In 1963, at the age of five, a future actor witnessed his father perform with the folk group the Highwaymen, experiencing firsthand the dynamic connection between artist and audience that would shape his own creative path. This early exposure occurred against the backdrop of the Greenwich Village folk scene, a community that would ultimately become the family’s home and influence.
Originally from Pomona, California, the actor’s father, Gil, balanced his career as a high-school music teacher with his passion for folk music. Alongside his student John Stewart and fellow musician John Montgomery, he formed the Cumberland Three, a trio that toured nationally and released several albums. Their travels brought them to Greenwich Village in 1960, where Gil attended a living wake for a fellow folk singer, Cisco Houston. The vibrant artistic environment convinced him to relocate his family to the neighborhood.
The family’s living conditions in the Village reflected the communal and artistic spirit of the era. They occupied a modest one-bedroom apartment in a five-story walk-up, where the parents shared a convertible couch in the living room, while the children slept in bunk beds and a loft space. Nearby, Gil co-managed the Gaslight Café, a noted folk venue, after the Highwaymen disbanded in 1964. He also transitioned into acting, appearing in off-Broadway productions, providing his children a window into theatrical life.
By the early 1970s, the actor and his siblings became involved with the Theater for the New City, a hub for experimental and community theater. His sisters worked behind the scenes, while he took on an acting role in “The Little Prince” in 1973 and participated in summer performances, balancing these with recreational activities like softball.
Academically, the actor faced challenges despite attending Stuyvesant High School, a prestigious New York City public school. Encouraged by an English teacher to engage in the school’s competitive theater program, SING!, he directed his first play as a sophomore, gaining early directing experience that would foreshadow his later career ambitions.
He pursued drama studies at SUNY Plattsburgh before transferring to UCLA in California, where despite initial setbacks in the theater program, he immersed himself in writing, directing, and acting. His senior year brought a breakthrough when he won an acting competition, secured an agent, and began professional auditions. His television debut came in 1982 on the medical drama “St. Elsewhere,” and a significant career milestone arrived in 1988 with the film “Bull Durham,” where he notably impressed casting directors with his baseball skills.
Currently, he and his partner, director-cinematographer Reed Morano, divide their time between New York and Los Angeles. Their Brooklyn residence is a converted warehouse featuring high ceilings and a rooftop deck, while in Los Angeles he maintains a modest Craftsman-style home. Family connections endure through inherited items, including his father’s guitar and woven art pieces. He continues to embody his father’s guiding principle: to keep one’s hands active and always find a creative project.