Seth Peterson

Dark-haired, with All-American good looks and a mischievous air, actor Seth Peterson had a bankable youthful allure that hovered between "aw shucks" affability and smirky sophistication. The duality of the actor's appeal no doubt helped to land guest roles on the teen series "Beverly Hills, 90210" (Fox) and "Clueless" (ABC), and a featured part in the high school graduation party comedy feature "Can't Hardly Wait" (1998), where he played a student manning the bash's beer supply with an appropriate pose of derisive teenage confidence. Peterson was much more ingratiating in the role that would serve as his breakthrough, Robbie Hansen, the scheming but well-meaning younger brother of Dr Sydney Hansen (Melina Kanakaredes), on the hit NBC drama "Providence" (1999-2002). The victim of his own half-realized schemes, Robbie, a capable bartender but unwise gambler, often found himself out of money and in hot water on the show. Peterson pulled off this fairly complex character very well, providing comic relief when hatching bizarre plans, and becoming believably daunted when they fail, sometimes opening up to show a shaken young man afraid that his life of contrivance is quickly leading nowhere.