Alan Rosenberg
Alan Rosenberg | |
|---|---|
 Rosenberg in 2007 | |
| President of the Screen Actors Guild | |
| In office 2005–2009 | |
| Preceded by | Melissa Gilbert |
| Succeeded by | Ken Howard |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 4, 1950[1] Passaic, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Spouses | Marcia Firesten (m. 2019) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Mark Rosenberg (brother) Donald Fagen (cousin) |
| Education | Case Western Reserve University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1978–present |
Alan Rosenberg (born October 4, 1950)[1] is an American actor who portrayed the character Eli Levinson in both Civil Wars and L.A. Law. From 2005 to 2009, Rosenberg was president of the Screen Actors Guild, the principal motion picture industry on-screen performers' union.
Early life and education
[edit]Rosenberg was born on October 4, 1950, and raised in Passaic, New Jersey. He was raised in Conservative Judaism.[1][2][3] Rosenberg's late brother, Mark, was a political activist in the 1960s, later a film producer. Their first cousin, also from Passaic, is musician/songwriter Donald Fagen, co-founder of the group Steely Dan.[1]
Rosenberg's parents gave him money to apply to graduate school.[3] Rosenberg said that upon graduating in 1972 from Case Western Reserve University, he found another passion, poker, and subsequently gambled away most of the money his parents sent him, leaving him only able to afford one application, to the Yale School of Drama. Rosenberg dropped out halfway through his second year at Yale. His "greatest influence and best friend" while there was classmate Meryl Streep.[1]
Career
[edit]In 1979, Rosenberg appeared in the movie The Wanderers, as Turkey. He is also well known for his character Ira Woodbine in the sitcom Cybill. More recently, he was seen in the legal drama The Guardian as Alvin Masterson.
Rosenberg supplied the voice of the bounty hunter Boba Fett on NPR's adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. Rosenberg is also known for his appearance as the crazed "Mad Bomber" in the 1986 cult-classic Stewardess School and Paul Bartel's screwball comedy Not for Publication opposite Nancy Allen (1984).
In 1991, he appeared in the TV film The Boys.
In 1995, he received an Emmy Award nomination for a guest-starring role in the hit drama ER. He starred in the Temptations miniseries in 1998, as long-time manager Shelly Berger.
In 1999, he began a recurring role as the hospital legal counsel, Stuart Brickman, on Chicago Hope. Halfway through their final season, he was added to the opening titles as a series regular.
He appeared on Broadway in What's Wrong With This Picture and Lost In Yonkers, and off-Broadway in Isn't It Romantic, A Prayer for My Daughter, and Kid Champion. He most recently starred at the Delaware Theatre Company production of Partners, written by Allan Katz.
He was elected the 24th president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) on September 23, 2005. Rosenberg succeeded Melissa Gilbert, who had served as president since 2001 and chose not to run for a third two-year term. Rosenberg received 39.99 percent (10,748 total votes) of the nationwide vote of the Guild's general membership, defeating Morgan Fairchild and Robert Conrad.
In 2005, he appeared as shady defense attorney Adam Novak in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation co-starring alongside his real-life wife Marg Helgenberger. Novak was portrayed as a womanizer who encountered Catherine (Helgenberger) in a bar and later became the prime suspect in two homicides. In a 2007 episode "Leaving Las Vegas" he appeared as a lawyer defending a client who turned out to be guilty of two separate crimes, and yet the evidence failed to pin him down, resulting in a not guilty verdict which annoyed Catherine so much that she began to undertake further investigation.
In 2006, he appeared in a recurring role as Bruce Steinerman, the divorce attorney of Dr. James Wilson in the television-series House M.D. He has hosted episodes of the public television program, Life: Part 2,[4] which began in 2007 and is produced in St. Paul, Minnesota. The show features panel discussions about issues that baby boomers face as they age.[5]
In 2015, he appeared as Dr. William Golliher in the Amazon original series Bosch.[6] In 2016, he had a recurring role as shady investor William Sutter on the USA Network drama Suits.
From 2016 to 2017, he had a recurring role in the Showtime cable series Shameless (seasons 6 - 8). He portrayed Professor Youens, an alcoholic college professor and mentor to Lip Gallagher.
