Jack Coleman

A prolific and dynamic television actor, Jack Coleman has appeared on the small screen for decades, turning up in everything from soap operas to fantasy/sci-fi shows. Shortly after graduating from Duke University, Coleman debuted on the popular daytime melodrama "Days of Our Lives" (NBC, 1965- ) and later joined the cast of the primetime show "Dynasty" (ABC, 1981-1989) in 1982, taking over the role of groundbreaking gay character Steven Carrington from Al Corley. Although Coleman had trouble finding steady high-profile parts after his long "Dynasty" stint," he eventually came back into prominence with his key role on the tense drama "Heroes" (NBC, 2006-2010), which featured him as one of the only non-super-powered regulars. Following his tenure on "Heroes," he went on to a variety of shows, including "The Office" (NBC, 2005-2013), "The Vampire Diaries" (The CW, 2009-17) and "Burn Notice" (USA Network, 2007-2013), with Coleman showcasing his signature charisma in any scenario, no matter how mundane or supernatural.

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Coleman has led a career that falls into three distinct phases, the first being his successful early stint as a young soap opera actor. Shortly after his studies, which included attending Duke University, he landed a recurring role in 1981 on "Days of Our Lives" as Jake Kositchek, a character who turned out to be a serial killer. The following year, Coleman signed on to replace the departing Al Corley as Steven Carrington, the gay son of powerful patriarch Blake Carrington (John Forsythe), on "Dynasty." Portraying one of the only homosexual characters on early '80s television earned Coleman plenty of attention, and his run on the series lasted until 1988. Unfortunately, his 1990s post-"Dynasty" era wasn't a thriving one. After starring in the quickly cancelled 1992 horror series "Nightmare Cafe" (NBC) with Robert Englund, Coleman was largely relegated to one-off guest spots on by-the-numbers dramas and parts in little-seen TV movies. Things picked up for Coleman when he was cast in the buzzed-about Stephen King-shepherded series "Kingdom Hospital" (ABC, 2004). Although the paranormal medical show, also starring Bruce Davison and Andrew McCarthy, lasted only 13 episodes, it placed him back in the realm of notable actors and major productions. Coleman truly hit his latter-day stride when he was cast on the sci-fi/adventure series "Heroes," playing an enigmatic person initially known only as the Man with the Horn-Rimmed Glasses. The employee of a top-secret organization called "the Company," Coleman's character tracked down people with superpowers for purposes that were often morally vague. With his name, Noah Bennet, later revealed, the character became a key figure on the show, and Coleman proved to be a bright spot even when its storylines began to falter. After "Heroes" was cancelled in 2010, he went on to numerous notable recurring roles, including closeted politicians on both "The Office" and "The Vampire Diaries." In 2013, Coleman turned up as a veteran CIA operative on the final season of "Burn Notice" and took on a recurring part on the runaway hit drama series "Scandal" (ABC, 2012- ).