Tom Verica

Last updated

Tom Verica (born May 13, 1964) is an American actor, director, and producer, best known for his role as Sam Keating in the ABC drama How to Get Away with Murder (2014-2020). He also played Jack Pryor in the NBC critically acclaimed drama American Dreams from 2002-2004. As a director, he is known for Shonda Rhimes' dramas. He currently is an executive producer and director of the Netflix drama Bridgerton . From 2012 to 2018, Verica served as executive producer and director of ABC Scandal .

Contents

Life and career

Verica was born on May 13, 1964, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to real estate agent parents. He is of Italian descent on his father's side and German descent on his mother's side. [1] [2] His first television role was on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children in 1987. He later had a recurring role in L.A. Law , and guest-starred on Home Improvement , Picket Fences , and NYPD Blue . In film, he appeared in Die Hard 2 , Fathers' Day , Red Dragon , and Zodiac .

Verica was a regular cast member of the CBS primetime soap opera Central Park West from 1995 to 1996. He played astronaut Dick Gordon in the HBO miniseries From The Earth To The Moon (1998), appeared in The Naked Truth and Providence , and from 2002 to 2005 starred opposite Gail O'Grady in the NBC family drama, American Dreams . [3] After the series was canceled, Verica guest-starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit , House , Boston Legal , Grey's Anatomy , and The Closer , and had recurring roles in The 4400 and The Nine .

In the early 2000s, Verica began his career as a television director. He directed the episodes of over 20 television shows, such as American Dreams , Boston Legal , Dirty Sexy Money , Ugly Betty , Army Wives , The Mentalist , and Body of Proof . He was a recurring director of Shonda Rhimes' dramas Grey's Anatomy , Private Practice , and Scandal . [4] In Scandal he has served as co-executive producer since 2012. In 2014, he was cast opposite Viola Davis in the ShondaLand series, How to Get Away with Murder . [5] From 2018 to 2019, he also produced For the People .

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990 Die Hard 2 Kahn
1993Eight Hundred Leagues Down the AmazonManoel
1997 Fathers' Day Peter
1997 Loose Women Detective Laurent
1999Love American StyleRonSegment: "Love and the Heimlich Maneuver"
1999Making Contact
2002 Murder by Numbers Asst. D.A. Al Swanson
2002 Red Dragon Charles Leeds
2006 Flags of Our Fathers Lieutenant Pennell
2007 Zodiac Jim Dunbar

Television films

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993 Donato and Daughter Bobby Keegan
1994 The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story Greg Bennett
1994 Breach of Conduct Lt. Ted Lutz
1995Not Our SonRandy Litchfield
1996The Assassination FileJack Byrne
1998Lost in the Bermuda TriangleBrian Foster
2009 Princess Protection Program Joe Mason

Television series

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 All My Children DuncanUnknown episodes
1989 Quantum Leap ImpalaEpisode: "Camikazi Kid - June 6, 1961"
1991 L.A. Law Billy Castroverti9 episodes
1992 Home Improvement CharlieEpisode: "Luck Be a Taylor Tonight"
1992 Picket Fences Brian RonickEpisode: "The Snake Lady"
1993 South Beach Brooke WyattEpisode: "Stake Out"
1993 Moon Over Miami JakeEpisode: "Black River Bride"
1993 Seinfeld DoctorEpisode: "The Conversion"
1995 NYPD Blue Dr. Paul DruzinskiEpisode: "Travels with Andy"
1995 Matlock Craig BrowningEpisode: "The Scam"
1995–1996 Central Park West Mark Merrill18 episodes
1996 The Big Easy TyrellEpisode: "Hotshots"
1997 Gun The Quick Talking AgentEpisode: "The Shot"
1997–1998 The Naked Truth Jake Sullivan22 episodes
1997 Almost Perfect Steven EcstacyEpisode: "This Is What Happens When You Don't Watch PBS"
1998 From the Earth to the Moon Dick Gordon3 episodes
1999–2002 Will & Grace Danny2 episodes
1999 Providence Kyle Moran13 episodes
2001 Frasier JimEpisode: "A Day in May"
2001 Citizen Baines Andy Carlson4 episodes
2001–2004 State of Grace Tommy Austin6 episodes
2002 Crossing Jordan Mitch WeylandEpisode: "Blood Relatives"
2002 Baby Bob JakeEpisode: "The Tell-Tale Art"
2002 Touched by an Angel BrianEpisode: "The Bells of St. Peters"
2002–2005 American Dreams Jack Pryor61 episodes
2005 The Bad Girl's Guide KeithEpisode: "The Guide to in and Out"
2005 The 4400 Dr. Max Hudson3 episodes
2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jake HunterEpisode: "Blast"
2006 House MartinEpisode: "Skin Deep"
2006 Boston Legal A.U.S.A. Carl NewellEpisode: "Trick or Treat"
2006–2007 The Nine Ed Nielson10 episodes
2008 Grey's Anatomy Michael NorrisEpisode: "Rise Up"
2009 Lie to Me Paul AronsonEpisode: "Love Always"
2009 Medium Detective Aaron CarverEpisode: "The Future's So Bright"
2010 The Closer Det. Steve HaywardEpisode: "Jump the Gun"
2014–2020 How to Get Away with Murder Sam Keating23 episodes
2017 Dropping the Soap Mitch GatlinEpisode: "Spontaneous Coma"

