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Steven Culp - Biography
By AD and Me - thank you, AD! :-)
Steven Culp is a seasoned dramatic actor who brings an extensive theater background to his work in film and television. Born on December 3 (in La Jolla, California), Culp grew up on the East Coast with his two sisters in Virginia Beach, VA. Both his father and stepfather were naval officers, but Culp chose not to follow their lead. Instead, he pursued a long-time interest in literary arts and music.
With the aspiration of becoming either a writer or a rock star, Culp majored in English Literature at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. On the advice of his professor he participated in his junior year in a student exchange program that took him to the University of Exeter in London, England. At Exeter Culp became acquainted with a group of student actors and quickly developed an interest in theater. Upon his return to the United States, Culp graduated from The College of William and Mary and entered Brandeis University, where he earned an MFA in Theater Arts.
Soon after graduating from Brandeis, Culp began working in off-Broadway and regional theater. He was first seen by a national television audience while portraying a psychotic babysnatcher on the soap opera Another World. Jobs in the New York theatre were plentiful, but it was roles like Danny Wolek (1983) on the daytime drama One Life To Live that paid the bills. By 1984, Culp had moved on to other projects, honing his craft as a stage actor. In the late 1980's, he relocated to California and began working regularly in television, while still working in theater as often as his schedule would allow.
Culp made his TV movie debut in 1988 with the role of John Hay in the Emmy-winning production of Gore Vidal's Lincoln (starring Sam Waterston & Mary Tyler Moore). His big screen debut came a year later with the movie Gross Anatomy. Several film and television roles soon followed and gained Culp modest success. In 1997, Culp was cast in the break-out role of CIA Special Agent Clayton Webb in the CBS television series JAG. Webb became a recurring character, with the actor developing a loyal fan base among the show's viewers. During its ten-year run, JAG's CIA operative developed into a strong fan favorite, due in no small part to Culp's multi-layered performances.
The same year the JAG series debuted on CBS, Culp was cast as Robert F. Kennedy in Norma Jean and Marilyn, a drama produced for HBO about the life and career of Marilyn Monroe. Culp's strong performance as Kennedy (complemented by his chiseled good looks) impressed viewers. Ironically enough, Culp was again cast as RFK in the Cuban Missile Crisis-inspired drama Thirteen Days (2000). His eerily accurate portrayal of Kennedy in the Kevin Costner-produced Days is considered one of the best in cinematic circles.
By 2001, Culp headlined the Cinemax film How To Make A Monster (2001) before landing a pivotal role in Kevin Kline's critically acclaimed adaptation of "The Palace Thief." Released as The Emperor's Club (2002), Culp delivered a subtle but affecting performance as the once-wronged Martin Blythe. In 2004, between multiple television roles, Culp managed to deliver supporting roles in David Mamet's thriller, Spartan and in an updated film version of Anton Chekhov's classic, The Sisters.
Appearing in recurring roles on CBS's JAG (as CIA Agent Clayton Webb), NBC's The West Wing (as GOP Speaker of the House Jeff Haffley), the long-running hospital drama ER (as schoolteacher Dave Spencer), and on UPN's futuristic series Star Trek: Enterprise (as MACO commander Major Hayes), Culp may have set an entertainment industry record in the 2003-04 television season.
The 2004-05 television season saw Culp enjoying the ensemble success ABC's enormously popular dramedy, Desperate Housewives as cast regular, Rex Van de Kamp. Although his Desperate Housewives character was killed off during May sweeps, Steven Culp remained busy filming Deck the Halls (a made-for TV holiday movie) and participating in the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of The Sisters.
In 2005, Culp finished filming Firehouse Dog, a Todd Holland project that reunites Culp with his Thirteen Days' co-star, Bruce Greenwood. Josh Hutcherson, Dash Mihok, and Bree Turner also star in this family comedy.
In 2007, Culp gave a stunning performance in Kevin Sheridan's low budget movie Leaving Barstow as the main character's mentor, Mr. Johns, who is trying to convince his pupil to take the chance to leave Barstow to go to college. In From Within, which was written by Brad Keene and directed by the gifted cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, Culp plays the local pastor Joe of the small, serene community of Grovetown where a rash of suicides spread fear and panic among local residents. Rumer Willis, Thomas Dekker, and Adam Goldberg also star in the movie.
In 2008, Steven Culp filmed the two-part miniseries Impact. In the internationally produced sci-fi adventure Culp plays the US President next to David James Elliott with whom Culp had played on JAG. Natasha Henstridge, and Oscar and Emmy nominated James Cromwell also star in this disaster epic.
In 2009, Culp's love of Twilight Zone type pieces made him decide to take the part of Roger Dean in David Orr's short movie Refresh. The short centers on a wealthy businessman, Roger Dean, who is seeking a cure from his chronic depression. Dean's quest leads him to a mysterious medical clinic that promises a highly effective—but irrevocable—solution.
Culp's latest movie The Chicago 8 is a courtroom drama based on actual court transcripts from the trial that resulted when seven young leaders of the Vietnam anti-war movement were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot. The drama was filmed in fall 2009 but it had its West Coast premiere at the Beverly Hills Film Festival in April 2011.
When not busy with film and television commitments, Culp still performs in live theater. His last four most memorable performances were in Blackbird (2007) and The Quality of Life (2008) at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, CA, Dr. Cerberus (2010) at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, CA, and most recently in Old Times (2011) at the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington. D.C.
Steven Culp is married to costume designer / supervisor Barbara Ayers with whom he has two children, Katie and Joe (fraternal twins), at the age of ten. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family, bicycling, playing guitar, and writing fiction. |
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