Timothy Busfield Biography

Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield (born June 12, 1957) is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething, in the role of Mark, Kevin Costner's brother-in-law in Field of Dreams, and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing. In 1991 he received a Primetime Emmy Award as best supporting actor in a drama series. He is also the founder of the 501c3 non-profit children's theatre B Street Theatre.

Background

Busfield was born in Lansing, Michigan, the son of drama professor Roger and secretary Jean Busfield.

TV and film

In 1981, Busfield had a small part in the blockbuster Stripes with Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. He plays the part of a mortar gunner on the practice range. In 1984 Busfield landed his first major film part, as Arnold Poindexter in Revenge of the Nerds. He reprised the role in the sequel to that movie, Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise.

Busfield's first television series was Trapper John, M.D., in which he played the physician son of the title character. Immediately prior to being cast on the 1980s series Thirtysomething, he was still often playing teenagers and young adults, and the producers of the show asked him to grow his beard so he'd look old enough for the role. He would win an Emmy Award for this controversial role. Later he was cast in the lead of other series, although none have lasted very long. Produced by Steven Spielberg, The Byrds of Paradise with Arlo Guthrie may be the most memorable for its setting in Hawaii and its offbeat characters.

Busfield went to London in 1993 to make the television film Wall Of Silence, in which he played Ephraim Lipshitz, a Mossad agent infiltrating a community of Hasidic Jews.

In 1994, Busfield starred in the film Little Big League. Other film appearances include Sneakers, Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner and First Kid with comedian Sinbad.

In 1997, Busfield starred in the Canadian telefilm Trucks.

Recurring television roles include White House correspondent Danny Concannon on The West Wing; and the title character's incorrigible brother on the sitcom Ed, a show on which he was a co-executive producer and supervising producer.

Busfield also dabbles in directing television and has directed multiple episodes of Thirtysomething, Without a Trace (on which he appeared as a divorce lawyer, in a wheelchair, for Jack Malone), and the Sorkin/Schlamme predecessor to The West Wing, Sports Night.

Beginning in September 2006, Busfield was a regular on the short lived Sorkin/Schlamme series, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, where he played Cal Shanley, the fictional show's director. He also directed 6 episodes. After Studio 60, he continued to direct episodes of Las Vegas. He has also appeared in various episodes of Entourage playing himself, directing the fictional series Five Towns.

He guest starred in the 2011 Law & Order episode, "Brilliant Disguise".

Stage and theater

Busfield remains a stage actor and director whose Broadway credits include A Few Good Men. With elder brother Buck Busfield, he is co-founder of the B Street Theatre in Sacramento, California, where he has appeared in and directed numerous contemporary works. The Busfield brothers also established Fantasy Theatre, a touring troupe that plays to children. Busfield writes children's plays for the Fantasy troupe.

He starred in the movie Skateboard Kid in 1993

Personal life

Busfield was married to actress and director Radha Delamarter before divorcing in 1986. The couple had son Willy. In 1988 he married fashion designer Jennifer Merwin, with whom he had children Daisy and Samuel. They filed for divorce in 2007.

A representative for Busfield said in January 2013 that Busfield had become engaged to actress Melissa Gilbert over the holiday season. They were married April 24, 2013 in a private ceremony at San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California. Busfield and Gilbert now reside in Howell, Michigan.

Television directing credits

• Thirtysomething (1987"1991)
• Sports Night (1998"2000)
• Ed (2000"2004)
• Without a Trace (2002"2009 )
• Las Vegas (2003"2004; 2007"2008)
• Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006"2007)
• Damages (2007)
• Lipstick Jungle (2008)
• Lie to Me (2009)
• White Collar (2009)
• The Deep End (2010)
• The Glades (2010)
• No Ordinary Family (2010)
• Franklin & Bash (2012)
• Revolution (TV series) (2013)
• The Fosters (TV series) (2013)