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Ted Danson

Ted Danson

Highest Rated: 96% Body Heat (1981)

Lowest Rated: 3% Getting Even With Dad (1994)

Birthday: Dec 29, 1947

Birthplace: San Diego, California, USA

As the star of the NBC sitcom "Cheers" (1982-1993), Emmy-winning Ted Danson was one of the most popular television stars of the 1980s, but also enjoyed critical praise in a string of character-driven roles on "Damages" (FX/Audience Network, 2007-2012), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS, 2000-2015) and "The Good Place" (NBC, 2016-19). Born Edward Bridge Danson III on December 29, 1947 in San Diego, California, he was raised near Flagstaff, Arizona and attended Stanford University, where he developed an interest in drama during his second year. Danson transferred to Carnegie-Mellon and earned his bachelor's degree in fine arts in 1972; initial fame as a contract player on daytime soap prompted a move to Los Angeles in 1978, where he trained at the Actor's Studio while finding steady work as a guest actor on episodic television. He received early positive notices as an ill-fated police officer in the Joseph Wambaugh-penned crime drama "The Onion Field" (1979), but the film's success did little for his career, and Danson soon returned to guest work, as well as a series of widely-seen television commercials for Aramis cologne. But perseverance, as well as a well-received turn as William Hurt's lawyer pal in Lawrence Kasdan's "Body Heat" (1981), eventually led to his breakout showcase as ex-baseball pitcher turned bar owner Sam Malone on "Cheers." Though the lowest-rated program on television in its debut season, "Cheers" slowly built an audience over successive seasons and became one of NBC's biggest hits of the 1980s; Danson's talent for light comedy and romance - especially in concert with co-star Shelley Long's Diane Chambers - helped to make the comedy appointment television, and earned Danson 11 consecutive Emmy nominations and nine Golden Globe nods, of which he won two apiece. The success of "Cheers" naturally led to other acting opportunities for Danson in features, though few of these could generate similar responses from audiences save for "3 Men and a Baby" (1987), a charming comedy with Danson, Tom Selleck and Steve Guttenberg as bachelors pressed into raising an infant. However, he scored a personal triumph in a challenging role - a father convicted of incest - in the TV-movie "Something About Amelia" (ABC, 1984), which earned him a third Golden Globe - and remained one of television's most popular actors as "Cheers" drew to a close in 1993. But Danson nearly derailed his standing with a widely publicized affair with actor/comedian Whoopi Goldberg; the news of Danson leaving his second wife, Cassandra "Casey" Coates, who had suffered a stroke during the birth of their second child, as well as his disastrously-received appearance in blackface at a Friars Club tribute to Goldberg undid some of the goodwill generated by his work on "Cheers." Though Danson remained busy in the wake of the incident, the work was largely unremarkable, save for a brief appearance in Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), though Peter Medak's "Pontiac Moon" (1994) would introduce him to actress Mary Steenburgen, who would become his third wife in 1995. He eventually returned to television, first in "Ink" (CBS, 1996-97) with Steenburgen, and later in the more successful "Becker" (CBS, 1998-2004), with Danson as a cantankerous doctor, and recurring appearances as a more exasperated version of himself on "Curb Your Enthusiam" (HBO, 2000-) But in 2007, Danson underwent something of a career renaissance when he was cast as a scandal-shrouded billionaire in the first season of "Damages." His performance - equal parts charm and malevolent - wowed critics and audiences alike, and earned Danson two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nod. More importantly, it opened up a new venue of characters to the actor, who stepped nimbly into character roles that were far afield from Sam Malone: the prickly forensic botanist D.B. Russell, who stepped into William Petersen's shoes on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"; the giddy, pot-smoking editor friend of Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman) on the cult favorite "Bored to Death" (HBO, 2009-2011); a phlegmatic Midwestern sheriff on Season 2 of "Fargo" (FX, 2014- ); and a demon with a moral crisis on "The Good Place," which earned him two additional Emmy awards. In 2019, Danson was announced as the lead of a new series by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock ("30 Rock", NBC, 2006-2013) about a businessman who runs for mayor of Los Angeles for entirely wrong reasons.

Highest rated movies

96% 81% Body Heat
94% 95% Saving Private Ryan 92% 74% Hearts Beat Loud
87% 65% The Onion Field
83% 76% The One I Love
75% 72% Jerry and Tom
74% 64% Big Miracle
67% 48% Three Men and a Baby