Director

YearTitleNotes
2004 American Dreams 2 episodes
2007–2008 Boston Legal 2 episodes
2007 What About Brian Episode: "What About Strange Bedfellows...?"
2007–2011 Grey's Anatomy 9 episodes
2007 Six Degrees Episode: "Objects in the Mirror"
2008 Men in Trees Episode: "Read Between the Minds"
2008–2012 Private Practice 7 episodes
2008 The Cleaner Episode: "Rebecca"
2008 My Own Worst Enemy Episode : #1.10
2009 Ugly Betty 2 episodes
2009 The Beast Episode: "Mercy"
2009 Dirty Sexy Money Episode: "The Facts"
2009 Army Wives Episode: "As Time Goes By"
2009 Eastwick Episode: "Red Ants and Black Widows"
2010 The Deep End Episode: "White Lies, Black Ties"
2010 No Ordinary Family Episode: "No Ordinary Family"
2011–2012 The Mentalist 3 episodes
2011–2012 Harry's Law 2 episodes
2012 Body of Proof Episode: "Going Viral, Part 2"
2012–2018 Scandal 16 episodes; also executive producer
2017 Still Star-Crossed Episode: "Hell is Empty and All the Devils Are Here"
2018–2019 For the People 6 episodes; also executive producer
2020 Station 19 Episode: "No Days Off
2020 The Umbrella Academy 2 episodes
2020-2022 Bridgerton 4 episodes
2021 Inventing Anna 2 episodes
2023 Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story 6 episodes; also executive producer

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Raver</span> American actress (born 1969)

Kim Raver is an American actress. She is known for television roles such as Dr. Teddy Altman on ABC's medical drama Grey's Anatomy, Kim Zambrano on Third Watch, and Audrey Raines on 24.

Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, later named the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The series premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The show's title is an allusion to Gray's Anatomy, a classic human anatomy textbook. Writer Shonda Rhimes developed the pilot and served as showrunner, head writer, and executive producer until stepping down in 2015. Set in Seattle, Washington, the series is filmed primarily in Los Angeles, California, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shonda Rhimes</span> American television producer and writer

Shonda Lynn Rhimes is an American television producer and screenwriter, and founder of the production company Shondaland. As of 2023, she is one of the richest women entertainers in America, with a net worth of $250 million.

Debra Mooney is an American character actress, best known for her role as Edna Harper on The WB drama series Everwood (2002–06). Mooney is also known for her recurring roles in Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and The Originals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellamy Young</span> American actress and singer (born 1970)

Bellamy Young is an American actress, producer and singer, best known for her role as Melody "Mellie" Grant in the ABC drama series Scandal (2012–2018). For her performance, she won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2014. She also starred in the Fox series Prodigal Son (2019–2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sally Pressman</span> American actress and dancer

Sally Pressman Bernstein is an American actress and dancer. She is perhaps best known for her role as Roxy LeBlanc on the Lifetime television series Army Wives (2007–2013).

Jenna Bans is an American screenwriter. Bans is a producer and writer on Grey's Anatomy, and is the creator and the co-producer of Off the Map, a series which premiered on ABC in January 2011, and was cancelled on May 13, 2011. From 2012 to 2014, she was the regular writer and co-executive producer on another Shonda Rhimes created drama, Scandal, on ABC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadie Harris</span> Fictional character from Greys Anatomy

Sadie Harris, M.D. is a fictional character from the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes and portrayed by actress Melissa George. Introduced as a surgical intern who has an old companionship with the series' protagonist Meredith Grey, she eventually forms a friendship with Lexie Grey, and departs after it is revealed she cheated her way into the surgical program.

Scandal is an American political thriller television series starring Kerry Washington. Created by Shonda Rhimes, it aired on ABC from April 5, 2012, until April 19, 2018, for 124 episodes over seven seasons. Kerry Washington's character, Olivia Pope, is partially based on former George H. W. Bush administration press aide Judy Smith, who serves as a co-executive producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Falahee</span> American actor and singer

John Ryan Falahee is an American actor and singer. On television, he portrayed Connor Walsh on the ABC legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020) and Frank Stringfellow on the PBS historical drama Mercy Street (2016–2017).

