David Marshall Grant

David Marshall Grant
Born (1955-06-21) June 21, 1955
Westport, Connecticut, U.S.
EducationYale University (Master of Fine Arts)
OccupationsActor, singer, writer
Years active1979–present

David Marshall Grant (born June 21, 1955) is an American actor, singer and writer.

Early life and education

Grant was born in Westport, Connecticut to physician parents.[1] Immediately after graduating from Connecticut College with an M.F.A. and receiving a certificate in fine arts from the Yale School of Drama, his first paying job was as Richard Gere's lover in the Broadway play Bent.[2] A student at Juilliard during summer breaks from high school, Grant soon joined the Yale Repertory Company during his college days, and in 1978, made an impression in the play Bent.[3]

Grant is the great-great-grandson of the first couple to have their wedding featured in the famous wedding announcement section of The New York Times.[4] He is also a distant cousin to Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States.[4]

Career

His first screen role was in the 1979 film French Postcards. He went on to appear in several more films. In 1985, he co-starred with Kevin Costner in American Flyers, John Badham's film on bicycle racing. By this time, Grant was working in episodic television and had the role of Digger Barnes in the miniseries Dallas: The Early Years. In 1987, he played Sonny Binkley in the Matt Dillon film The Big Town. In 1989, he portrayed the gay character Russell Weller on the television show thirtysomething. Although he only appeared in four episodes from 1989 to 1990, the role brought him considerable recognition, particularly in one groundbreaking episode that featured his character in bed with another male character, a scene that caused outcry among conservative sponsors at the time.

Grant played roles in various television shows and movies, including Happy Birthday, Gemini, Legs, Labor of Love, CSI: Miami, Law & Order, Criminal Minds, and Alias. He played a gay husband in the 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives; the father of Anne Hathaway's character in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada; and more recently appeared on television in a May 2009 episode of Party Down and in the fifth-season premiere of A Million Little Things in February 2023.

On the stage, Grant is most notable for his portrayal of Joe Pitt in the first Broadway production of Tony Kushner's Angels in America. The role earned him a 1994 Tony Award nomination as Best Actor (Featured Role – Play).

In 1998, Grant began a career as a writer. Snakebit, his first play, premiered at Grove Street Playhouse and transferred to the Century Theatre. The play was nominated for the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award. Current Events, his second play, was produced by Manhattan Theatre Club in 2000. Pen opened in 2006 at Playwrights Horizons. Also in 2006, he began working for the drama series Brothers & Sisters as a screenwriter, story editor and (as of season 2 in September 2007), a series producer. The show was co-produced by Ken Olin, whom Grant had worked with on thirtysomething. In 2012, he was a writer and producer on the musical series Smash.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1979French PostcardsAlex
1980Happy Birthday, GeminiRandy Hastings
1981The End of AugustRobert
1985American FlyersDavid Sommersas David Grant
1987The Big TownSonny Binkley
1988Bat*21Ross Carver[5]
1990To the Moon, AliceYuppie ManShort film
Air AmericaRob Diehl
1991Strictly BusinessDavid
1992Forever YoungLt. Col. Wilcox[6]
1995Three WishesPhil
1996The RockWhite House Chief of Staff Hayden SinclairUncredited
The ChamberGovernor David McAllister
2002People I KnowTom Silverton
2004The Stepford WivesJerry Harmon
2006The Devil Wears PradaRichard Sachs
2022Spoiler AlertTonyAlso writer

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1981Kent StateTomTelevision film
1982American PlayhouseBobEpisode: "The Shady Hill Kidnapping"
1983LegsSid LewisTelevision film
SessionsJoshTelevision film
1984JessieBilly HardingEpisode: "Pilot"
1986Dallas: The Early YearsDigger BarnesTelevision film
1989Breaking PointOstermanTelevision film
1989–1990ThirtysomethingRussell Weller4 episodes[7]
1990The WindowJakeTelevision short
The HitchhikerJakeEpisode: "Windows"
1992What She Doesn't KnowBradTelevision film
Citizen CohnRobert F. KennedyTelevision film
Through the Eyes of a KillerMax CampbellTelevision film
GrahamJebTelevision film
1993And the Band Played OnDennis SeeleyTelevision film
1995Chicago HopeStephen TomilsonEpisode: "Internal Affairs"
1996The Lazarus ManGeneral Philip Sheridan2 episodes
A Season in PurgatoryJerry BradleyMiniseries
1997Night SinsFather Tom McCoyTelevision film
Law & OrderA.D.A. Charlie HarmonEpisodes: "Harvest" and "Shadow"
1998Labor of LoveMickey WisterTelevision film
Remembering SexMichaelTelevision film
Nothing SacredFather Martin Briggs6 episodes, 3 unaired[8]
2000Noriega: God's FavoriteDrug DealerTelevision film
2001Dawson's CreekOfficer SullivanEpisode: "Late", uncredited
2002Law & Order: Criminal IntentA.D.A. Peter BonhamEpisode: "Best Defense"
2004CSI: MiamiHeadmaster BrooksEpisode: "Murder in a Flash"
2005Numb3rsBrent HauserEpisode: "Dirty Bomb"
AliasIvan Curtis2 episodes
2008Eli StoneMartin OstrowEpisode: "Heartbeat"
2009Party DownStennheiserEpisode: "Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception"
2018Code BlackDr. MarchantEpisode: "The Business of Saving Lives"; also writer and executive producer
2023A Million Little ThingsGene GrantEpisode: "The Last Dance"; also writer and executive producer
2024Death and Other DetailsLawrence Collier8 episodes

References

  1. ↑ "David Marshall Grant Biography (1955-)". Film Reference.
  2. ↑ Vaillancourt, Daniel (March 2, 1999). "Writing his own ticket - gay actor/dramatist David Marshall Grant's new play 'Snakebit'". The Advocate (LGBT magazine). Archived from the original on April 1, 2008. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  3. ↑ "David Marshall Grant". Hollywood.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Smith Brady, Lois (January 23, 2017). "COMMITTED – 1851 – 1880". The New York Times. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  5. ↑ Kempley, Rita (October 21, 1988). "'Bat 21'". The Washington Post.
  6. ↑ "David Marshall Grant". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  7. ↑ Kramer, Gary M. (December 7, 2022). "David Marshall Grant on his life, work, and "Spoiler Alert"". Philadelphia Gay News. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ Barnhart, Aaron (March 7, 1998). "Jennifer Beals Joins 'Nothing Sacred'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
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