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl Self - 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Sleepless Executive Producer - 2020
85% 94% Best Summer Ever Executive Producer - 2020
92% 74% Hearts Beat Loud Dave (Character) $2.4M 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fragile Legacy Narrator - 2015
83% 76% The One I Love Therapist (Character) $511.6K 2014
74% 64% Big Miracle J.W. McGraw (Character) $20.1M 2012
No Score Yet 44% Jock Pezulu (Voice) - 2011
78% 82% The End of the Line Narrator - 2009
No Score Yet 26% The Human Contract E.J Winters (Character) - 2008
22% 48% Mad Money Don Cardigan (Character) $20.7M 2008
26% 44% Nobel Son Harvey Parrish (Character) $333.9K 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Moguls Moose (Character) $15.1K 2005
No Score Yet 73% Knights of the South Bronx Richard (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 68% Our Fathers Mitchell Garabedian (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet It Must Be Love George Gazelle (Character) - 2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fronterz Unknown (Character) - 2004
No Score Yet 82% Talking to Heaven (Living with the Dead) Unknown (Character) - 2002
58% 65% Mumford Jeremy Brockett (Character) $4.6M 1999
75% 72% Jerry and Tom The Guy Who Loved Vicki (Character) - 1998
44% 50% Homegrown Gianni Saletzzo (Character) $271.4K 1998
94% 95% Saving Private Ryan Captain Fred Hamill (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Thanks of a Grateful Nation Jim Tuite (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 29% Loch Ness Dempsey (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 63% Gulliver's Travels Unknown (Character) - 1996
3% 25% Getting Even With Dad Raymond "Ray" Gleason (Character) $18.1M 1994
No Score Yet 45% Pontiac Moon Washington Bellamy (Character) $10.4K 1994
32% 29% Made in America Halbert 'Hal' Jackson (Character) $41.8M 1993
40% 43% Three Men and a Little Lady Jack Holden (Character) $71.6M 1990
58% 61% Dad John Tremont (Character) $19.7M 1989
56% 68% Cousins Larry (Character) $21.7M 1989
67% 48% Three Men and a Baby Jack Holden (Character) $167.8M 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet We Are the Children Unknown (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet 60% When the Bough Breaks Alex (Character) - 1986
33% 52% Just Between Friends Chip Davis (Character) $5.9M 1986
25% 33% A Fine Mess Spence Holden (Character) $5.0M 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Treasure Eugene Wilson (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Something About Amelia Steven Bennett (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cowboy Dale Weeks (Character) - 1983
66% 69% Creepshow Harry Wentworth (segment "Something To Tide You Over") (Character) - 1982
96% 81% Body Heat Peter Lowenstein (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Our Family Business Gep (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Once Upon a Spy Jack Chenault (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Women's Room Norman (Character) - 1980
87% 65% The Onion Field Det. Ian James Campbell (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 20% The Chinese Web Major Collings (Character) - 1978

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet In the Kitchen With Harry Hamlin Guest 2024
No Score Yet 28% The Drew Barrymore Show Guest 2022 2024
No Score Yet 63% Mr. Mayor Neil Bremer (Character) 2021-2022
No Score Yet 62% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2021-2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest 2012-2013 2017-2018 2021-2022
92% 91% Curb Your Enthusiasm Himself (Guest Star),
Self
2000 2002 2004-2005 2007 2009 2017 2021
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2015-2016 2018-2019 2021
97% 89% The Good Place Michael (Character) 2016-2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Brain Games Guest 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rachael Ray Guest 2008-2011 2013 2016 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter Guest 2017 2019
No Score Yet 41% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2009 2012 2014 2017 2019
No Score Yet 19% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2015 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2010-2011 2013 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Inside the Actors Studio Guest 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Finding Your Roots Guest 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Conan Guest 2014 2017
34% 37% CSI: Cyber D.B. Russell (Character) 2015-2016
93% 85% Fargo Sheriff Hank Larsson (Character) 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tavis Smiley Guest 2015
No Score Yet 80% CSI: Crime Scene Investigation D.B. Russell (Character) 2011-2015
No Score Yet 91% American Dad! Dr. Ray Petit (Guest Voice) 2015
No Score Yet 100% The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson Guest 2014
100% 90% Late Show With David Letterman Guest 2014
No Score Yet 82% CSI: New York D.B. Russell (Guest Star) 2013
79% 81% Bored to Death George Christopher (Character) 2009-2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Guest 2009-2011
91% 88% Damages Arthur Frobisher (Character) 2007 2009-2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lopez Tonight Guest 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Late Night With Conan O'Brien Guest 2007
50% No Score Yet Help Me Help You Unknown (Character) 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Colbert Report Guest 2006
33% No Score Yet Heist Unknown (Guest Star) 2006
No Score Yet 97% Becker Dr. John Becker (Character) 1998-2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Daily Show Guest 1999 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Veronica's Closet Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
44% No Score Yet Ink Mike Logan (Character),
Executive Producer
1996-1997
73% No Score Yet Pearl Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
95% 94% Frasier Sam Malone (Guest Star) 1995
85% 76% The Simpsons Sam Malone (Guest Voice) 1994
87% 95% Cheers Sam Malone (Character) 1982-1993
No Score Yet 62% Saturday Night Live Host 1989
No Score Yet 62% Taxi Vincenzo Senaca (Guest Star) 1982
No Score Yet 95% Magnum, P.I. Stewart Crane (Guest Star) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Benson Unknown (Guest Star) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Laverne & Shirley Unknown (Guest Star) 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet B.J. and the Bear Unknown (Guest Star) 1979