<i>How to Get Away with Murder</i> 2014 American legal thriller television series

How to Get Away with Murder is an American legal drama thriller television series that premiered on ABC on September 25, 2014, and concluded on May 14, 2020. The series was created by Peter Nowalk, and produced by Shonda Rhimes and ABC Studios. The series aired on ABC as part of a night of programming, all under Rhimes' Shondaland production company.

Peter Nowalk is an American television writer and producer. He is best known as the creator of the legal thriller, How to Get Away with Murder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shondaland</span> American television production company

Shondaland is an American television production company founded by television writer and producer Shonda Rhimes. She founded it to be one of the production companies of her first series, the medical drama Grey's Anatomy in 2005. It has since gone on to produce Rhimes's other creations, Grey's spinoff Private Practice and the political drama Scandal, and her other productions—the short-lived Off the Map, the Viola Davis-starring legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder, and the crime thriller The Catch—all of which are co-produced with ABC Studios and air on ABC. As of 2017, it has a partnership affiliation with Netflix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy, Red, Superfreak and Julia</span> 1st episode of the 4th season of Scandal

"Randy, Red, Superfreak and Julia" is the season premiere of the 4th season of Scandal, and is the 48th overall episode. It premiered on September 25, 2014, in the U.S. on ABC.

Run (<i>Scandal</i>) 10th episode of the 4th season of Scandal

"Run" is the tenth episode, serving as a mid-season premiere of the fourth season of the American political thriller television series Scandal, and is the 57th overall episode, which aired on ABC on January 29, 2015. The episode was written by showrunner Shonda Rhimes and directed by executive producer Tom Verica. The episode serves as a bottle episode, in which the episode focuses solely on Olivia's kidnapping and her captivity in a jail cell, which she shares with a cellmate named Ian McLeod. The episode features the fewest series regulars of any episode of the series, with only four regulars appearing: Olivia Pope, Jake Ballard, President Fitzgerald "Fitz" Grant lll and Abby Whelan.

<i>The Catch</i> (American TV series) American comedy-drama television

The Catch is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on ABC from March 24, 2016, to May 11, 2017. It stars Mireille Enos and Peter Krause, was created by Jennifer Schuur, Kate Atkinson, and Helen Gregory, and developed by Allan Heinberg, and was executive produced by Shondaland's Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. Julie Anne Robinson also served as an executive producer and directed the pilot episode. In May 2016, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on March 9, 2017. In May 2017, the series was canceled after two seasons.

<i>Scandal</i> (season 5) Season of American television series Scandal

The fifth season of the American television drama series Scandal was ordered on May 7, 2015, by ABC, and began airing on September 24, 2015, in the United States on ABC. The season was produced by ABC Studios, in association with ShondaLand Production Company; the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes.

Heavy Is the Head (<i>Scandal</i>) 1st episode of the 5th season of Scandal

"Heavy Is the Head" is the season premiere of the fifth season of the American political thriller television series Scandal, and the 70th episode overall. It aired on September 24, 2015, on American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The episode was written by showrunner Shonda Rhimes and directed by executive producer Tom Verica. The episode focuses on the newly mended relationship with Olivia and Fitz, in addition to the scandal in which the Princess of Caledonia is killed and Olivia is hired to make sure the royal family's private life stays private.

<i>Scandal</i> (season 6) Season of American television series Scandal

The sixth season of the American television drama series Scandal was ordered on March 3, 2016, by ABC. It began airing on January 26, 2017, in the United States on ABC. The season includes the 100th episode of the series, being the tenth episode of this season. The season was produced by ABC Studios, in association with ShondaLand Production Company; the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes.

<i>Scandal</i> (season 7) Season of American television series Scandal

The seventh and final season of the American television drama series Scandal was ordered on February 10, 2017 by ABC. It was later announced that the seventh season would be the final season for Scandal. The season began airing on October 5, 2017, and consisted of 18 episodes, bringing the total episode count of the show to 124 episodes. Cast member George Newbern was upgraded to a series regular after being a recurring cast member for the past six seasons. The season was produced by ABC Studios, in association with ShondaLand Production Company; the showrunner being Shonda Rhimes.

References

  1. "Tom Verica | Movies and Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  2. Sklar, Ronald (June 13, 2003). "Tom Verica". PopEntertainment. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  3. 06/10/2013 11:56 am EDT (June 10, 2013). "'American Dreams' Reunion: Unaired Alternate Ending Showed Where The Pryors Ended Up". Huffington Post. Retrieved May 20, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. "Tom Verica: Director, ABC's Scandal". The New Potato. October 5, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2014. In 2009 he played Joe Carter in “The Princess Protection Program”
  5. "Tom Verica Cast In ABC Pilot 'How To Get Away'; Morgan Spector In NBC's 'Coercion'". Deadline. 10 March 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2014.