Gordon Clapp

Last updated
Gordon Clapp
Born (1948-09-24) September 24, 1948 (age 76)
Alma mater Williams College
OccupationActor
Years active1979–present
Spouses
Deborah Taylor
(m. 1986;div. 1999)
Elisabeth Gordon
(m. 2016)

Gordon Clapp (born September 24, 1948) is an American actor best known for playing Det. Greg Medavoy for all 12 seasons of the television series NYPD Blue , winning an Emmy Award in 1998. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Clapp was born in North Conway, New Hampshire. He graduated from Williams College in 1971. [2] At Williams College, he met frequent collaborators David Strathairn and John Sayles. Clapp also studied at The National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center (Fall 1970).

Career

Clapp has appeared in numerous TV shows such as Check it Out! and Night Court as well as numerous stage plays. His film credits include Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980), Running (1979), Matewan (1987), Eight Men Out (1988, as Chicago White Sox catcher Ray Schalk), Termini Station (1989), The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999), Rules of Engagement (2000), Sunshine State (2002), and Flags of Our Fathers (2006) as United States Marine Corps Gen. Holland Smith. He appeared in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Vortex." From 1993 to 2005, Clapp played Detective Greg Medavoy on NYPD Blue . He won an Emmy for the role.

In 2007, he appeared as Coach Mad Maddox in The Game Plan . On Broadway, he most recently appeared in the revival of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross , where he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play. [3] He also played Alan Silver in episode Holiday Spirit in Ghost Whisperer (3x10).

In 1995, he played Father Paul in Her Hidden Truth . In 2007, Clapp voiced Horny the Clown in the horror film Drive-Thru. Later that year, Clapp also appeared as Det Dick Walenski in "In Name and Blood," season 3 episode 2 of Criminal Minds . Clapp portrayed a corrupt police officer in a 2008 episode of Cold Case . He played the main antagonist Gen. Peter Randall in the Prototype video game. Clapp plays the father of Ellen (Rose Byrne) in the F/X show Damages . [4]

In 2014, Clapp began playing a recurring role as Chaplain Orlovsky in Chicago Fire. [5]

In 2021, Clapp had a modest but critical role in the acclaimed HBO series Mare of Easttown , playing key witness Pat Ross. [6]

Personal life

Clapp was previously married to actress Deborah Taylor from 1986 to 1999. He married Elisabeth Gordon, whom he met through a mutual friend, on November 5, 2016. [7]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979 Running Kenny
1980 Return of the Secaucus 7 Chip
1987 Matewan Tom Griggs
1988 Eight Men Out Ray Schalk
1989 Termini Station Harvey Dunshane
1989 Gross Anatomy Doctor
1994April OneGordon Davies
1999 The Rage: Carrie 2 Eric's Father
2000 Rules of Engagement Harris
2001Skeletons in the ClosetDan
2002 Sunshine State Earl Pinkney
2002 Moonlight Mile Tanner
2004The Sure Hand of GodJefferson T. Stevens
2006 Flags of Our Fathers Holland Smith
2007 Drive-Thru Horny the ClownVoice
2007 The Game Plan Coach Mark Maddox
2009 Falling Up Colin O'Shea
2009The Funk ParlorDetective Joseph Angeli
2010The GrindGalt
2015 Peter and John Charles Roland
2015 The Perfect Guy Bill Forsythe
2016Dead BillyLucien
2021Blood Brothers: Civil WarMr. Roland

