Dakin Matthews
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Dakin Matthews | |
---|---|
![]() Matthews inBean(1997) | |
Born | Melvin Richard Matthews[1] November 7, 1940 Oakland, California,U.S. |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1965–present |
Spouse |
Anne Marie McNaughton
(m.1969) |
Children | 4 |
Melvin Richard"Dakin"Matthews(born November 7, 1940) is an American actor,playwright,theatre director,and theatrical scholar. Best known as Herb Kelcher inMy Two Dads(1987–1989), Hanlin Charleston inGilmore Girls(2000–2007), Joe Heffernan inThe King of Queens(1998-2007), and as Reverend Sikes inDesperate Housewives(2004–2012).
Early life
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Melvin Richard Matthews was born inOakland, California.He initially aspired to become aRoman Catholicpriest,[2]studying inSan Franciscoand then atGregorian UniversityinRomein the 1960s. However, his growing interest in drama led him to theJuilliard School,where he taught, among others,Kevin KlineandPatti LuPone.
He acted and taught at theAmerican Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.)in San Francisco whereAnnette Beningwas one of his students.[3][4]
He also attendedgraduate schoolatNew York University.He is anEmeritusProfessor of English atCalifornia State University, East BayinHayward, California.
Career
[edit]![]() | This section of abiography of a living personneeds additionalcitationsforverification.(February 2018) |
He began his stage career in 1965 in theSan Francisco Bay Area,appearing in both the Marin and CaliforniaShakespeare Festivals,eventually becoming a member of the acting ensemble of theAmerican Conservatory Theater.In the late 1980s, settling permanently inLos Angeles,Matthews beganguest-starringintelevision seriesand appearing in films. He starred in series such asDown Home,Soul Manand, most successfully,The Jeff Foxworthy Show.
In 1989 he starred in the preshow forEPCOT Center'sBody Warsattraction inThe Wonders Of Life Pavilion.He also has made many guest appearances on television, includingRemington Steele,Dallas,Murder She Wrote,L.A. Law,The Nanny,True Blood,Just Shoot Me!,Star Trek: Voyager,The West Wing,Gilmore Girls(asHeadmasterCharleston),Ally McBeal,Coach,The Practice,Who's the Boss?,Charmed,Diagnosis Murder,The King of Queens(asDoug Heffernan's father Joe),NYPD Blue,Desperate Housewives(appearing in every Season except 5 asReverend Sykes),House M.D.(appearing in 2004 in "Damned If You Do"the 5th episode of the 1st season playing the role of Marvin/Santa Claus),The Big Bang Theoryas Santa (season 6 episode 11),Blue Bloods(as of 2016 appearing in "Help Me Help You"the 16th episode of the 6th season playing the role of Judge Wilson),Two and a Half Men,andCarnivàle.
Matthews has appeared in more than 25feature films,includingNuts,Like Father Like Son,Clean and Sober,Thirteen Days,Funny Farm,True Grit(as Colonel Stonehill),Steven Spielberg's'Lincoln,Flubber,andZero Charisma.He played the role of Col. Cochrane inChild's Play 3,and has also appeared in a number oftelevision films,includingAnd the Band Played On,Baby M,andWhite Mile.
As a stage actor, he is known for his many Shakespearean roles, especiallyKing Lear,Bottom,andFalstaff,and most recently for his portrayals ofC. S. LewisinSouth Coast Repertory'sShadowlands,as "Warwick"in Shakespeare'sHenry IVat theLincoln Center Theater,as "Undershaft" inMajor Barbaraand "Tarleton" inMisalliancefor South Coast Repertory, as "The Fixer" inWater and Powerfor theCenter Theatre Groupin Los Angeles, as "Leonato" in Shakespeare Center L.A.'s production ofMuch Ado About NothingwithHelen Hunt,as "Cardinal Wolsey" inA Man For All SeasonswithFrank Langellaat theRoundabout,and as "Senator Carlin" inGore Vidal'sThe Best Manon Broadway.
In 2010, Matthews joined the cast of theABCsoap operaGeneral Hospitalas Judge Peter Carroll, the judge inSonny Corinthos' trial.
