David Marshall Grant (born June 21, 1955) is an American actor, singer, writer, and producer.
Early life and education Grant was born in Westport, Connecticut to physician parents. Immediately after graduating from Connecticut College with an M.F.A. and receiving a certificate in fine arts from the Yale School of Drama, his first paying job was as Richard Gere's lover in the Broadway play Bent. A student at Juilliard during summer breaks from high school, Grant soon joined the Yale Repertory Company during his college days, and in 1978, made an impression in the play Bent.
Grant is the great-great-grandson of the first couple to have their wedding featured in the famous wedding announcement section of The New York Times. He is also a distant cousin to Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States.
Career His first screen role was in the 1979 film French Postcards. He went on to appear in several more films. In 1985, he co-starred with Kevin Costner in American Flyers, John Badham's film on bicycle racing. By this time, Grant was working in episodic television and had the role of Digger Barnes in the miniseries Dallas: The Early Years. In 1987, he played Sonny Binkley in the Matt Dillon film The Big Town. In 1989, he portrayed the gay character Russell Weller on the television show thirtysomething. Although he only appeared in four episodes from 1989 to 1990, the role brought him considerable recognition, particularly in one groundbreaking episode that featured his character in bed with another male character, a scene that caused outcry among conservative sponsors at the time.
Grant played roles in various television shows and movies, including Happy Birthday, Gemini, Legs, Labor of Love, CSI: Miami, Law & Order, Criminal Minds, and Alias. He played a gay husband in the 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives; the father of Anne Hathaway's character in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada; and more recently appeared on television in a May 2009 episode of Party Down and in the fifth-season premiere of A Million Little Things in February 2023.
On the stage, Grant is most notable for his portrayal of Joe Pitt in the first Broadway production of Tony Kushner's Angels in America. The role earned him a 1994 Tony Award nomination as Best Actor (Featured Role – Play).
In 1998, Grant began a career as a writer. Snakebit, his first play, premiered at Grove Street Playhouse and transferred to the Century Theatre. The play was nominated for the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award. Current Events, his second play, was produced by Manhattan Theatre Club in 2000. Pen opened in 2006 at Playwrights Horizons. Also in 2006, he began working for the drama series Brothers & Sisters as a screenwriter, story editor and (as of season 2 in September 2007), a series producer. The show was co-produced by Ken Olin, whom Grant had worked with on thirtysomething. In 2012, he was a writer and producer on the musical series Smash.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1979 French Postcards Alex 1980 Happy Birthday, Gemini Randy Hastings 1981 The End of August Robert 1985 American Flyers David Sommers as David Grant 1987 The Big Town Sonny Binkley 1988 Bat*21 Ross Carver 1990 To the Moon, Alice Yuppie Man Short film Air America Rob Diehl 1991 Strictly Business David 1992 Forever Young Lt. Col. Wilcox 1995 Three Wishes Phil 1996 The Rock White House Chief of Staff Hayden Sinclair Uncredited The Chamber Governor David McAllister 2002 People I Know Tom Silverton 2004 The Stepford Wives Jerry Harmon 2006 The Devil Wears Prada Richard Sachs 2022 Spoiler Alert Tony Also writer
Television Year Title Role Notes 1981 Kent State Tom Television film 1982 American Playhouse Bob Episode: "The Shady Hill Kidnapping" 1983 Legs Sid Lewis Television film Sessions Josh Television film 1984 Jessie Billy Harding Episode: "Pilot" 1986 Dallas: The Early Years Digger Barnes Television film 1989 Breaking Point Osterman Television film 1989–1990 Thirtysomething Russell Weller 4 episodes 1990 The Window Jake Television short The Hitchhiker Jake Episode: "Windows" 1992 What She Doesn't Know Brad Television film Citizen Cohn Robert F. Kennedy Television film Through the Eyes of a Killer Max Campbell Television film Graham Jeb Television film 1993 And the Band Played On Dennis Seeley Television film 1995 Chicago Hope Stephen Tomilson Episode: "Internal Affairs" 1996 The Lazarus Man General Philip Sheridan 2 episodes A Season in Purgatory Jerry Bradley Miniseries 1997 Night Sins Father Tom McCoy Television film Law & Order A.D.A. Charlie Harmon Episodes: "Harvest" and "Shadow" 1998 Labor of Love Mickey Wister Television film Remembering Sex Michael Television film Nothing Sacred Father Martin Briggs 6 episodes, 3 unaired 2000 Noriega: God's Favorite Drug Dealer Television film 2001 Dawson's Creek Officer Sullivan Episode: "Late", uncredited 2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent A.D.A. Peter Bonham Episode: "Best Defense" 2004 CSI: Miami Headmaster Brooks Episode: "Murder in a Flash" 2005 Numb3rs Brent Hauser Episode: "Dirty Bomb" Alias Ivan Curtis 2 episodes 2008 Eli Stone Martin Ostrow Episode: "Heartbeat" 2009 Party Down Stennheiser Episode: "Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception" 2018 Code Black Dr. Marchant Episode: "The Business of Saving Lives"; also writer and executive producer 2023 A Million Little Things Gene Grant Episode: "The Last Dance"; also writer and executive producer 2024 Death and Other Details Lawrence Collier 8 episodes
References
External links