Born September 20, 1956 in Park Ridge, Illinois, Gary Michael Cole is an American actor known for his supporting roles in numerous film and television productions since the 1990s. He is an award winning actor who first came to widespread fame in Fatal Vision, the ‘80s mini-series, and continued to impress television audiences in Midnight Caller, American Gothic and The West Wing.
Cole was raised in Park Ridge, Illinois by his father who was a school administrator and his mother who was a director of finance. He attended Rolling Meadows High School, where his first dramatic appearance was as Snoopy in a high school production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Code later attended Illinois State University, where he majored in theater alongside actors Laurie Metcalf and John Malkovich.
In 1983, Cole began his professional stage career in Chicago, where he co-founded the Remains Theatre Ensemble and, in 1985, he became a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble. He has appeared in numerous award-winning productions in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and San Diego, including several plays by both Sam Shepard and David Mamet. He has done feature films including In the Line of Fire, The Brady Bunch Movie, A Simple Plan, Office Space and Breach. He frequently exercises his talents in independent films and television movies.
Between 1988 and 1991, Cole became popular on TV for playing the part of Jack “Nighthawk” Killian in the series Midnight Caller. In 1999, Cole starred in the film Office Space, in which he portrayed office supervisor Bill Lumbergh. In 2008, Cole appeared on Chuck as Sarah’s con-artist father (in “Chuck Versus the DeLorean”), a role which he reprised in 2011 (in “Chuck Versus the Wedding Planner”). He also appeared in the fifth season of HBO’s Entourage playing Ari Gold’s old pal Andrew Klein for a 3-episode story arc prior to joining the regular cast in the sixth season. In 2011, Cole reprised his role as Bill Lumbergh for several State Farm Insurance commercials. Cole will have a guest-appearance on the fourth season of the HBO hit series True Blood, playing Sookie Stackhouse’s grandfather.
In addition to his film and television credits, he has done voice work on several animated series (Family Guy; Kim Possible; Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law) and had a recurring role on the drama The West Wing as Vice President Bob Russell. He also starred as Captain Matthew Gideon on the short-lived Babylon 5 spin-off Crusade, and had notable guest appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Arrested Development. He also played Joe Maxwell on DCOM Cadet Kelly and appeared as real-life astronaut Edgar Mitchell in HBO’s recreation of Project Apollo, From the Earth to the Moon. One of his most notable roles in 1991 was as General Custer in the much acclaimed television film Son of the Morning Star.
A family man, Gary has been married to actress Teddi Siddall since 1992, and they live with their teenage daughter in California. His daughter, Mary, was diagnosed with autism at age 28 months. In 2007, at age 14, she is responding very well to education, treatment, and a special friend – a dog named Tattinger. Although autism is not curable, it is very treatable, and Mary is, by all appearances, a normal child due to treatment, support, and the dedication of loving parents.
Gary Cole Photo Gallery
