Alan Rosenberg

Alan Rosenberg (born October 4, 1950)[1] is an American actor who portrayed the character Eli Levinson in both Civil Wars and L.A. Law. From 2005 to 2009, Rosenberg was president of the Screen Actors Guild, the principal motion picture industry on-screen performers' union.

Alan Rosenberg
Rosenberg in 2007
27th President of the Screen Actors Guild
In office
2005–2009
Preceded byMelissa Gilbert
Succeeded byKen Howard
Personal details
Born (1950-10-04) October 4, 1950 (age 73)[1]
Passaic, New Jersey, US
Spouses
(m. 1976; div. 1984)
(m. 1989; div. 2010)
  • marriage Marcia Firesten

m.2019-Present

Children1 [Hugh Rosenberg]
RelativesMark Rosenberg
(brother)
Donald Fagen
(cousin)
EducationCase Western Reserve University (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active1978–present

Early life and education

Rosenberg was born on October 4, 1950, and raised in Passaic, New Jersey. He was raised in Conservative Judaism.[1][2][3] Rosenberg's late brother, Mark, was a political activist in the 1960s, later a film producer. Their first cousin, also from Passaic, is musician/songwriter Donald Fagen, co-founder of the group Steely Dan.[1]

Rosenberg's parents gave him money to apply to graduate school.[3] Rosenberg said that upon graduating in 1972 from Case Western Reserve University, he found another passion, poker, and subsequently gambled away most of the money his parents sent him, leaving him only able to afford one application, to the Yale School of Drama. Rosenberg dropped out halfway through his second year at Yale. His "greatest influence and best friend" while there was classmate Meryl Streep.[1]

Career

In 1979, Rosenberg appeared in the movie The Wanderers, as Turkey. He is also well known for his character Ira Woodbine in the sitcom Cybill. More recently, he was seen in the legal drama The Guardian as Alvin Masterson.

Rosenberg supplied the voice of the bounty hunter Boba Fett on NPR's adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. Rosenberg is also known for his appearance as the crazed "Mad Bomber" in the 1986 cult-classic Stewardess School and Paul Bartel's screwball comedy Not for Publication opposite Nancy Allen (1984).

In 1991, he appeared in the TV film The Boys.

In 1995, he received an Emmy Award nomination for a guest-starring role in the hit drama ER. He starred in the Temptations miniseries in 1998, as long-time manager Shelly Berger.

In 1999, he began a recurring role as the hospital legal counsel, Stuart Brickman, on Chicago Hope. Halfway through their final season, he was added to the opening titles as a series regular.

He appeared on Broadway in What's Wrong With This Picture and Lost In Yonkers, and off-Broadway in Isn't It Romantic, A Prayer for My Daughter, and Kid Champion. He most recently starred at the Delaware Theatre Company production of Partners, written by Allan Katz.

He was elected the 24th president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) on September 23, 2005. Rosenberg succeeded Melissa Gilbert, who had served as president since 2001 and chose not to run for a third two-year term. Rosenberg received 39.99 percent (10,748 total votes) of the nationwide vote of the Guild's general membership, defeating Morgan Fairchild and Robert Conrad.

In 2005, he appeared as shady defense attorney Adam Novak in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation co-starring alongside his real-life wife Marg Helgenberger. Novak was portrayed as a womanizer who encountered Catherine (Helgenberger) in a bar and later became the prime suspect in two homicides. In a 2007 episode "Leaving Las Vegas" he appeared as a lawyer defending a client who turned out to be guilty of two separate crimes, and yet the evidence failed to pin him down, resulting in a not guilty verdict which annoyed Catherine so much that she began to undertake further investigation.

In 2006, he appeared in a recurring role as Bruce Steinerman, the divorce attorney of Dr. James Wilson in the television-series House M.D. He has hosted episodes of the public television program, Life: Part 2,[4] which began in 2007 and is produced in St. Paul, Minnesota. The show features panel discussions about issues that baby boomers face as they age.[5]

In 2015, he appeared as Dr. William Golliher in the Amazon original series Bosch.[6] In 2016, he had a recurring role as shady investor William Sutter on the USA Network drama Suits.

From 2016 to 2017, he had a recurring role in the Showtime cable series Shameless (seasons 6 - 8). He portrayed Professor Youens, an alcoholic college professor and mentor to Lip Gallagher.

Personal life

Rosenberg's first marriage was to actress Robin Bartlett, from 1976 to 1984.[7]

He met Marg Helgenberger in New York City in 1984, while guest-starring on her soap Ryan's Hope. The two became friends and started dating in 1986. They married in 1989 and have one son, Hugh Howard Rosenberg (born October 21, 1990).[8] On December 1, 2008, Rosenberg and Helgenberger announced their separation.[8] On March 25, 2009, Helgenberger filed for divorce.[9] The divorce was finalized in February 2010.[10]

