Jeff Daniels – Biography of Jeff Daniels

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Place of birth: Athens, Georgia (USA)

Biography:

Jeff Daniels studied at Central Michigan University, later joined the New York-based “Circle Repertory Company” and, not long after, had a role in Corinne Jacker’s “My Life”, alongside William Hurt and al former “Superman” actor, the late Christopher Reeve.

Although he was already becoming known, what meant for him the definitive opening to the world of fame and stars, was without a doubt, having played Jed Jenkins in “Fifth of July”, a production by Lanford Wilson, in New York. This performance made him a Drama Desk nominee for Best Supporting Actor.
He won an OBIE award in 1993, thanks to “Johnny Got His Gun”, an adaptation of the war novel, written by Dalton Trumbo, which takes place in the First World War.

Jeff made his first appearance in the cinema thanks to Milos Forman, in Ragtime, in 1981. He reaped great success in 1983, when he took part in his next project: “The force of affection”, in it he played the womanizing husband of Debra Winger.

The following relevant events in his career involve an interpretive role in a feature film by Woody Allen, as the protagonist: “The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985).

In the early ’90s, he founded “Purple Rose Theater Company”, a non-profit professional theater company, composed of diverse actors, directors, authors, writers and designers, of Midwest origin. For his company, he has written more than one role, among others, what was his first play, “Shoe Man”, a play that was crowned the Detroit News winner of the best theater piece of the year 1990-91.

Among other projects in which he has participated, we can highlight: “Heartburn” (1986) by Mike Nichols; “Something Wild” (1986); Woody Allen’s “Radio Days” (1987); “Arachnophobia” (1990); “Speed” (1994); “Dumb & Dumber” (1994); “Pleasantville” 1998; “Blood Work” (2002) under the command of Clint Eastwood; and “The Hours” 2002.

Among his works on television are “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” in 1988, by Robert Altman; “The Crossing”, for A&E, just started the XXI century; “The Goodbye Girl” (2004) the new adaptation of the memorable film directed by Neil Simon, this time for TNT; and finally “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” (2004) by Mitch Albom.

Purple Rose continues to produce plays today. The opening for the ’02 -’03 season was “Across the Way,” it earned a finalist nomination from the American Theater Critics Association for Best Original Play.
His company’s latest production was called “Norma & Wanda,” a blockbuster work that broke records already set by other Purple Rose productions.

Among his latest works we find several film productions, such as “The Squid and The Whale”, with Laura Linney, and “Good Night, and good luck”. He is gearing up to play one of the three most famous crackpots of all time in the new film adaptation of “The Three Stooges.”

Filmography:

  • The Three Stooges (2007)
  • The Lookout (2006)
  • Infamous (2006)
  • RV (2006)
  • IFP Gotham Awards 2005 (2005, TV)
  • Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)
  • Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)
  • The Squid and the Whale (2005)
  • The Five People You Meet in Heaven (2004, TV)
  • Imaginary Heroes (2004)
  • The Goodbye Girl (2004, TV)
  • I Witness (2003)
  • Gods and Generals (2003)
  • The Hours (2002)
  • Blood Work (2002)
  • Super Sucker (2002)
  • Escanaba in da Moonlight (2001)
  • Chasing Sleep (2000)
  • Cheaters (2000, TV)
  • The Crossing (2000, TV)
  • All the Rage (1999)
  • My Favorite Martian (1999)
  • Pleasantville (1998)
  • Trial and Error (1997) …. Charles ‘Charlie’ Tuttle
  • 101 Dalmatians (1996)
  • 2 Days in the Valley (1996)
  • Fly Away Home (1996)
  • Redwood Curtain (1995, TV)
  • Saturday night Live! (TVEpisodes # 20.10 (1995) and # 17.2 (1991)
  • Dumb & Dumber (1994)
  • Speed ​​(1994)
  • Frasier (1993, TV)
  • Gettysburg (1993)
  • There Goes the Neighborhood (1992)
  • Rain Without Thunder (1992)
  • Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story (1992, TV)
  • Grand Tour: Disaster in Time (1992, TV)
  • The Butcher’s Wife (1991)
  • Love Hurts (1991)
  • Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990)
  • Arachnophobia (1990)
  • No Place Like Home (1989, TV)
  • Checking Out (1989)
  • Sweet Hearts Dance (1988)
  • The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988, TV)
  • The House on Carroll Street (1988)
  • Trying Times (1987, TV)
  • Radio Days (1987)
  • Something Wild (1986)
  • Heartburn (1986)
  • Marie (1985)
  • The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
  • Terms of Endearment (1983)
  • An Invasion of Privacy (1983, TV)
  • Fifth of July (1982, TV)
  • Ragtime (1981)
  • A Rumor of War (1980, TV)
  • Hawaii Five-O (1980, TV)