Gary Cole
Gary Cole, a handsome actor trained on the Chicago theater scene first gained celebrity on TV in the mid-1980s with a series of accomplished performances in high-profile TV-movies and miniseries. Though youthful, Cole has brought strength and credibility to his portrayals of often flawed figures of authority. He won national attention with his breakthrough TV performance as charismatic accused killer Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald in the acclaimed miniseries "Fatal Vision" (NBC, 1984). As a former Green Beret officer accused (and convicted) of murdering his family, Cole displayed an impressive range that both encompassed and challenged the various points of view expressed about the true nature of his character. However, his roles as Mike Brady in "The Brady Bunch Movie" (1995) and sleazeball boss Bill Lumbergh in Mike Judge's "Office Space" (1999) reinvented Cole as one of the great deadpan comedians of his generation. A frequent presence on TV beginning in the mid-1980s, Cole's substantial telefilm work included a pairing with TV veteran Ed Asner in "Vital Signs" (CBS, 1986) playing father-and-son doctors cum substance abusers; portraying a newly widowed reluctant father in "Those She Left Behind" (NBC, 1989); and a memorable interpretation of General George Armstrong Custer in the miniseries "Son of the Morning Star" (ABC, 1991). He segued to series TV as the star of "Midnight Caller" (NBC, 1988-91). Here Cole was Jack Killian, a sensitive former San Francisco cop who leaves the force after accidentally killing his partner, finding redemption as "The Nighthawk," the host of an all-night, call-in radio show. Despite a busy TV career, Cole continued to tread the boards on the Chicago stage. After dropping out during his third year at Illinois State University, he helped form the Remains Theater. Cole left the Remains to become an ensemble member of the celebrated Steppenwolf Theatre Company where he appeared in such productions as "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Philadelphia Here I Come" and "Balm in Gilead." During a hiatus from "Midnight Caller," he returned to the Windy City to star in David Mamet's "Speed the Plow." Cole began dabbling in features beginning with a supporting role as young Secret Service agent who needles Clint Eastwood in "In the Line of Fire" (1993). He won appreciative notices for his uncanny recreation of always calm architect Mike Brady, Robert Reed's beloved TV sitcom dad, for "The Brady Bunch Movie" (1995), its sequel, "A Very Brady Movie" (1996) and a TV-movie follow-up "Bradys in the White House" (2002). Cole returned to series TV playing a far more ominous paternal figure in "American Gothic" (CBS, 1995-96). As Sheriff Lucas Buck, he cut a coolly menacing figure as a man with unusual--and perhaps supernatural--powers and influence in a sleepy North Carolina town. After the critically-hailed drama failed to catch on, Cole played a wide ranging assortment of characters from a conventional dad in "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (1998) to a sleazy attorney in "The Gift" (2000). At first, his portrayal of passive-aggressive boss Bill Lumbergh in Mike Judge's "Office Space" (1999) slipped under the radar, but as the box-office dud found a devoted cult audience on home video, Cole's drawled "...that'd be greeeeeat" catchphrase became one of the film's most beloved and oft-repeated memes. Slipping adeptly between comedy and drama, Cole had a banner year in 2002 with a small but compelling turn as the store manager to Robin Williams' creepy, obsessive photo developer in "One Hour Photo" (2002), a role he followed up with a broad comedic turn as Owen Wilson's can-do-no-wrong superspy rival in "I Spy" (2002). He was also cast in the Uncle Bill role (originally played by Brian Keith) in the short-lived update of the saccharine family sit-com "Family Affair" (WB 2002-03) and employed his considerable vocal talents in the title role of subversive animated comedy "Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law" (Adult Swim 2002-07). During this period, Cole also provided various voices on "Family Guy" (Fox 1999- ), played the title character's father on animated hit "Kim Possible" (Disney 2002-07), and had a recurring role as Vice President Bob Russell on "The West Wing" (NBC 1999-2006). Cole continued his comedic sneak attack on audiences with a turn in the retro-cool "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" (2004) as Kate Bosworth's Hollywood-impressed father, and in a pitch perfect turn as an obsequious sports broadcaster in "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" (2004). Cole continued in this late-career reinvention as a comic actor, appearing in character roles in Will Ferrell's "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" (2006), stoner action comedy "Pineapple Express" (2008), animated bunny film "Hop" (2011) and Melissa McCarthy's "Tammy" (2014). However, he also maintained a steady presence in dramatic films, playing activist lawyer Bill Kunstler in hippie-era biopic "The Chicago 8" (2011), and appearing in crime drama "The Last Rites of Joe May" (2011) and horror flick "The Town That Dreaded Sundown" (2014). Throughout, he maintained his steady TV work schedule, appearing in story arcs on "Desperate Housewives" (ABC 2004-2012), "Entourage" (HBO 2004-2011), "The Good Wife" (CBS 2009-2016) and "Bob's Burgers" (Fox 2011- ). In 2013, Cole joined the cast of "Veep" (HBO 2012- ) as senior strategist Kent Davison, for which he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Emmy.
