Thomas Gibson
Born: July 3, 1962
Age: 62
Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Thomas Ellis Gibson (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his portrayal of Daniel Nyland in the CBS series Chicago Hope, Greg Montgomery on the ABC series Dharma & Greg, and Aaron Hotchner on the CBS series Criminal Minds.
Early life
Gibson was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the youngest of four children of Charles M. "Mac" and Beth Gibson. His mother was a social worker, and his father was a lawyer and liberal Democrat who served in the South Carolina state Senate and House. He was raised Roman Catholic. Gibson's interest in the performing arts began at a young age. Gibson was fascinated with Louis Armstrong. He and his sister were on a swim team together and they frequented a pizza parlor after their swim meets. It was at this pizza parlor that Gibson would sing along with a Dixieland band, complete with his attempt at a Louis Armstrong voice.
As a child, Gibson enrolled in Little Theater School and later graduated from Bishop England High School. He then attended the College of Charleston (1979-1981) and became an intern at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, where he was encouraged to apply to the prestigious Juilliard School. After a year and a half at Charleston, Gibson won a scholarship to Juilliard's Drama Division (Group 14: 1981-1985), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1985.
Career
Gibson started acting when nine years of age in children's theater. He appeared in Julian Wiles' Seize the Street: the Skateboard Musical, a Young Charleston Theater Company (now Charleston Stage) production. As a teenager, he began his classical theater training by becoming a member of the Young Charleston Theater Company and the Footlight Players, often performing at the historic Dock Street Theatre. During his time at College of Charleston, Gibson was an intern at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Gibson made his stage debut in David Hare's A Map of the World in the New York Shakespeare Festival. He subsequently appeared in more plays for producer Joe Papp, both in Public Theater and in Central Park. He worked on and off Broadway for the next 10 years in a diverse range of plays by Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Molière, Tennessee Williams, Howard Brenton, Romulus Linney, Noël Coward, Alan Ball and many others before turning to the small screen. Gibson also waited tables at Tavern on the Green.
Gibson's first television appearance was in 1987 in a guest role on CBS' legal drama Leg Work, followed by stints on the daytime dramas As the World Turns (CBS) and Another World (NBC). In 1992, Gibson made his big screen debut in Ron Howard's Far and Away, in which he portrayed Stephen Chase. Chase was the villainous rival of Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) for Shannon Christie's (Nicole Kidman) affections. His next lead role was in 1993 as David, a homosexual waiter, in Denys Arcand's Love and Human Remains. Gibson later re-united with Arcand in Stardom (2000). Also in 1993, he played the slimy misanthrope Beauchamp Day in the Tales of the City miniseries (1993). Gibson then returned to television when portraying Dr. Danny Nyland in the CBS medical drama Chicago Hope from 1994 to 1998, starring alongside future Criminal Minds costar Mandy Patinkin. From 1997 to 2003, Gibson portrayed "Greg Montgomery" in the ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg, for which he was twice nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
After Dharma & Greg, Thomas appeared in various TV movies. In 2005, he was cast in the role as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner, the Unit Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) team, on the critically acclaimed TV drama series, Criminal Minds, airing on Wednesday nights at 9pm on CBS.
