James Naughton (born December 6, 1945) is an American actor and director. He is best known as Michael Bower on '' Who's the Boss?'' (1984-1992) and was also notable for his earlier role as the astronaut Pete Burke in the 1974 single-season television adaptation of Planet of the Apes.

Early life

Naughton was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of Rosemary (née Walsh) and Joseph Naughton, both of whom were teachers. He is the elder brother of actor

David Naughton David Walsh Naughton (born February 13, 1951) is an American actor and singer known for his starring roles in the horror film '' An American Werewolf in London'' (1981) and the Disney comedy '' Midnight Madness'' (1980), as well as for a long-run ...

. He graduated from

Conard High School Frederick U. Conard High School is a public high school in West Hartford, in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It opened in 1957, and was named after Frederick Underwood Conard, president of Niles-Bement-Pond Company and chairman of the local Board o ...

. Jim began singing during his years at

"with the high school band and at parties."

Career

Naughton graduated from Brown University and Yale School of Drama. His acting career began when he appeared in a series of Broadway dramas and musicals. He has since become an accomplished actor in both starring and supporting film and television roles. His largest fame and first love has been the legitimate theater. He won the

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway theatre, Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945� ...

for his performance in '' Long Day's Journey into Night'' in 1971. He starred with

Geneviève Bujold Geneviève Bujold (; born July 1, 1942) is a Canadian actress. For her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in the period drama film ''Anne of the Thousand Days'' (1969), Bujold received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her other film cre ...

in ''

Antigone In Greek mythology, Antigone ( ; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιγόνη) is the daughter of Oedipus and either his mother Jocasta or, in another variation of the myth, Euryganeia. She is a sister of Polynices, Eteocles, and Ismene.Roman, L., & Roma ...

'', later made into a film in 1974. He starred in ''

I Love My Wife ''I Love My Wife'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman, based on a play by Luis Rego. A satire of the sexual revolution of the 1970s, the musical takes place on Christmas Eve in suburban Trenton, ...

'' in 1977 and in '' Whose Life is it Anyway?'' in 1980. He won his first

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

for Best Actor in a Musical in 1990 for '' City of Angels''. In 1997, he won a second Tony Award with his portrayal of lawyer Billy Flynn in the musical ''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

''. He played the role of

Willy Brandt Willy Brandt (; born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm; 18 December 1913 – 8 October 1992) was a German politician and statesman who was leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) from 1964 to 1987 and served as the chancellor of West Ge ...

in ''

Democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose gov ...

'' on its U.S. première in 2004. His films include '' The Paper Chase'' and ''

The First Wives Club ''The First Wives Club'' is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. The film stars Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton as three divorcées who seek retribution ...

''. In 2006, he appeared in the movie '' The Devil Wears Prada''. In 2006, he played Fuzzy Sedgwick in '' Factory Girl''.

Television and commercials

On television, he starred in '' Faraday & Company'' with

Dan Dailey Daniel James Dailey Jr. (December 14, 1915 – October 16, 1978) was an American dancer and actor. He is best remembered for a series of popular musicals he made at 20th Century Fox such as '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947). Biography Early life D ...

and

Sharon Gless Sharon Marguerite Gless (born May 31, 1943) is an American actress and author, who is known for her television roles as Maggie Philbin on ''Switch'' (1975–78), Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural drama series ''Cagney & Lacey'' (198 ...

(1973–1974). He also starred with

Ron Harper Ronald Harper (born January 20, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for four teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 1986 and 2001 and is a five-time NBA champion. Early life Harper was born ...

in the 1974 television series ''

Planet of the Apes ''Planet of the Apes'' is an American science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a world in which humans and intelligent apes clash for control. The franchise is based on Frenc ...

'', a spin-off of the original film. He starred in '' Making the Grade'' and ''

Trauma Center A trauma center (or trauma centre) is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major trauma, major traumatic injuries such as Falling (accident), falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. A trauma cent ...