As a result of Helgenberger's mother's 27-year battle with breast cancer, Helgenberger and Rosenberg became involved in the fight against the disease. They have hosted a benefit called Marg and Alan's Celebrity Weekend every year in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1999.[citation needed]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979The WanderersTurkey
1980Happy Birthday, GeminiFrancis Geminiani
1984Not for PublicationBernie
1986Stewardess SchoolMad Bomber
1987White of the EyeMike Desantos
1988The Last Temptation of ChristThomas, Apostle
1988Miracle MileMike
1989PeacemakerDavid CooperShort
1989After MidnightRichardSegment: "All Night Operator"
1990ImpulseCharley Katz
1994On HopeArnieShort
2001Reaching NormalFrank
2002The BumThe BumShort
2005RobotsJack HammerVoice
2008Righteous KillStein
2008Welcome to Los FelizBob White
2014Still HereStanShort
TBAThe Next CassavetesSAG RepPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978Barnaby JonesRay ReedEpisode: "Memory of a Nightmare"
1981TexasDoctor1 episode
1982Nine to FiveInstructorEpisode: "Real Men Don't Make Quiche"
1985Robert Kennedy and His TimesJack Newfield3 episodes
1985Kojak: The Belarus FileLustigTelevision film
1986PromiseDr. PressmanTelevision film
1987The Days and Nights of Molly DoddMartin StormEpisode: "Here's Why Good Guys Sometimes Wear Black"
1987The King of LoveJay SchoenTelevision film
1989Capone Behind BarsFrank NittiTelevision film
1989CoachProfessor John SterlingEpisode: "Kelly and the Professor"
1989The Preppie MurderDan LevinTelevision film
1989Empty NestProfessor BrooksEpisode: "Overdue for a Job"
1989–1994L.A. LawEli Levinson, Lawyer William Wills24 episodes
1990Bar GirlsMilesTelevision film
1990Parker KaneMorrisTelevision film
1990Lucky ChancesCosta3 episodes
1990Midnight CallerJ.D. Stillwell2 episodes
1990Over My Dead BodyKurtEpisode: "Dead Air"
1991The BoysPsychiatristTelevision film
1991...And Then She Was GoneAlan DunlapTelevision film
1991–1993Civil WarsEli Levinson36 episodes
1993The TommyknockersJack KimbleEpisode: "Part 1"
1993PartnersUnknown roleTelevision film
1994ERSamuel GasnerEpisode: "Into That Good Night"
1994Witch HuntN.J. GottliebTelevision film
1995Freaky FridayBill DavidsonTelevision film
1995Aaahh!!! Real MonstersHuckter, SkaterVoice, 1 episode
1995–1998CybillIra Woodbine, Zechariah85 episodes
1996On Seventh AvenuePhillip ReimanTelevision film
1996Undue InfluenceHarry HinesTelevision film
1996RugratsMr. Dreidel, TV AnnouncerVoice, episode: "Chanukah"
1996Breaking ThroughNed BurkettTelevision film
1997DuckmanDr. BobVoice, episode: "How to Suck in Business Without Really Trying"
1997ClonedDr. Wesley KozakTelevision film
1998Murphy BrownMax LlewelynEpisode: "The Last Temptation of Murphy"
1998Giving Up the GhostJakeTelevision film
1998The TemptationsShelly BergerMiniseries
1998L.A. DoctorsDr. Keith BurkeEpisode: "The Code"
1998Bronx CountyUnknown roleTelevision film
1999HerculesBoreasVoice, episode: "Hercules and the Spartan Experience"
1999Touched by an AngelT.K. McKennaEpisode: "The Medium and the Message"
1999The Wild ThornberrysHyenaVoice, episode: "No Laughing Matter"
1999A Touch of HopeDr. RohanTelevision film
1999Family LawUnknown roleEpisode: "Decisions"
1999–2000Chicago HopeStuart Brickman16 episodes
2000Level 9Colonel LavalleEpisode: "Through the Looking Glass"
2001A Mother's Fight for JusticeGeoff StoneTelevision film
2002L.A. Law: The MovieEli LevinsonUncredited
Television film
2001–2004The GuardianAlvin Masterson67 episodes
2005NYPD BlueBarry OlshanEpisode: "Lenny Scissorhands"
2005Numb3rsJudge Franklin TrelaneEpisode: "Judgment Call"
2005–2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationAdam Novak2 episodes
2006HouseBruce SteinermanEpisode: "Whac-A-Mole"
2009American Dad!Lawyer #1Voice, episode: "Live and Let Fry"
2011Harry's LawDr. CarletonEpisode: "Send in the Clowns"
2011–2012LuckNick DeRossi6 episodes
2014–2021BoschDr. William Golliher5 episodes
2016SuitsWilliam Sutter6 episodes
2016–2017ShamelessProfessor Youens19 episodes
2017ElementarySydney GarberEpisode: "Fidelity"
2017APBProfessor MalkovaEpisode: "Strange Bedfellows"
2017Training DayJack RawlsEpisode: "Bad Day at Aqua Mesa"
2018The Good FightLen GottliebEpisode: "Day 485"
2022Bosch: LegacyDr. William Golliher3 episodes
2022MoAba Weinberg3 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005RobotsJack Hammer

Radio

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983Star WarsBoba FettEpisode: "The Empire Strikes Back"

References