Personal life
[edit]Rosenberg's first marriage was to actress Robin Bartlett, from 1976 to 1984.[7]
He met Marg Helgenberger in New York City in 1984, while guest-starring on her soap Ryan's Hope. The two became friends and started dating in 1986. They married in 1989 and have one son, Hugh Howard Rosenberg (b. October 21, 1990).[8] On December 1, 2008, Rosenberg and Helgenberger announced their separation.[8] On March 25, 2009, Helgenberger filed for divorce.[9] The divorce was finalized in February 2010.[10]
As a result of Helgenberger's mother's 27-year battle with breast cancer, Helgenberger and Rosenberg became involved in the fight against the disease. They have hosted a benefit called Marg and Alan's Celebrity Weekend every year in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1999.[citation needed]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | The Wanderers | Turkey | |
| 1980 | Happy Birthday, Gemini | Francis Geminiani | |
| 1984 | Not for Publication | Bernie | |
| 1986 | Stewardess School | Mad Bomber | |
| 1987 | White of the Eye | Mike Desantos | |
| 1988 | The Last Temptation of Christ | Thomas, Apostle | |
| 1988 | Miracle Mile | Mike | |
| 1989 | Peacemaker | David Cooper | Short |
| 1989 | After Midnight | Richard | Segment: "All Night Operator" |
| 1990 | Impulse | Charley Katz | |
| 1994 | On Hope | Arnie | Short |
| 2001 | Reaching Normal | Frank | |
| 2002 | The Bum | The Bum | Short |
| 2005 | Robots | Jack Hammer | Voice |
| 2008 | Righteous Kill | Stein | |
| 2008 | Welcome to Los Feliz | Bob White | |
| 2014 | Still Here | Stan | Short |
| TBA | The Next Cassavetes | SAG Rep | Post-production |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Barnaby Jones | Ray Reed | Episode: "Memory of a Nightmare" |
| 1981 | Texas | Doctor | 1 episode |
| 1982 | Nine to Five | Instructor | Episode: "Real Men Don't Make Quiche" |
| 1985 | Robert Kennedy and His Times | Jack Newfield | 3 episodes |
| 1985 | Kojak: The Belarus File | Lustig | Television film |
| 1986 | Promise | Dr. Pressman | Television film |
| 1987 | The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd | Martin Storm | Episode: "Here's Why Good Guys Sometimes Wear Black" |
| 1987 | The King of Love | Jay Schoen | Television film |
| 1989 | Capone Behind Bars | Frank Nitti | Television film |
| 1989 | Coach | Professor John Sterling | Episode: "Kelly and the Professor" |
| 1989 | The Preppie Murder | Dan Levin | Television film |
| 1989 | Empty Nest | Professor Brooks | Episode: "Overdue for a Job" |
| 1989–1994 | L.A. Law | Eli Levinson, Lawyer William Wills | 24 episodes |
| 1990 | Bar Girls | Miles | Television film |
| 1990 | Parker Kane | Morris | Television film |
| 1990 | Lucky Chances | Costa | 3 episodes |
| 1990 | Midnight Caller | J.D. Stillwell | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Over My Dead Body | Kurt | Episode: "Dead Air" |
| 1991 | The Boys | Psychiatrist | Television film |
| 1991 | ...And Then She Was Gone | Alan Dunlap | Television film |
| 1991–1993 | Civil Wars | Eli Levinson | 36 episodes |
| 1993 | The Tommyknockers | Jack Kimble | Episode: "Part 1" |
| 1993 | Partners | Unknown role | Television film |
| 1994 | ER | Samuel Gasner | Episode: "Into That Good Night" |
| 1994 | Witch Hunt | N.J. Gottlieb | Television film |
| 1995 | Freaky Friday | Bill Davidson | Television film |
| 1995 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Huckter, Skater | Voice, 1 episode |
| 1995–1998 | Cybill | Ira Woodbine, Zechariah | 85 episodes |
| 1996 | On Seventh Avenue | Phillip Reiman | Television film |
| 1996 | Undue Influence | Harry Hines | Television film |
| 1996 | Rugrats | Mr. Dreidel, TV Announcer | Voice, episode: "Chanukah" |
| 1996 | Breaking Through | Ned Burkett | Television film |
| 1997 | Duckman | Dr. Bob | Voice, episode: "How to Suck in Business Without Really Trying" |
| 1997 | Cloned | Dr. Wesley Kozak | Television film |
| 1998 | Murphy Brown | Max Llewelyn | Episode: "The Last Temptation of Murphy" |