'' in the early 1980s. He starred in the short-lived series ''

Raising Miranda ''Raising Miranda'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS in 1988 as part of its fall lineup. Starring James Naughton and Royana Black, it depicted the struggles of a father and his teenage daughter to adjust to their circumstances after their ...

'' in 1988. From 1991 to 1993 he played Lt. Patrick Monahan on the series ''

Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/ suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River ...

''. He co-starred with

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

in ''

The Cosby Mysteries ''The Cosby Mysteries'' is an American mystery drama television series starring Bill Cosby that aired on NBC from September 21, 1994, to April 12, 1995. 19 episodes were made. It was the first television series to star Cosby since ''The Cosby Sh ...

'' in 1995. He appeared with Gless 20 years later, this time as her husband in ''Cagney and Lacey: The Return'' (1993) and '' Cagney and Lacey: Together Again'' (1995). He appeared on ''

Damages At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised at ...

'' with

Glenn Close Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, Close has garnered numerous accolades, including two Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards ...

. Naughton had a recurring role on ''

Gossip Girl ''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six sea ...

'' as William van der Bilt, grandfather of main character Nate Archibald. He has appeared in television commercials promoting the drugs

Cialis Tadalafil, sold under the brand name Cialis among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is taken by mouth. Onset is typically within half ...

Nexium Esomeprazole, sold under the brand name Nexium among others, is a medication which reduces stomach acid. It is used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease, and Zollinger–Ellison syndrome. Effectiveness is similar to o ...

and Nasalcrom. Naughton has also been the official voice of

Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. Th ...

in the U.S. since 2007, heard in its national TV and radio spots. He is also a frequent narrator on television's ''

Nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physics, physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomenon, phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. ...

'' series.

Director

He has directed several plays in New York City, including the 2002 revival of

Thornton Wilder Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes — for the novel ''The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and ''The Skin of Our Teeth'' — a ...

's ''

Our Town ''Our Town'' is a 1938 metatheatrical three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover's Corners between 1901 and 1913 thro ...

'', starring his friend

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

, filmed for cable TV in 2003. He appears in

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...

s in New York City, including

Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has gr ...

and Caroline's Comedy Club.

Personal life

His family is Irish American. He and his first wife, Pam Parsons, have two actor children: Keira and Greg. Greg is married to actress

Kelli O'Hara Kelli Christine O'Hara (born April 16, 1976) is an American actress and singer, most known for her work on the Broadway and opera stages. A seven-time Tony Award nominee, O'Hara won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her pe ...

. Pam died from pancreatic cancer in 2013.

Stage productions

*'' Long Day's Journey into Night'' (1971) *''

'' (1972) *''

'' (1979) *'' Whose Life is it Anyway?'' (1980) *'' City of Angels'' (1990) (

Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did no ...

) *''Four Baboons Adoring the Sun'' (1992) *''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

'' (1996) (

) *'' The Price'' (director) (1999) *''

'' (2003) *''Prymate'' (2004) *''

'' (2004)

Filmography

*'' The Paper Chase'' (1973) - Kevin Brooks *''

'' (1974) - Major Peter J. Burke (TV series) *''Second Wind'' (1976) - Roger *''Diary of the Dead'' (1980) - George *'' The Bunker'' (1981) - James P. O'Donnell *''

A Stranger Is Watching ''A Stranger Is Watching'' (1977) is a suspense novel by Mary Higgins Clark. Plot summary The main characters in the novel are Steve Peterson, whose wife Nina was murdered two years before, his six-year-old son Neil, who witnessed the murder, a ...

'' (1982) - Steve Peterson *''

My Body, My Child ''My Body, My Child'' is a 1982 American made-for-television drama film directed by Marvin J. Chomsky and starring Vanessa Redgrave. It premiered on ABC on 12 April 1982. It includes early performances by future ''Sex and the City'' co-stars, Sa ...

