Ted Danson’s versatility in both television and film makes him one of the most accomplished actors today. From his feature film debuts in Joseph Wambaugh’s 1979 The Onion Field and Lawrence Kasdan’s 1981 Body Heat, to his starring role in the television series Cheers, Danson has captivated worldwide audiences with his equally sensational dramatic and comedic performances.
Danson can be seen starring alongside Elisabeth Shue in CBS’s long-running crime drama series CSI. Created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the show has been recognized as the most popular dramatic series internationally by the Festival de Television de Monte-Carlo for three years. Danson plays “D.B. Russell,” the new supervisor for the grave shift after heading the crime lab in Seattle. Danson recently starred in the fourth season of Damages as "Arthur Frobisher," for which he received two Emmy® nominations and a Golden Globe® nomination. Danson also starred alongside Jason Schwartzman and Zach Galifianakis in the HBO cult series Bored to Death, created by Jonathan Ames.
Danson made his return to network television in 1998 in the critically acclaimed CBS/Paramount series Becker, for which he received a 2001 Golden Globe nomination. The show ran for six seasons. Danson also starred in the CBS television movie It Must Be Love, opposite his wife, Mary Steenburgen. Additionally, Danson starred in the critically acclaimed CBS miniseries Living with the Dead, also with Mary Steenburgen. The miniseries was the highest rated CBS miniseries since the airing of Jesus in 2002.
Danson charmed television audiences worldwide with his portrayal of the tall, dark and handsome “Sam Malone,” a role he played for 12 years on NBC’s hit comedy series Cheers. The role earned him the Golden Globe in 1990 and 1991, the Emmy in 1990 and 1993, and several additional Emmy nominations.
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 heartfelt performance opposite Jack Lemmon and Olympia Dukakis in Universal’s Dad. In 1990, Danson reteamed 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.
Danson made his debut as a producer with the critically acclaimed NBC movie-of-the-week, When the Bough Breaks in 1986, in which he also starred. Danson also performed the dual role of actor-executive producer throughout his run on the CBS comedy series, Ink, which was co-produced by Diane English and DreamWorks.
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.
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.
Danson resides in Los Angeles.