Photos
Gary Cole
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
97% |
|
Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe | Unknown (Voice) | - | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | DCU Batman: Death in the Family |
Two-Face / |
- | 2020 |
78% |
|
Batman: Death in the Family | Unknown (Character) | - | 2020 |
13% |
|
Darkness Falls | Mark Witver (Character) | - | 2020 |
44% |
|
The Art of Racing in the Rain | Don Kitch (Character) | $26.4M | 2019 |
41% |
|
Under the Eiffel Tower | Gerard (Character) | $4.0K | 2018 |
No Score Yet |
|
Seven in Heaven | Wallace (Character) | - | 2018 |
40% |
|
Unbroken: Path to Redemption | Dr. George Bailey (Character) | $6.2M | 2018 |
65% |
|
Small Crimes | Dan Pleasant (Character) | - | 2017 |
No Score Yet |
|
Everyday Miracles | Clay Peaks (Character) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
Hot Air | Aviator (Character) | - | 2015 |
67% |
|
Divine Access | Reverend Guy Roy Davis (Character) | - | 2015 |
36% |
|
The Bronze | Stan Greggory (Character) | $615.7K | 2015 |
0% |
|
Christmas Eve | Dr. Roberts (Character) | $82.0K | 2015 |
66% |
|
The Town That Dreaded Sundown | Chief Deputy Tillman (Character) | - | 2014 |
24% |
|
Tammy | Earl (Character) | $84.5M | 2014 |
30% |
|
Date and Switch | Dwayne (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dr. Limptooth | Arthur Levine (Character) | - | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | An Officer and a Murderer | Colonel Russell Williams (Character) | - | 2012 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Chicago 8 | Bill Kunstler (Character) | - | 2012 |
No Score Yet |
|
Ricochet | Judge Cato Laird (Character) | - | 2011 |
72% |
|
The Last Rites of Joe May | Lenny (Character) | - | 2011 |
25% |
|
Hop | Henry O'Hare (Character) | $108.0M | 2011 |
No Score Yet |
|
DC Showcase: The Spectre |
Jim Corrigan/ |
- | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Good Funeral | Stan Talmadge (Character) | - | 2009 |
62% |
|
The Joneses | Larry (Character) | $1.5M | 2009 |
29% |
|
Forever Strong | Coach Larry Gelwix (Character) | - | 2008 |
68% |
|
Pineapple Express | Ted Jones (Character) | $87.3M | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
Conspiracy | Rhodes (Character) | - | 2008 |
33% |
|
American Pastime | Billy Burrell (Character) | - | 2007 |
83% |
|
Breach | Rich Garces (Character) | $33.0M | 2007 |
72% |
|
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby | Reese Bobby (Character) | $148.2M | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
Mozart & the Whale | Wallace (Character) | - | 2005 |
22% |
|
Cry Wolf | Mr. Matthews (Character) | $10.0M | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kim Possible: So the Drama | Dr. Possible (Voice) | - | 2005 |
21% |
|
The Ring Two | Martin Savide (Character) | $75.9M | 2005 |
72% |
|
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story | Cotton McKnight (Character) | $114.3M | 2004 |
55% |
|
Win a Date With Tad Hamilton! | Henry Futch (Character) | $17.0M | 2004 |
No Score Yet |
|
Pop Rocks | Jerry "Dagger" Harden (Character) | - | 2004 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time | Dr. Possible (Voice) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Cadet Kelly | Sir (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Brady Bunch in the White House | Unknown (Character) | - | 2002 |
13% |
|
The Rising Place | Avery Hodge (Character) | - | 2002 |
15% |
|
I Spy | Carlos (Character) | $33.1M | 2002 |
81% |
|
One Hour Photo | Bill Owens (Character) | $31.6M | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kim Possible: The Secret Files | Unknown (Character) | - | 2002 |
58% |
|
The Gift | David Duncan (Character) | $12.0M | 2000 |
81% |
|
Office Space | Bill Lumbergh (Character) | $10.8M | 1999 |
23% |
|
