Jason Gray-Stanford

Jason Gray-Stanford made audiences laugh as a co-star on "Monk" (USA 2002-09), a comedy-drama in which he played Lt. Randall Disher, a bumbling police detective with highly unorthodox methods to solving crimes. He also established himself as a reliable supporting player in serious dramas, appearing in such films as the Oscar-winning "A Beautiful Mind" (2001).

But Gray-Stanford's own path to success was quirky and unpredictable: most of his early work was as a voice actor for English-language dubbings of Japanese cartoons, including the romantic comedy "Mezon Ikkoku" (YTV 1986-88), in which he was appropriately manic as the hapless lead Yusaku Godai. Meanwhile, for the action-packed "Dragon Ball Z" (YTV 1989-1996), he supplied the grim vocal tones for Raditz, the series' armored, spiky-haired villain.

While continuing to work as a voice actor, Gray-Stanford established a live-action career thanks to various appearances on Canadian television. These led to being cast in "Mystery, Alaska" (1999), a hockey-centered drama that received lukewarm reviews, and the far more successful "A Beautiful Mind," in which he played Ainsley, one of a group of graduate students. Both films starred Russell Crowe, whom Gray-Stanford got along so well with that he sang backing vocals on an album by Crowe's rock band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.

Gray-Stanford's upward trajectory was completed by the role of impulsive, not-so-bright Lt. Randall Disher on "Monk." After that show went off the air, Gray-Stanford landed a starring role in the made-for-television drama "Lucky Christmas" (2011), co-starring Elizabeth Berkley. He next appeared in the submarine thriller "Phantom" (2013) before returning to series television with a supporting role in David E. Kelley's short-lived medical drama "Monday Mornings" (TNT 2013), based on a novel by celebrity doctor Sanjay Gupta.