Steven Bradford Culp (born December 3, 1955) is an American actor. Culp appeared in films Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), James and the Giant Peach (1996), The Emperor's Club (2002), and most notably in the 2000 political thriller Thirteen Days playing Robert F. Kennedy.

Steven Culp
Born
Steven Bradford Culp

(1955-12-03) December 3, 1955 (age 69)
Alma materCollege of William and Mary (B.A.)
Brandeis University (M.F.A.)
OccupationActor
Years active1982–present
SpouseBarbara Ayers
Children2

On television, Culp had recurring roles as Clayton Webb in the CBS procedural JAG (1997–2004), and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Jeff Haffley in the NBC political drama The West Wing (2003–2005). He also appeared as Rex Van de Kamp in the ABC comedy-drama series, Desperate Housewives.

He also appeared in How to Get Away with Murder as defense attorney Victor Leshner.

Early life and education

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Culp was born in La Jolla, California, the son of Mary Ann Joseph (born in Coshocton, Ohio), and Joseph Franklin Culp (born in Dallas). Both his father and stepfather were in the United States Navy.[1] He attended First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1978 with a major in English literature and also studied at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.[2] He earned an M.F.A. from Brandeis University in 1981.[3]

Career

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One of Culp's earliest roles was in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) as Robert Campbell, a reporter looking into the Jason murders. He also played the father of the titular character in James and the Giant Peach. In 1995, Culp briefly starred on The Young and the Restless as Brian Hamilton. Culp is known for his recurring roles as CIA Agent Clayton Webb on JAG (1997–2004) and Major Hayes on Star Trek: Enterprise (2003–2004). His characters in both series were killed in the same week in the shows' season finales, although Culp’s character in JAG reappeared in the series’ subsequent season premiere. In 2003, Culp appeared in a few episodes of the second season of 24 as Secret Service agent Ted Simmons. He had a recurring role in the NBC series The West Wing as Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Jeff Haffley from 2003 to 2005.

Culp portrayed Robert F. Kennedy twice, in the HBO movie Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996) and the film Thirteen Days (2000).[2][4] He played Commander Martin Madden in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), a character written to replace William Riker as first officer of the Enterprise. However, due to the film's length, Culp's scenes were included in several cut from the final film. His scenes as Madden can be seen in the Nemesis DVD deleted scenes. In the third season of Star Trek: Enterprise, Culp played the recurring character Major Hayes, commander of the Military Assault Command Operations detachment aboard Enterprise. He was in five episodes; "The Xindi", "The Shipment", "Harbinger", "Hatchery" and "Countdown", where Hayes was shot saving a fellow crew member. Other performances include playing the leading role of the photographer Richard Stewart in the English as a Second Language educational video series Family Album, U.S.A. He also had a role as antagonist Peter Drummond in the television movie How to Make a Monster, in which computer game programmers accidentally give life to a deadly AI and members of a software company attempt to beat the game to save their lives.

From 2004 to 2005, Culp played Rex Van de Kamp on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives for one season.[5] His character was killed at the end of the season, although Culp reprised his role several times in flashback sequences and as narrator in one season 3 episode. In 2007, he was a regular cast member in the ABC short-lived series Traveler as Special Agent in Charge Fred Chambers. The following years, Culp guest-starred on number of shows, including NCIS, The Closer, Criminal Minds, Body of Proof, How to Get Away with Murder, Dynasty, American Horror Story: 1984 and 9-1-1. He starred as Thomas Foran in the 2010 film The Chicago 8. Culp had a recurring roles as Dr. Darren Parker on Grey's Anatomy in 2012, and from 2013 to 2014 in the NBC series Revolution as Edward Truman.[6] From 2015 to 2018, he had a recurring role in the Amazon prime crime drama Bosch.

Personal life

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He is married to Barbara Ayers, and they have two children together. He had two half-sisters, Shelly Grabinsky and Kathryn Harvey. On January 1, 2006, Kathryn was murdered in Richmond, Virginia, along with her husband, Bryan, and their two daughters, Stella and Ruby.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 Gross Anatomy Jerry Fanning Forrester
1991 Dead Again Party Guest #1
1992 Diego Rivera: I Paint What I See Nelson Rockefeller
1993 Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Robert Campbell
1993 Fearless Emergency Doctor
1996 James and the Giant Peach James's father
2000 Nurse Betty Friend
2000 Thirteen Days Robert F. Kennedy
2002 Star Trek: Nemesis Commander Martin Madden Deleted Scene
2002 The Emperor's Club Older Martin Blythe
2004 Spartan Gaines
2005 The Sisters Harry Glass
2005 Deck the Halls Lifetime character
2007 Firehouse Dog Zachary Hayden
2008 From Within Pastor Joe
2008 Leaving Barstow Mr. Johns
2011 The Chicago 8 Thomas Foran
2014 Captain America: The Winter Soldier Congressman Wenham
2017 The Last Word Sam Serman
2018 Collusions Agent Robinson