He is also a playwright, director, and theater scholar who has published books and articles onShakespeareand translations of 17th-century Spanish theater. He has been adramaturgon numerous theatrical productions, including the 2005 Broadway revival ofJulius CaesarstarringDenzel Washington[5]and the 2003 revival ofHenry IV,[6]winning aDrama Desk Award Special Awardfor his adaptation of the latter.
Matthews was also Artistic Director of theBerkeley Shakespeare Festival,the California Actors Theatre, TheAntaeus Theatre Company[7](which he co-founded in 1991),[2]and the Andak Stage Company; he is an Associate Artist of theOld Globe Theatre;and a founding member of theJohn Houseman'sThe Acting CompanyandSam Mendes' Bridge Project.
Matthews appeared in the 2009 world tour of The Bridge Project as "Pishchick" inThe Cherry Orchardand "Antigonus" inThe Winter's Tale.In the 2011 summer season of ThePublic Theater'sShakespeare in the Park,he performed as "the Provost" inMeasure for Measure[8]and "Lafew" inAll's Well That Ends Well.[9]and as "Sir Humphrey" in the American premiere ofYes Prime Ministerat theKirk DouglasTheatre. He was nominated for anOvation Awardfor Book and Lyrics of an original musical entitledLiberty Inn,which he co-wrote with B. T. Ryback.
In 2011, his verse translation ofThe Capulets & The Montaguesplayed at the Andak Stage Company and the International Siglo de Oro Festival, winning the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Adaptation. Matthews appeared twice as Santa Claus inThe Big Bang Theoryseason 6 episode, "The Santa Simulation"and season 8 episode"The Clean Room Infiltration".
He was the dramaturg for the Lincoln Center production ofMacbeth(2013), directed byJack O'Brienand starringEthan Hawke.[10]He appeared as "Richard Russell" inRobert Schenkkan's award-winning L.B.J. playAll The Way,starringBryan Cranston,at A.R.T. in Cambridge in September 2013.[11]
He appeared as "Mickey Goldmill"in the Broadway musicalRocky the Musicalin 2014,[12]then in 2015, he went on to playWinston ChurchilloppositeHelen MirrenasQueen Elizabeth IIinPeter Morgan'sThe Audienceon Broadway. Matthews portrayed Judge Byers in the 2015 filmBridge of Spies.
He originated the role "Joe" in the musicalWaitressthat opened on Broadway in April 2016.[13]He returned to the role for the 2021 restaging on Broadway. From 2018 to 2020 and for a limited engagement in January 2022, he played Judge Taylor inTo Kill a Mockingbird.In 2023, he played the dual role of Merlyn/Pellinore in the fourth Broadway revival ofCamelot.[14]
Filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | Remington Steele | Michael Fleming | |
1986 | St. Elsewhere | ||
Fresno | Prosecutor | ||
1987 | Easy Street | Tim Weathergate | |
Matlock | Prosecutor | Episode: "The People vs. Matlock" | |
Like Father Like Son | Old Man Morrison | ||
Nuts | 1st Judge | ||
1987–1989 | My Two Dads | Herb Kelcher | |
1988 | Hostile Witness | Catlett | |
Newhart | Jim | ||
Aaron's Way | Wyler | ||
Permanent Record | Mr. McBain | ||
Sunset | William Singer | ||
Funny Farm | Marion Corey, Jr. | ||
Clean and Sober | Bob | ||
Something Is Out There | Agent Simon | ||
Dallas | Detective Kane | ||
TV 101 | Tanner | ||
Dear John USA | David Hennessey | ||
1989 | Naked Lie | Adam Berger | |
American Playhouse | Sam Mitgang | ||
Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North | Edwin Meese | TV movie | |
Out on the Edge | Dr. Cutler | ||
Wired | Washington PostEditor | ||
The Fabulous Baker Boys | Charlie | ||
Body Wars | Mission Commander | ||