I'll Be Home for Christmas | Mr. Wilkinson (Character) | $12.2M | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kiss the Sky | Marty (Character) | - | 1998 |
90% |
|
A Simple Plan | Neil Baxter (Character) | $16.3M | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Santa Fe | Paul Thomas (Character) | - | 1997 |
50% |
|
Gang Related | Richard Simms (Character) | $5.9M | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
Lies He Told | Dave (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
For My Daughter's Honor | Pete Nash (Character) | - | 1996 |
57% |
|
A Very Brady Sequel | Mike Brady (Character) | $21.4M | 1996 |
64% |
|
The Brady Bunch Movie | Mike Brady (Character) | $45.6M | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics | James (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Time to Heal | Jay Barton (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Switch | Larry McAfee (Character) | - | 1993 |
96% |
|
In the Line of Fire | Bill Watts (Character) | $102.2M | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn | John Hearn (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Old Man and the Sea | Tom Pruitt (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Those She Left Behind | Scott Grimes (Character) | - | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Vital Signs | Dr. Hayward (Character) | - | 1986 |
No Score Yet |
|
Fatal Vision | Capt. Jeffrey MacDonald, MD (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Heart of Steel | Lee (Character) | - | 1983 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 83% | NCIS | FBI Special Agent Alden Parker (Character) | 2021-2024 |
No Score Yet | 10% | Velma | Unknown (Voice) | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2021 2024 |
29% | 89% | Waco: The Aftermath | Gordon Novel (Character) | 2023-2024 |
No Score Yet | 63% | NCIS: Los Angeles | NCIS Special Agent Alden Parker (Guest Star) | 2023 |
No Score Yet | 73% | NCIS: Hawai'i | Alden Parker (Guest Star) | 2022-2023 |
No Score Yet | 84% | The Great North | Dell (Guest Voice) | 2022 |
No Score Yet | 89% | Bob's Burgers | Sergeant (Guest Voice) | 2012-2019 2021 |
33% | 78% | Q-Force | Dirk Chunley (Voice) | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Tom and Jerry Show |
Unknown (Character), Narrator |
2014 2017-2021 |
76% | 59% | mixed-ish | Harrison (Character) | 2019-2021 |
No Score Yet | 64% | Family Guy |
Cop / Father O'Leary (Voice) |
2000-2002 2005-2007 2009-2011 2013-2018 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Celebrity Family Feud | Guest | 2020 |
88% | 54% | Room 104 | Chip Crawford (Character) | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | To Tell the Truth | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | 88% | Chicago Fire | Commissioner Grissom (Guest Star) | 2018-2019 |
93% | 90% | Veep |
Kent Davison (Character), Unknown (Guest Star) |
2013-2017 2019 |
No Score Yet | 49% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 2019 |
40% | 68% | Fam | Freddy (Guest Star) | 2019 |
86% | 82% | Love, Death + Robots | The Inspector (Voice) | 2019 |
91% | 87% | Suits | Cameron Dennis (Guest Star) | 2011 2013 2016 2019 |
No Score Yet | 88% | Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law | Harvey Birdman (Voice) | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The $100,000 Pyramid | Guest | 2018 |
95% | 66% | The Good Fight | Kurt McVeigh (Guest Star) | 2017-2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hollywood Game Night | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Conan | Guest | 2017 |
73% | 82% | Mercy Street | James Green Sr. (Character) | 2016-2017 |
No Score Yet | 86% | We Bare Bears | CEO (Guest Voice) | 2016 |
41% | 58% | Angel From Hell | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2016 |