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 Another World Tom Nelson
1983–1984 One Life to Live Daniel Wolek
1988 Lincoln John Hay Miniseries; 2 episodes
1988 The Cosby Show Father-to-Be
1989 ABC Afterschool Special Episode: "Taking a Stand"
1989 A Man Called Hawk Carter
1989 Duet Martin
1989 Murphy Brown Brad Stockton
1989 Newhart Brett
1989 Hooperman
1990 L.A. Law
1990 Father Dowling Mysteries Bill Taylor
1991 Family Album, U.S.A. Richard Stewart
1992 Quicksand: No Escape Bartender TV movie
1992 Dream On Dan
1993 Reasonable Doubts Peter Maxwell 2 episodes
1993 A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion Jeff Dulaney TV movie
1994 Diagnosis: Murder Company Man
1995 Touched by an Angel Dr. Rence Patterson
1995 Sisters Graham Pressman
1995 Donor Unknown Joel TV movie
1995 The Young and the Restless Brian Hamilton 2 episodes
1996 Baywatch Nights Garth Youngblood
1996 Beverly Hills, 90210 Mr. Dreesen
1996 Norma Jean & Marilyn Robert F. Kennedy
1997 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Peter Doyle
1997 Pacific Palisades Judge
1997 Mike Hammer, Private Eye Father James
1997–2004 JAG Clayton Webb Recurring role; 41 episodes
1998 Pensacola: Wings of Gold Thomas Belafontaine
1998 Profiler
1998 Chicago Hope Mr. Turner
1998 Any Day Now Randall Clemens
1999 Brimstone Frankie
1999 V.I.P. Financial Officer
2000 Ally McBeal Attorney Dixon
2000 Family Law Mr. Petry
2000 Providence Dr. Jordan Roberts
2000 Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die For William Batsby
2001 How to Make a Monster Drummond
2001 Boston Public Mel Breen
2001 Philly Detective John O'Brien
2002 Crossing Jordan Detective Rick Frazier
2002 Push, Nevada Well-Dressed Man
2003 24 Ted Simmons
2003 Mister Sterling Senator Ron Garland
2002–2003 The Practice Atty. Emmanuel Kupcheck / Hospital Atty. Alldredge
2003 The Lyon's Den Brad Manning
2003–2005 The West Wing Speaker of the House Jeff Haffley Recurring role; 9 episodes
1999–2004 ER Dave Spencer / Dr. Charles Cameron
2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lieutenant Mendez
2003–2004 Star Trek: Enterprise Major Hayes Recurring role; 5 episodes
2007 The Closer Lucas Cordry Season 3: Til Death Do Us Part, Parts I and II
2007 Stargate Atlantis Henry Wallace Episode: "Miller's Crossing"
2007 Boston Legal A.D.A. Norman Wilson Season 4: Oral Contracts
2007 NCIS Commander William Skinner Season 5: Chimera
2008 Medium Darren Swenson
2008 Criminal Minds Lawyer Lester Serling Season 3: Tabula Rasa
2008 The Mentalist Morgan Tolliver
2008 Eli Stone Jim Cooper 2 episodes
2009 Impact President Edward Taylor
2010 Ghost Whisperer Dave Walker/Glen Blessing Season 5: "Blessings in Disguise"
2010 Burn Notice Christian Aikins Season 4: "Where There's Smoke"
2011 The Chicago Code Dennis Mahoney
2011 Law & Order: Los Angeles Ben Corrigan
2012 Body of Proof Eric Greyson
2004–2012 Desperate Housewives Rex Van de Kamp Series regular (season 1), guest star (seasons 2–3, 5, 7–8)
SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an

Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2005–2006)

2012 Perception John F. Kennedy 1 episode
2012 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Darren Parker 4 episodes
2012 Longmire Johnson Mace
2012 Drop Dead Diva Bruce Forman 1 episode
2013 Revolution Edward Truman
2013 King & Maxwell Michael Wallace 1 episode
2015 Scream Queens Clark Ulrich
2015 Bosch D.A. Richard 'Rick' O'Shea 19 episodes
2015 Arrow Senator Joseph Cray
2015 Zoo Clayton Burke 3 episodes
2016 How to Get Away with Murder Victor Leshner Season 2, Episode 1
2016 Code Black Desmond Leighton 5 episodes
2016 Lopez Bryce Vandevent 1 episode
2017 The Orville Willks 1 episode
2018 Dynasty Tim Myers
2018 Waco Jeff Jamar 2 episodes
2018 The Last Ship President Joshua Reiss 6 episodes
2019 American Horror Story: 1984 John Thompson Episode: "Mr. Jingles"
2020 9-1-1 Henry Wallace
2020 Dirty John Baxter
2022 - 2023 The Resident Gov. Mark Betz 4 episodes
2024 FBI: International Martin Russo
2024 Tracker Scott Palmer 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ "Steven Culp Biography". filmreference.com. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  2. ^ a b "Steven Culp | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
  3. ^ Nathan, David (December 31, 2004). "Brandeis graduate stars in hit show Desperate Housewives". Retrieved 2010-09-29.
  4. ^ "7 Actors Who Have Played Robert F. Kennedy in Film and on TV". The Hollywood Reporter. 5 June 2018.
  5. ^ Starr, Michael (May 30, 2005). "'I BET IT WAS GOING TO BE ME' – ACTOR KILLED OFF 'HOUSEWIVES' KNEW".
  6. ^ "Interview with Steven Culp". myFanbase. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
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  • Steven Culp at IMDb
  • ‹The template AllMovie name is being considered for deletion.› Steven Culp at AllMovie
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