Cross of Fire | Hiram Evans | ||
Christine Cromwell | Carter Dickinson III | ||
My Brother's Wife | Charles Rusher | TV movie | |
1989–1991 | Doctor Doctor | Dr. Harold Stratford | |
1990 | Blind Faith | Uncle Gene | |
Ghost Dad | Mr. Seymour | ||
Fine Things | Judge Aaron S. Mitofsky | ||
1990–1991 | Down Home | Walt McCrorey | |
1991 | The Whereabouts of Jenny | Cox | TV movie |
Eve of Destruction | Singleton | ||
Who's the Boss? | Judge | ||
The Perfect Tribute | Dr. Thomas | ||
White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd | DABuron Fitts | TV movie | |
Jailbirds | Sheriff | ||
Child's Play 3 | Col. Cochrane | ||
...And Then She Was Gone | Francis Haynes | TV movie | |
The Company | Director Waugh | ||
1991–1992 | Drexell's Class | Roscoe Davis | |
1992 | Murder without Motive: The Edmund Parry Story | Howards | |
For Richer, for Poorer | Larry | ||
Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive | Attorney | ||
Revolver | Tom McCall | ||
Criminal Behavior | Albee Ferguson | ||
1993 | The Temp | Dr. Feldman | |
Undercover Blues | Police Captain | ||
1994 | The Swan Princess | King William | Voice |
1997 | Bean | Tucker, Passenger | |
Flubber | Minister | ||
1998 | The Siege | Senator Wright | |
1999 | Star Trek: Voyager | Admiral Patterson | Episode: "Relativity" |
2000 | The West Wing | Simon Blye | Episode: Take Out The Trash Day |
Thirteen Days | Arthur C. Lundahl | ||
2000-2007 | Gilmore Girls | Headmaster Hanlin Charleston | |
2001-2007 | The King of Queens | Joe Heffernan | 13 episodes |
2002 | Charmed | Angel of Destiny | |
2003 | The Fighting Temptations | Mr. Fairchild | |
2004 | House M.D. | Marvin | Episode: “Damned If You Do” |
2004-2012 | Desperate Housewives | Rev. Sikes | 9 episodes |
2010 | Parks and Recreation | David Moser | Episode: "Summer Catalog" |
True Grit | Col. Stonehill | ||
2011 & 2013 | The Mentalist | Professor Christo Papadakis | Episodes: "Red Queen" & "Red in Tooth and Claw" |
2011 | Two and a Half Men | Father Shaunassey | Episode: "That Darn Priest" |
2012 | Lincoln | SecretaryJohn Palmer Usher | |
The Big Bang Theory | Santa | ||
2013 | Mr. Box Office | Ernie | |
2015 | Bridge of Spies | Judge Byers | |
2016 | Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Headmaster Hanlin Charleston | |
2023 | The Gilded Age | Mr Winterton | |
Waitress | Joe | Live stage recording of musical |
References
[edit]- ^According to the State of California.California Birth Index, 1905-1995.Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry
- ^abMiller, Daryl H."A Commanding Stage Presence"Los Angeles Times,July 5, 1998
- ^"1981-1990 Seasons".American Conservatory Theater.Retrieved2023-07-18.
- ^Nathan (2018-03-13)."Listen Now: Dakin Matthews on the Classics and Your Artistic Family".The Working Actor's Journey.Retrieved2023-07-18.
- ^' "Julius Caesar' Broadway"ibdb, accessed February 17, 2016
- ^"'Henry IV' Broadway"ibdb, accessed February 17, 2016
- ^BWW News Desk (2 March 2017)."Antaeus Theatre Company Unveils Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center".Broadway World.Wisdom Digital Media.Retrieved19 March2018.
- ^"Tickets".shakespeareinthepark.org.
- ^"Tickets".shakespeareinthepark.org.
- ^"'Macbeth' Broadway"ibdb, accessed February 17, 2016
- ^Hetrick, Adam."Bryan Cranston Is Lyndon B. Johnson in 'All The Way', Premiering Sept. 13 at the American Repertory Theater"playbill, September 13, 2013
- ^"'Rocky' Broadway"playbillvault, accessed February 17, 2016
- ^"'Waitress' Broadway"playbillvault, accessed February 17, 2016
- ^Dakin Matthews (Performer)