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Gregory Itzin

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Gregory Itzin

Gregory Itzin (born April 20 1948) is an Emmy-nominated American film and television actor, best known for his role on the series 24 as President Charles Logan.

Biography

Early life

Itzin's family moved to Burlington, Wisconsin when he was in sixth grade where his father, Martin Itzin, was a former mayor of the city and, as of 2007, still lives there. Itzin originally intended to become a theater actor, receiving training at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He has appeared on many stages across the country.

Career

Itzin has appeared in guest starring roles on various television shows. His most recent major role has been President Charles Logan on the popular television drama 24. He received a Tony Award nomination for his role in the Pulitzer Prize winning play The Kentucky Cycle. In the movie Airplane!, Itzin plays Religious Zealot #1, and has the first lines in the movie, but disappears after the first scene. He had a short role in the The A-Team episode 'Wheel of fortune', as accountant Howard for a casino-owner. He currently appears on the CBS drama The Mentalist.

In 2005, Itzin joined the cast of 24, halfway through its fourth season, in the recurring role as Vice President Charles Logan. By the following season the character had become President and was expanded to become one of the leading figures in the storyline. Itzin received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for this performance. He didn't have to audition for the role, as he had previously auditioned for a role during the second season of the show, and knew one of the producers.[1] Itzin returned for four episodes in season six.

Itzin has held recurring roles on popular TV series such as Friends as Theodore Hannigan- father of Mike Hannigan, Murder One, Navy NCIS, The OC, Judging Amy, Boston Legal, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Practice, The Pretender and the short-lived science fiction series, Firefly. Itzin appeared on a 1991 episode of Night Court as a mugger. He also portrayed John Ashcroft in the 2003 television movie DC 9/11: Time of Crisis.

He is also a frequent Star Trek actor, having played five different roles in the various series over the years; his most recent Trek role was Admiral Black in Star Trek: Enterprise. He made his first Star Trek appearance in 1993, in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Dax". He later guest starred on DS9 again, in the sixth season episode "Who Mourns for Morn?"

He also starred in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as a clerk at the Mint Hotel and recently appeared as a psychiatrist in the Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me.

On stage he has appeared in numerous theatrical venues across the country, and is a member of the Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles, where he has acted in award-winning productions of Waiting for Godot, The Homecoming and The Birthday Party (each earning him an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for performance). For his work in the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Kentucky Cycle (which he performed in the world premiere at the Intiman Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, the Kennedy Center and on Broadway), he received Tony Award and Drama Desk nominations.

He recently appeared on stage as Louis de Rougemont in the world premiere of Donald Margulies Shipwrecked! An Entertainment at South Coast Repertory, and subsequently revived at the Geffen Playhouse.

He hosted ACME: This Week! at the ACME Comedy Theatre on February 23, 2008 appearing in several sketches as well as a short film, "Law and Order: Really Special Victims Unit".

Personal life

Itzin lives in Los Angeles with his wife (since 1979) Judie, an artist, and their two children: son Wilke (born 1985) and daughter Julia (born 1982).

Itzin played softball on an entertainment league team called the "Ten Guys From Italy". His teammates included actors Michael Keaton, Kevin Nealon and Jeff Doucette, feature filmmakers Bob Logan and Ed Solomon, and TV producer Steven Peterman.

References