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984 The Other Kingdom GeorgeTelevision film
1985 Hangin' In Mr. HepburnEpisode: "Dead Dogs Wag No Tails"
1985 Evergreen Palm Court WaiterEpisode #1.1
1985Letting GoWalterTelevision film
1985 ABC Weekend Special CopEpisode: "Pippi Longstocking"
1985–1988 Check It Out! Various roles49 episodes
1986 The Right of the People Chris' FriendTelevision film
1987Hands of a StrangerSgt. Markey
1988 Katts and Dog WayneEpisode: "Birds of a Feather"
1988 Breaking All the Rules John HaneyTelevision film
1989 Knightwatch Daniels2 episodes
1989 Small Sacrifices Detective Doug WelchTelevision film
1989The Private CapitalDarcy
1990 Dear John Dave TravisEpisode: "John's Friend"
1990 Family of Spies Capt. Burnett2 episodes
1990 Blind Faith Det. O'Brien
1990 Night Court Ralph ShannonEpisode: "I Said Dance!"
1990 Top Cops Dennis DutraEpisode: "Dennis Dutra"
1990 Cop Rock Philip BeamerEpisode: "A Three-Corpse Meal"
1990The Secret Life of Archie's WifeStubbsTelevision film
1990, 1993 E.N.G. Various roles2 episodes
1991 Fever MeeksTelevision film
1991Mission of the SharkElias
1992 The Wonder Years Bruce LeegeeEpisode: "Politics as Usual"
1992 Street Legal James Brackit2 episodes
1993Bonds of LoveEvaluatorTelevision film
1993 Kiss of a Killer Sullivan
1993 Civil Wars Al BlynnEpisode: "Alien Aided Affection"
1993 Family of Strangers DelTelevision film
1993 Cheers ShinerEpisode: "Look Before You Sleep"
1993 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine HadranEpisode: "Vortex"
1993 FBI: The Untold Stories GavinEpisode: "The Sting"
1993 In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco GlennTelevision film
1993 Wings PhilEpisode: "Bye-Bye, Bunny"
1993–2005 NYPD Blue Greg Medavoy 256 episodes
1995 Abandoned and Deceived Donald QuinnTelevision film
1995 The Outer Limits Dr. Randall StrongEpisode: "The Voice of Reason"
1995 Her Hidden Truth Father PaulTelevision film
1996The Morrison Murders: Based on a True StorySheriff Byron Calhoun
1997Badge of BetrayalThatcher
1997 Dead Man's Gun Raymond Walter JakesEpisode: "The Bounty Hunter"
2003 Less than Perfect Detective MartinEpisode: "It Takes a Pillage"
2005 Without a Trace Bill ShieldsEpisode: "The Innocents"
2005, 2006 Deadwood Gustave2 episodes
2006 Law & Order: SVU Ted CarthageEpisode: "Infected"
2006 Monk Francis MerriganEpisode: "Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink"
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Salvatore HeinzEpisode: "Meet Market"
2007 Halfway Home SandyEpisode: "Halfway New Guy"
2007 Criminal Minds Det. Vic WolynskiEpisode: "In Name and Blood"
2007 Private Practice Coach MikeEpisode: "In Which Addison Finds a Showerhead"
2007 Ghost Whisperer Alan SilverEpisode: "Holiday Spirit"
2007–2012 Damages Gary Parsons3 episodes
2008 Cold Case Daniel O'LearyEpisode: "Bad Reputation"
2009 Taking Chance Tom GarrettTelevision film
2011 In Plain Sight Ben KulpakEpisode: "I'm a Liver Not a Fighter"
2013 Perception Alan KendricksEpisode: "Ch-Ch-Changes"
2013 Grey's Anatomy Victor KaufmanEpisode: "Somebody That I Used to Know"
2013 Mob City Carl Steckler4 episodes
2014–2018 Chicago Fire Chaplain Orlovsky11 episodes
2016 Elementary Deputy Chief ProskyEpisode: "Henny Penny the Sky Is Falling"
2021 Mare of Easttown Pat RossEpisode: "Sore Must Be the Storm"
2021 American Rust Mr. Gelsey4 episodes

References

  1. "Possible Emmy move to HBO raises hackles". USA Today . November 13, 2002. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  2. Karlin, Susan. "EPHS In Tinseltown" (PDF). williams.edu. Williams College.
  3. "Light in the Piazza sweeps the Tonys". The Stage . London. June 6, 2005. Archived from the original on June 8, 2005. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  4. "A Pussycat Doll, Damages and Other Short Cuts". TV Guide . September 6, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  5. Gelman, Vlada (2018-09-27). "Chicago Fire Casts The Flash Alum Teddy Sears as New Chaplain". TVLine. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  6. Fogarty, Paul (2021-05-24). "Gordon Clapp in Mare of Easttown: NYPD Blue fans rejoice at episode 6 cameo". HITC. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  7. Corriveau, David (October 5, 2017). "New Hampshire Native Gordon Clapp Was Born to Portray Frost". Valley News . Lebanon, NH. Retrieved June 17, 2020.