Sidney Poitier and David Strathairn...
, Field of Dreams
Field of Dreams
Field of Dreams is a 1989 American fantasy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson and is from the novel Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella...
with Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
and First Kid
First Kid
First Kid is a 1996 Disney comedy film directed by David Mickey Evans and stars Sinbad and Brock Pierce. It was mostly filmed in Richmond, Virginia.-Plot:...
with comedian Sinbad
Sinbad (entertainer)
David Adkins better known by his professional name of Sinbad, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He became well known in the 1990s from being featured on his own HBO specials, appearing on several television series, and starring in the films Necessary Roughness, Houseguest, First Kid,...
.
Busfield went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1993 to make the television film Wall Of Silence, in which he played Ephraim Lipshitz, a Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
agent infiltrating a community of Hasidic Jews.
In 1997, Busfield starred in the film the TV Canadian, Trucks
Trucks (film)
Trucks is a 1997 Canadian and American television thriller film directed by Chris Thomson. It is a remake of the 1986 Action/Horror film Stephen King's Maximum Overdrive.-Plot:...
.
Recurring television roles include White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
correspondent Danny Concannon
Danny Concannon
Daniel "Danny" Concannon is a fictional White House correspondent for the Washington Post played by Timothy Busfield on the television serial drama The West Wing. Danny first appeared in the third episode of Season 1, "A Proportional Response," where he mentioned that he had been a White House...
on The West Wing
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
; and the title character's incorrigible brother on the sitcom Ed
Ed (TV series)
Ed is an NBC television program co-produced by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated, NBC Productions, and Viacom Productions that aired from 2000 to 2004....
, a show on which he was a co-executive producer and supervising producer.
Busfield also dabbles in directing television and has directed multiple episodes of Thirtysomething, Without a Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
(on which he appeared as a divorce lawyer, in a wheelchair, for Jack Malone), and the Sorkin
Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Benjamin Sorkin is an Academy and Emmy award winning American screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose works include A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Social Network, and Moneyball.After graduating from Syracuse...
/Schlamme predecessor to The West Wing, Sports Night
Sports Night
Sports Night is an American television series about a fictional sports news show also called Sports Night. It focuses on the friendships, pitfalls, and ethical issues the creative talent of the program face while trying to produce a good show under constant network pressure...
.
Beginning in September 2006, Busfield was a regular on the short lived Sorkin/Schlamme series, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was an American dramedy television series created and written by Aaron Sorkin. It ran for 22 episodes.The series takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show on the fictional television network NBS , whose format is similar to that of NBC's...
, where he played Cal Shanley
Cal Shanley
Calvin Shanley is a fictional character on the US television series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, played by Timothy Busfield.-Personal History:...
, the fictional show's director. He also directed 6 episodes. After Studio 60, he continued to direct episodes of Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
. He has also appeared in various episodes of Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
playing himself, directing the fictional series Five Towns.
He recently guest starred in the Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
episode, "Brilliant Disguise".
Stage and theater
Busfield remains a stage actor and director whose BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
credits include A Few Good Men. With elder brother, Buck Busfield, he is co-founder of the B Street Theatre in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, where he has appeared in and directed numerous contemporary works. The Busfield brothers also established Fantasy Theatre, a touring troupe that plays to children. Busfield writes children's plays for the Fantasy troupe.
Television directing credits
- Thirtysomething (1987–1991)
- Sports NightSports NightSports Night is an American television series about a fictional sports news show also called Sports Night. It focuses on the friendships, pitfalls, and ethical issues the creative talent of the program face while trying to produce a good show under constant network pressure...
(1998–2000) - EdEd (TV series)Ed is an NBC television program co-produced by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated, NBC Productions, and Viacom Productions that aired from 2000 to 2004....
(2000–2004) - Without a TraceWithout a TraceWithout a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
(2002– ) - Las VegasLas Vegas (TV series)Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
(2003–2004; 2007–2008) - Studio 60 on the Sunset StripStudio 60 on the Sunset StripStudio 60 on the Sunset Strip was an American dramedy television series created and written by Aaron Sorkin. It ran for 22 episodes.The series takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show on the fictional television network NBS , whose format is similar to that of NBC's...
(2006–2007) - DamagesDamages (TV series)Damages is an American television drama series created by the writing and production trio of Daniel Zelman and brothers Glenn and Todd A. Kessler . It is broadcast in the United States on the DirecTV channel Audience Network after originally airing on FX and is produced by the creators' own...
(2007) - Lipstick JungleLipstick Jungle (TV series)Lipstick Jungle is an American comedy-drama television series created by DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler for NBC Universal Television Studio . The hour-long series was based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Candace Bushnell, who also served as executive producer alongside...
(2008) - Lie to MeLie to MeLie to Me is a 2009-2011 American television series.Lie to Me may also refer to:* Lie to Me , a South Korean drama series* "Lie to Me" , an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
(2009) - White CollarWhite Collar (TV series)White Collar is a USA Network television series created by Jeff Eastin, starring Matt Bomer as con-man Neal Caffrey and Tim DeKay as Special Agent Peter Burke. It premiered on October 23, 2009. In December 2009, White Collar was renewed for a second season that began on July 13, 2010...
(2009) - The Deep EndThe Deep End (TV series)The Deep End is an American television series created by David Hemingson and produced by 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC television network...
(2010) - The GladesThe Glades (TV series)The Glades is an A&E Network drama television series created by Clifton Campbell. The one-hour drama premiered on Sunday, July 11, 2010. The series stars Matt Passmore as Det...
(2010) - No Ordinary FamilyNo Ordinary FamilyNo Ordinary Family is an American television series on ABC. The 45-minute science fiction comedy-drama was produced by ABC Studios for the 2010–11 television season. The series ran from September 28, 2010 to April 5, 2011, on Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT...
(2010)