Personal life
Gibson and his wife Christine have three children: James Parker, Travis Carter and Agatha Marie. They reside in San Antonio, Texas. Travis Carter was featured in the Season 10-"Boxed In" Episode (#5) of Criminal Minds as a friend of the Kidnapped Kid in that episode. Gibson loves golf. He plays at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am every year, as well as other golfing events, and is friends with golfer Corey Pavin. He served as part of the 2010 Host Committee for the Inaugural SAG Foundation Golf Classic, and co-hosted the 2nd Annual SAG Foundation Golf Classic with Criminal Minds castmate Joe Mantegna.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | Lincoln | William Sprague | Television film |
1992 | Far and Away | Stephen Chase | |
1993 | Love and Human Remains | David | |
1993 | Age of Innocence, TheThe Age of Innocence | Stage Actor | |
1994 | Barcelona | Dickie Taylor | |
1994 | Men of War | Warren | |
1994 | Sleep with Me | Nigel | |
1995 | Secrets | Hailus Tuckman | Television film |
1996 | Night Visitors | Ross Williams | Television film |
1996 | To Love, Honor and Deceive | Matthew Carpenter Stuart Buchanan |
Television film |
1997 | Inheritance, TheThe Inheritance | James Percy | Television film |
1997 | Devil's Child, TheThe Devil's Child | Alexander Rotha | Television film |
1997 | Next Step, TheThe Next Step | Bartender | |
1998 | Nightmare Street | Dr. Matt Westbrook Joe Barnes |
Television film |
1999 | Eyes Wide Shut | Carl | |
2000 | Psycho Beach Party | Kanaka | |
2000 | Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, TheThe Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas | Chip Rockefeller | |
2000 | Stardom | Renny Ohayon | |
2001 | Jack the Dog | Faith's Attorney | |
2001 | Lost Empire, TheThe Lost Empire (a.k.a. The Monkey King) | Nicholas Orton | Television film |
2003 | Brush with Fate | Richard | Television film |
2003 | Evil Never Dies | Detective Mark Ryan | Television film |
2003 | Manhood | Faith's attorney | |
2004 | Raising Waylon | Reg | Television film |
2004 | Category 6: Day of Destruction | Mitch Benson | Television film |
2005 | Come Away Home | Gary | |
2005 | Berkeley | Thomas | |
2006 | In from the Night | Aiden Byrnes | Television film |
2007 | I'll Believe You | Kyle Sweeney | |
2014 | Son of Batman | Slade Wilson / Deathstroke | Voice |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Leg Work | Robbie | Episode: "All This and a Gold Card Too" |
1987 | Guiding Light | Peter Latham | |
1988-1990 | As the World Turns | Derek Mason | |
1990 | Kennedys of Massachusetts, TheThe Kennedys of Massachusetts | Peter Fitzwilliam | Miniseries |
1990 | Another World | Sam Fowler | |
1993 | Tales of the City | Beauchamp Day | Miniseries |
1994-1997 | Chicago Hope | Daniel Nyland | 70 episodes |
1996 | Caroline in the City | Willard Stevens | Episode: "Caroline and the Nice Jewish Boy" |
1996 | Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, TheThe Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Paul Mornay | Voice Episode: "Ghost Quest" |
1997-2002 | Dharma & Greg | Greg Montgomery | 119 episodes |
1998 | More Tales of the City | Beauchamp Talbot Day | Miniseries |
1998 | Sin City Spectacular | Episode: "1.6" | |
1998 | Will of their Own, AA Will of their Own | James Maclaren | Episode: "1.1" |
2005-present | Criminal Minds | Aaron Hotchner | Lead Role; 250 episodes |
2011 | Two and a Half Men | Greg | Episode: "Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt" |
2015 | Hot In Cleveland | Tom | Episodes: "Vegas Baby" and "I Hate Goodbyes" |
Director
Year(s) | Title | Episode(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | Dharma and Greg | "The Story of K", "A Fish Tale" | Season 4 and 5 |
2013-present | Criminal Minds | "All That Remains", "Gabby", "Boxed In", "Lockdown", "The Night Watch", "Derek" | Season 8, 9, 10 and 11 |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Chicago Hope | Nominated |
1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Chicago Hope | Nominated |
1997 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Chicago Hope | Nominated |
1998 | Q Awards | Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series | Dharma & Greg | Nominated |
1999 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series - Comedy/Musical | Dharma & Greg | Nominated |
2000 | Satellite Award | Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical | Dharma & Greg | Nominated |
2000 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series - Comedy/Musical | Dharma & Greg | Nominated |
2010 | Entertainment Weekly online poll | Under-appreciated Entertainer of the Year | Criminal Minds | Won |
Charities
Thomas Gibson supports the following charitable causes: AIDS, Animals.