93% | 91% | The Good Wife | Kurt McVeigh (Guest Star) | 2010-2013 2015-2016 |
No Score Yet | 56% | Unforgettable | Clay Tendler (Guest Star) | 2016 |
96% | 74% | Angie Tribeca | Professor Everett Lamereau (Guest Star) | 2016 |
90% | 83% | Rick and Morty | Alien Doctor (Guest Voice) | 2015 |
19% | 32% | Mr. Robinson | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2015 |
91% | 84% | Archer | Special Agent Hawley (Guest Voice) | 2014-2015 |
89% | 79% | The Legend of Korra |
Dai Li Sergeant/ |
2014 |
No Score Yet | 98% | Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated |
Mayor Fred Jones Sr./ |
2010-2011 2013 |
54% | 67% | Wedding Band | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2012 |
78% | 92% | 30 Rock | Roger (Guest Star) | 2012 |
94% | 78% | Royal Pains | Simon Braddock (Guest Star) | 2012 |
81% | 88% | Hart of Dixie | Dr. Ethan Hart (Guest Star) | 2012 |
65% | 82% | Entourage |
Andrew Klein (Character), Unknown (Guest Star) |
2008-2011 |
92% | 90% | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Joe O'Donnell (Guest Star) | 2011 |
68% | 72% | True Blood | Earl Stackhouse (Guest Star) | 2011 |
90% | 91% | Chuck | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2008 2011 |
100% | No Score Yet | Funny or Die Presents | Lead FBI Agent (Character) | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Good Guys | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2010 |
83% | 84% | The Closer | Major Edward Dorcet (Guest Star) | 2010 |
No Score Yet | 93% | Numb3ers | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2009 |
24% | No Score Yet | The Cleaner | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2009 |
72% | 89% | Desperate Housewives | Wayne Davis (Guest Star) | 2008 |
No Score Yet | 86% | Kim Possible | Dr. James Timothy Possible (Voice) | 2002-2007 |
93% | 73% | Supernatural | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2007 |
52% | 50% | Shark | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2007 |
81% | 95% | The West Wing | Vice President Bob Russell (Guest Star) | 2003-2006 |
75% | 85% | Arrested Development | Richard Shaw (Guest Star) | 2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wanted | Lt. Conrad "Connie" Rose (Character) | 2005 |
No Score Yet | 75% | King of the Hill | Vance Gilbert (Guest Voice) | 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Practice | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2001 2004 |
78% | 83% | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Xander Henry (Guest Star) | 2004 |
95% | No Score Yet | Karen Sisco | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2003 |
89% | 87% | Monk | Dexter Larson (Guest Star) | 2003 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Family Affair | Bill Davis (Character) | 2002-2003 |
20% | No Score Yet | Hack | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2003 |
95% | 95% | Frasier | Luke Parker (Guest Star) | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Touched by an Angel | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Family Law | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2000 |
No Score Yet | 77% | Crusade | Unknown (Character) | 1999 |
No Score Yet | 80% | From the Earth to the Moon | Ed Mitchell (Character) | 1998 |
63% | 100% | American Gothic | Sheriff Lucas Buck (Character) | 1995-1996 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Outer Limits | Detective Ray Venable (Character) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dead Man's Gun | Travis Everett Thornberry (Guest Star) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Son of the Morning Star | George Armstrong Custer (Character) | 1991 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Midnight Caller | Jack 'Nighthawk' Killian (Character) | 1989 |
71% | 89% | Miami Vice | Jackson Crane (Guest Star) | 1986 |