Ted Danson Oceana Board Member

Ted Danson's versatility in both television and film makes him one of the most accomplished and credible actors today. From his feature film debuts in Joseph Wambaugh's "The Onion Field" in 1979 and Lawrence Kasdan's "Body Heat" in 1981 to his starring role in the television series "Cheers," Ted Danson has captivated worldwide audiences with his equally sensational dramatic and comedic performances.

Danson is currently in production on the second season of the HBO series “Bored to Death,” created by Jonathan Ames. He co-stars opposite Jason Swartzman and Zach Galifianakis as ‘George Christopher,’ the editor of Edition magazine who has been a tastemaker and a man about town for decades. The first season premiered in September 2009 to critical acclaim. The series shoots in Brooklyn, New York.

Danson was recently seen in the third season of the FX Network drama “Damages.” Danson portrays ‘Arthur Frobisher,’ a billionaire CEO who profited by selling stock before his company tanked and has since reformed. The show stars Glenn Close and Rose Byrne and is produced by Daniel Zelman, Todd Kessler, and Glenn Kessler. For this role, Danson has received two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination.

In 2009, Danson also returned to “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to guest star in two episodes of Larry David’s hit comedy series.

Danson’s recent film roles have included “Mad Money,” opposite Diane Keaton, Katie Holmes and Queen Latifah and “The Amateurs,” opposite Jeff Bridges.

For 12 years, Danson charmed television audiences worldwide with his portrayal of the tall, dark and handsome ‘Sam Malone,’ on NBC's hit comedy series “Cheers .” The role earned him the Golden Globe in 1990 and 1991, the Emmy ® Award in 1990 and 1993, as well as several additional Emmy nominations. The last episode of the series was the second highest television finale in history.

He made his return to network television in 1998 in the critically-acclaimed CBS/Paramount series "Becker," for which he received a Golden Globe nomination in 2001. After six years, the series finale of “Becker” aired in January 2004.

Danson’s television film projects include the A&E television film “Knights of the South Bronx,” (2005) for which he received a SAG nomination for his critically acclaimed role as a business man who decides to become a teacher at a school in the South Bronx. In the same year, Danson also starred in Showtime’s “Our Fathers,” which centers on the sexual abuse scandal in the US Roman Catholic church. In 2002 and 2004, Danson starred in two CBS television movies alongside his wife, Mary Steenburgen. In “It Must Be Love,” they starred as an estranged couple who are brought back together again after surviving an ordeal and in “Living with the Dead,” he portrayed world-renowned medium James Van Praagh.

In 1998, Danson starred in Showtime’s “Thanks of a Grateful Nation,” a tele-film based on American soldiers who returned to the U.S. with Gulf War syndrome. The same year he was seen in the acclaimed World War II drama “Saving Private Ryan,” a co-production of DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures. The film, directed by Steven Spielberg, stars Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Edward Burns and Tom Sizemore and went on to be nominated for an Oscar in many categories including ‘Best Picture.’

In 1996, Danson portrayed ‘Lemuel Gulliver’ in the critically acclaimed Hallmark Entertainment presentation of the Robert Halmi produced, four-hour mini-series “Gulliver's Travels” for NBC.

Danson's popularity skyrocketed in 1987 when he starred opposite Tom Selleck and Steve Guttenberg in Touchstone Pictures' box office smash “Three Men and a Baby.” In 1989, filmgoers saw a different side to Danson when he played a serious and romantic leading man opposite Isabella Rosselini in Paramount Pictures' "Cousins." Later that year, he gave a heart-felt performance as a father and son opposite Jack Lemmon and Olympia Dukakis in Universal's “Dad.” In 1990, Danson re-teamed with Selleck and Guttenberg in the successful Touchstone sequel, “Three Men and a Little Lady.” In 1993 he teamed with Whoopi Goldberg in the Warner Bros. hit comedy “Made in America,” which was an international success. He also starred in “Getting Even with Dad” and the sentimental road picture “Pontiac Moon,” where he met his wife, Mary Steenburgen.

Danson made his debut as a producer/actor with the critically acclaimed NBC movie-of-the-week, “When the Bough Breaks” in 1986. Danson also performed the dual role of actor-executive producer throughout his run on the CBS comedy series, “Ink.

In 1984, he won the Golden Globe ® Award for Best Actor for his performance in “Something About Amelia,” an ABC motion picture for television which was produced by Leonard Goldberg. The stunning drama about incest also starred Glenn Close and remains one of television's most highly acclaimed and highly rated projects.

Raised in Ponderosa Country outside Flagstaff, Arizona, Danson entered Stanford University and became interested in drama during his second year. When he transferred to Carnegie Tech, he continued to focus on acting. After graduation, he was hired as an understudy in Tom Stoppard's off- Broadway production, The Real Inspector Hound .

Danson re-located to Los Angeles in 1978 to manage the Actor's Institute for a year and a half while he taught there. Six months after his arrival Danson earned the role of Officer Ian Campbell in “The Onion Field.” He also co-starred as Lee Remick's insensitive husband in the TV movie “The Women's Room.”

In addition to acting and producing, Danson is an environmental activist, founding the American Oceans Campaign (AOC) in 1987 to alert Americans to the life-threatening hazards created by oil spills, off-shore development, toxic wastes, sewage pollution and other ocean abuses. The AOC merged with Oceana in 2001. Oceana works to show citizens how they can participate in protecting and restoring marine resources, and to show Congress that Americans are concerned with these issues. Danson continues to serve on the organization’s Board of Directors.

His first book, a celebratory and cautionary look at the world's oceans, will be published next year. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Oceana.

Danson resides in Los Angeles.