'' (1982) - Dr. Dan Berensen *'' Who's the Boss?'' (1984-1992) - recurring role of Michael Bower (ex-husband of Angela Bower played by Judith Light) *'' Cat's Eye'' (1985) - Hugh (segment "The General") *''

The Glass Menagerie ''The Glass Menagerie'' is a memory play by Tennessee Williams that premiered in 1944 and catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame. The play has strong autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on its author, his Histrionic persona ...

'' (1987) - The Gentleman Caller (James Delaney "Jim" O'Connor) *'' The Good Mother'' (1988) - Brian *''

'' (1988) - Donald Marshak *''

'' (1991-1993) recurring role of Lt. Patrick Monahan. *''

Designing Women ''Designing Women'' is an American television sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that aired on CBS from September 29, 1986, to May 24, 1993, producing seven seasons and 163 episodes. It was a joint production of Bloodworth/Thomason M ...

'' (1992) - Phillip Russell Stuart (Episode: Screaming Passage) *'' The Birds II: Land's End'' - (1994) - Frank *''

First Kid ''First Kid'' is a 1996 American slapstick comedy film directed by David Mickey Evans and starring Sinbad and Brock Pierce. It was mostly filmed in Richmond, Virginia. Plot Sam Simms is a Secret Service agent assigned by his superior Wilkes ...

'' (1996) - President Davenport *''

'' (1996) - Gilbert Griffin *''

The Proprietor ''The Proprietor'' is a 1996 film. It is a U.S.-French co-production Merchant Ivory film, directed by Ismail Merchant for Jeanne Moreau's request. Cast Starring *Jeanne Moreau as Adrienne Mark *Sean Young as Virginia Kelly *Sam Waterston as Harry ...

'' (1996) - New York - Texans *''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...

'' (1996) - Barry Taggert (episode "Girlfriends") *''

Oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as wel ...

'' (1999) - Clark Hannon *'' Ally McBeal'' (1999–2000) - George McBeal *'' Labor Pains'' (2000) - Actor *'' The Truth About Jane'' (2000) - Robert *''

Law & Order: Criminal Intent ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' is an American police procedural Drama (film and television), drama television series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and Executive producer#Motion pictures and television, p ...

'' (2002) - Dr. Roger Buckman (episode "Seizure") *'' Fascination'' (2004) - Patrick Doherty *'' The Devil Wears Prada'' (2006) - Stephen *'' Factory Girl'' (2006) - Fuzzy Sedgwick *''

Suburban Girl ''Suburban Girl'' is a 2007 American romantic comedy film directed by Marc Klein and produced by Gigi Pritzker and Deborah Del Prete. It stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alec Baldwin, with Maggie Grace, James Naughton, and Chris Carmack in supporti ...

'' (2007) - Robert Eisenberg *''

'' (2009) - William Vanderbilt *''

Warehouse 13 ''Warehouse 13'' is an American science fiction television series that originally ran from July 7, 2009, to May 19, 2014, on the Syfy network, and was executive produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins for Universal Cable Productions. Described ...

'' (2009) *''

Hostages A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized, such as a relative, employer, law enforcement or government to act, or refr ...

'' (2013) - President Paul Kincaid *''

Turks & Caicos The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and no ...

'' (2014) *''

The Blacklist ''The Blacklist'' is an American crime thriller television series that premiered on NBC on September 23, 2013. The show follows Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader), a former U.S. Navy officer turned high-profile criminal who voluntarily s ...

'' (2015) - Hayworth *'' The Affair'' (2015) - Rodney Callahan *''Cathedral'' (2018) - Robert

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Naughton, James 1945 births 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male television actors American television directors American theatre directors Brown University alumni Drama Desk Award winners Living people Male actors from Connecticut People from Middletown, Connecticut People from West Hartford, Connecticut Tony Award winners Yale School of Drama alumni