| 1998 | Giving Up the Ghost | Jake | Television film |
| 1998 | The Temptations | Shelly Berger | Miniseries |
| 1998 | L.A. Doctors | Dr. Keith Burke | Episode: "The Code" |
| 1998 | Bronx County | Unknown role | Television film |
| 1999 | Hercules | Boreas | Voice, episode: "Hercules and the Spartan Experience" |
| 1999 | Touched by an Angel | T.K. McKenna | Episode: "The Medium and the Message" |
| 1999 | The Wild Thornberrys | Hyena | Voice, episode: "No Laughing Matter" |
| 1999 | A Touch of Hope | Dr. Rohan | Television film |
| 1999 | Family Law | Unknown role | Episode: "Decisions" |
| 1999–2000 | Chicago Hope | Stuart Brickman | 16 episodes |
| 2000 | Level 9 | Colonel Lavalle | Episode: "Through the Looking Glass" |
| 2001 | A Mother's Fight for Justice | Geoff Stone | Television film |
| 2002 | L.A. Law: The Movie | Eli Levinson | Uncredited Television film |
| 2001–2004 | The Guardian | Alvin Masterson | 67 episodes |
| 2005 | NYPD Blue | Barry Olshan | Episode: "Lenny Scissorhands" |
| 2005 | Numb3rs | Judge Franklin Trelane | Episode: "Judgment Call" |
| 2005–2007 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Adam Novak | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | House | Bruce Steinerman | Episode: "Whac-A-Mole" |
| 2009 | American Dad! | Lawyer #1 | Voice, episode: "Live and Let Fry" |
| 2011 | Harry's Law | Dr. Carleton | Episode: "Send in the Clowns" |
| 2011–2012 | Luck | Nick DeRossi | 6 episodes |
| 2014–2021 | Bosch | Dr. William Golliher | 5 episodes |
| 2016 | Suits | William Sutter | 6 episodes |
| 2016–2017 | Shameless | Professor Youens | 19 episodes |
| 2017 | Elementary | Sydney Garber | Episode: "Fidelity" |
| 2017 | APB | Professor Malkova | Episode: "Strange Bedfellows" |
| 2017 | Training Day | Jack Rawls | Episode: "Bad Day at Aqua Mesa" |
| 2018 | The Good Fight | Len Gottlieb | Episode: "Day 485" |
| 2022 | Bosch: Legacy | Dr. William Golliher | 3 episodes |
| 2022 | Mo | Aba Weinberg | 3 episodes |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Robots | Jack Hammer |
Radio
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Star Wars | Boba Fett | Episode: "The Empire Strikes Back" |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "In Theater and Politics, Alan Rosenberg Affirms the Lessons of His Undergraduate Years". Art/Sci. 5 (2). Case Western Reserve University. Spring 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2014. art/sci misspells Fagen's name but identification is clear.
- ^ Berrin, Danielle (March 18, 2009). "Is SAG's Rosenberg Serving the Cause, or Wreaking Havoc?". The Jewish Journal.
- ^ a b Pfefferman, Naomi (June 6, 2002). "'Letters' From the Heart". JewishJournal.com.
- ^ "Life: Part 2". PBS.org.
- ^ "About Life (Part 2)". PBS.org. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ^ Rodman, Sarah (11 February 2015). "Amazon squeezes quality pulp out of 'Bosch'". Boston Globe. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ^ "Rosenberg, Alan 1950(?)- (Alan Rosenburg) | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ a b Fleeman, Mike (December 1, 2008). "Marg Helgenberger & Husband Separate After 19 Years". People.
- ^ Lee, Ken (March 25, 2009). "CSI Star Marg Helgenberger Files for Divorce". People. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
- ^ Rebecca Davies (December 28, 2009). "'CSI' star's divorce final by February". Digital Spy. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
External links
[edit]
- Alan Rosenberg at IMDb
- Appearances on C-SPAN
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1950 births
- American male film actors
- Presidents of the Screen Actors Guild
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- Case Western Reserve University alumni
- Jewish American male actors
- Living people
- Actors from Passaic, New Jersey
- Male actors from New Jersey
- American people of German-Jewish descent
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- Activists from New Jersey
- 21st-century American Jews