Jason Gedrick

After breaking into the business as an extra on films like "Risky Business" (1983) and "Bad Boys" (1983), versatile actor Jason Gedrick went on to play everything from cops to gangsters and everything in between on numerous television shows, many of which failed to survive their first season. In fact, the most consistent theme of his career was his tendency to appear on shows that performed well with critics, but were unable to attract big ratings. Prior to his string of bad luck on the small screen, Gedrick starred opposite Louis Gossett, Jr. in "Iron Eagle" (1986), and soon found himself in films make by some of the biggest directors of the day, including Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989) and Ron Howard's "Backdraft" (1991). Turning to television, Gedrick began his string of regular roles in critically hailed, but short-lived dramas. Among the notables were "Sweet Justice" (NBC, 1994-95), "Murder One" (ABC, 1995-96) and "EZ Streets" (1996-97), the latter of which remained influential for its intricate plotting and noir style. He did enjoy successful recurring and guest starring roles on hit shows like "Ally McBeal" (Fox, 1997-02) and "Desperate Housewives" (ABC, 2004-12), while maintaining a steady presence on numerous made-for-television movies. Not one to have trouble finding work, Gedrick landed a spot in the cast of "Luck" (HBO, 2012), a promising series from executive producer David Milch that finally gave him the opportunity to break his streak of unsuccessful shows.