Steven Culp


Steven Bradford Culp is an American actor. Culp appeared in films , James and the Giant Peach, The Emperor's Club, and most notable in the 2000 political thriller Thirteen Days playing Robert F. Kennedy.
On television, Culp had a recurring roles as Clayton Webb in the CBS procedural JAG, and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Jeff Haffley in the NBC political drama The West Wing. He also appeared as Rex Van de Kamp in the ABC comedy-drama series, Desperate Housewives.

Early life

Culp was born in La Jolla, California, the son of Mary Ann Joseph, and Joseph Franklin Culp. Both his father and stepfather were in the United States Navy. He attended First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1978 with a major in English literature and also studied at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. He earned an M.F.A. from Brandeis University in 1981.

Career

One of Culp's earliest roles was in ' as Robert Campbell, a reporter looking into the Jason murders. He also played the father of the titular character in James and the Giant Peach. In 1995, Culp briefly starred on The Young and the Restless as Brian Hamilton. Culp is known for his recurring roles as CIA Agent Clayton Webb on JAG and Major Hayes on '. His characters in both series were killed in the same week in the shows' season finales, although Webb's character in JAG reappeared in the series’ subsequent season premiere. In 2003, Culp appeared in a few episodes of the second season of 24 as Secret Service agent Ted Simmons. He had a recurring role in the NBC series The West Wing as Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Jeff Haffley from 2003 to 2005.
Culp portrayed Robert F. Kennedy twice, in the HBO movie Norma Jean & Marilyn and the film Thirteen Days. He played Commander Martin Madden in ', a character written to replace William Riker as first officer of the Enterprise. However, due to the film's length, Culp's scenes were included in several cut from the final film. His scenes as Madden can be seen in the Nemesis DVD deleted scenes. In the third season of ', Culp played the recurring character Major Hayes, leader of the M.A.C.O.s. He was in five episodes; "The Xindi", "The Shipment |The Shipment", "Harbinger |Harbinger", "Hatchery |Hatchery" and "Countdown |Countdown", where Hayes was shot saving a fellow crewmember. Other performances include playing the leading role of the photographer Richard Stewart in the English as a Second Language educational video series Family Album, U.S.A. He also had a role as antagonist Peter Drummond in the television movie How to Make a Monster, in which computer game programmers accidentally give life to a deadly AI and members of a software company attempt to beat the game to save their lives.
From 2004 to 2005, Culp played Rex Van de Kamp on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives for one season. His character was killed at the end of the season, although Culp reprised his role several times in flashback sequences and as narrator to series finale in 2012. In 2007, he was regular cast member in the ABC short-lived series Traveler as Special Agent in Charge Fred Chambers. The following years, Culp guest-starred on number of shows, including NCIS, The Closer, Criminal Minds, Body of Proof, Body of Proof, How to Get Away with Murder, Dynasty, and 9-1-1. He starred as Thomas Foran in the 2010 film The Chicago 8. Culp had a recurring roles as Dr. Darren Parker on Grey's Anatomy in 2012, and From 2013 to 2014 in the NBC series Revolution as Edward Truman. From 2015 to 2018, he had a recurring role in the Amazon prime crime drama Bosch.

Personal life

He is married to Barbara Ayers, and they have two children together. He had two half-sisters, Shelly Grabinsky and Kathryn Harvey. On January 1, 2006, Kathryn was murdered in Richmond, Virginia, along with her husband, Bryan, and their two daughters, Stella and Ruby.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982Another WorldTom Nelson
1983–1984One Life to LiveDaniel Wolek
1988LincolnJohn Hay
1988The Cosby ShowFather-to-Be
1989ABC Afterschool Special
1989A Man Called HawkCarter
1989DuetMartin
1989Murphy BrownBrad Stockton
1989NewhartBrett
1989Hooperman
1990L.A. Law
1990Father Dowling MysteriesBill Taylor
1992'Bartender
1992Dream OnDan
1993Reasonable DoubtsPeter Maxwell
1994'Company Man
1995Touched by an AngelDr. Rence Patterson
1995SistersGraham Pressman
1995The Young and the RestlessBrian Hamilton
1996Baywatch NightsGarth Youngblood
1996Beverly Hills, 90210Mr. Dreesen
1996Norma Jean & MarilynRobert F. Kennedy
1997Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanPeter Doyle
1997Pacific PalisadesJudge
1997Mike Hammer, Private EyeFather James
1997–2004JAGSpecial Agent Clayton Webb, CIARecurring role; 41 episodes
1998'Thomas Belafontaine
1998Profiler
1998Chicago HopeMr. Turner
1998Any Day NowRandall Clemens
1999BrimstoneFrankie
1999V.I.P.Financial Officer
2000Ally McBealAttorney Dixon
2000Family LawMr. Petry
2000ProvidenceDr. Jordan Roberts
2000Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die ForWilliam Batsby
2001How to Make a MonsterDrummond
2001Boston PublicMel Breen
2001PhillyDetective John O'Brien
2002Crossing JordanDetective Rick Frazier
2002Push, NevadaWell-Dressed Man
200324Ted Simmons
2003Mister SterlingSenator Ron Garland
2002–2003The PracticeAtty. Emmanuel Kupcheck / Hospital Atty. Alldredge
2003The Lyon's DenBrad Manning
2003–2005The West WingSpeaker of the House Jeff HaffleyRecurring role; 9 episodes
1999–2004ERDave Spencer / Dr. Charles Cameron
2004'Lieutenant Mendez
2003–2004'Major HayesRecurring role; 5 episodes
2007The CloserLucas CordrySeason 3: Til Death Do Us Part, Parts I and II
2007'Henry WallaceEpisode: "Miller's Crossing"
2007Boston LegalA.D.A. Norman WilsonSeason 4: Oral Contracts
2007NCISCommander William SkinnerSeason 5: Chimera
2008MediumDarren Swenson
2008Criminal MindsLawyer Lester SerlingSeason 3: Tabula Rasa
2008The MentalistMorgan Tolliver
2009ImpactPresident Edward Taylor
2010Burn NoticeChristian AikinsSeason 4: Where There's Smoke
2011The Chicago CodeDennis Mahoney
2011'Ben Corrigan
2012Body of ProofEric Greyson
2004–2012Desperate HousewivesRex Van de KampSeries regular, guest star
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
2012PerceptionJohn F. Kennedy
2012Grey's AnatomyDr. Parker
2012LongmireJohnson Mace
2013RevolutionEdward Truman
2015Scream QueensClark Ulrich
2015BoschD.A. Richard 'Rick' O'Shea
2015ArrowSenator Joseph Cray
2016How to Get Away with MurderSeason 2, Episode 1
2017The OrvilleWillks
2018WacoFBI Agent Jeff Jamar
2018The Last ShipPresident Joshua Reiss
2019'Mr. ThompsonEpisode: "Mr. Jingles"