Thirtysomething

Background:

First gaining attention for his recurring role as Det. Harry Garibaldi on the NBC serial police drama “Hill Street Blues” (1984-1985), Golden Globe nominated American actor, director and producer Ken Olin rose to TV stardom portraying the self-examining and quietly sexy Michael Steadman on the acclaimed ABC drama “thirtysomething” (1987-1991), from which he won his Golden Globe nomination. His character on the series was named one of TV Guide's “50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time” in 2004. He also had acted in such TV series as NBC's “Bay City Blues” (1983), CBS's “Falcon Crest” (1985-1986),CBS's “EZ Streets” (1996-1997) and CBS's “L.A. Doctors” (1998-1999) and in numerous TV films.

Although first becoming famous as an actor, dark-haired, good looking Olin is now a prolific TV producer and director. He received a 2004 PGA nomination for Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Drama for his work in the ABC series “Alias,” in which he also directed episodes and acted as well. He also directed such TV films as “The Broken Cord” (1992), “In Pursuit of Honor” (1995), “Phenomenon II” (2003) and “Introducing Lennie Rose” (2006) and episodes of “The West Wing” (2000) and “Brothers & Sisters” (2006-2007), among others. Olin made his feature film directorial debut with “White Fang 2: The Myth of the White Wolf ” (1994).

Olin has been married to three-time Emmy winner Patricia Wettig since 1982. They have two children together, Clifford and Roxanne. Olin and his wife has worked together in some projects, including the aforementioned “thirtysomething,” and the TV films “Nothing But the Truth” (1995) and “Kansas” (1995), which Olin produced.

Product of a Divorce

Childhood and Family:

Kenneth Edward Olin, prp was born on July 30, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois, to Lawrence Olin, professionally known as Ken Olin, former deputy director of of the Peace Corps. His parents divorced when he was still a child. Ken was educated at The Putney School in Putney, Vermont, and after graduating in 1972, he attended the University of Pennsylvania.

Ken was married to actress Patricia Wettig on May 8, 1982. The two were costars in the TV series “thirtysomething.” His wife gave birth to their first child, son Clifford Olin, in 1983. The couple's daughter, Roxanne Olin, was born on November 5, 1985. Ken is Jewish.

Hill Street Blues

Career:

A native of Chicago, Ken Olin relocated to Hollywood in the late 1970s to give acting a shot. He got his first taste in front of the TV camera in 1976, when he landed a part in the made-for-TV drama “Bernice Bobs Her Hair,” and followed it up two years later with appearances in two episodes of the series “The Paper Chase.” It was also in 1978 that Olin made his stage debut in the off-Broadway production “Taxi Tale.” He closed the decade by playing a bit part in the CBS film “Women at West Point” (1979), the story of the first women to enter the U.S Military Academy at West Point and the consequences that follow.

After moving to L.A, Olin landed his first film role as young James in the John Irvin-directed “Ghost Story” (1981). A year later, he portrayed Stanley Kowalski in a stage production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Olin next was featured as a ballplayer named Rocky Padillo on the short-lived Steven Bochco NBC series “Bay City Blues” (1983) before receiving some notices for his portrayal of Detective Harry Garibaldi on the NBC serial police drama “Hill Street Blues.” He played the recurring part for two seasons from 1984 to 1985. After leaving the series, he played Father Christopher, a clergyman who had a burning affair with one of his church members, on the classic soap opera “Falcon Crest” (CBS, 1981-1990), which starred Lorenzo Lamas. He appeared on the show in seventeen episodes from 1985 to 1986.

Next, Olin portrayed Elizabeth Taylor's agent on “There Must Be a Pony”(1986), an ABC TV film based on a novel by James Kirkwood Jr., starred in the CBS miniseries “I'll Take Manhattan” (1987). He went on to act in such TV films as “Tonight's the Night” (1987), “Police Story: Cop Killer” (1988), “A Stoning in Fulham County” (1988) and “Goodnight Sweet Wife: A Murder in Boston” (1990), which was adapted from the true story of the Boston man who murdered his wife and blamed an African-American, as well as on episodes of TV series like “Murder, She Wrote” (1986), “Hotel” and “The Hitchhiker” (both 1987).

However, Olin did not achieve star status until he won the role of yuppie Michael Steadman on his fourth TV series, the Golden Globe Award-winning ABC drama for Best TV-Series-Drama, “thirtysomething” (1987-1991). Playing an advertising executive who introspectively upset about whether he was a good husband, a good father, a good friend, and a good Jew, often at the same time, he was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1990 for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series- Drama. It was also through the show that Olin got the opportunity to direct occasionally, the experience that paved the way for his future directorial career. On the height of his TV series success, Olin landed his first wide screen lead as one of the pals returning for a wedding in the ensemble reunion film “Queen's Logic” (1991), opposite Kevin Bacon, John Malkovich and Joe Mantegna.

Making his directorial debut in a 1989 episode of “thirtysomething” called “No Promise,” Olin added his resume in 1992 by directing Jimmy Smits and Kim Delaney in his first TV film, “The Broken Cord” (ABC). The same year, he also helmed “Doing Time on Maple Drive,” the first TV film produced by Fox network. The latter film, about an impaired family, saw Jim Carrey have his first dramatic role. Olin made his motion picture directorial debut with the 1994 adventure/family “White Fang 2: The Myth of the White Wolf,” starring Scott Bairstow and Charmaine Craig. The following year, he helmed Don Johnson, Craig Sheffer and Gabrielle Anwar for the HBO TV film “In Pursuit of Honor.” Also in 1995, he emerged as one of executive producers of the ABC TV-film “Kansas,” which starred his wife, Patricia Wettig.

Meanwhile, Olin kept on busy performing in front of the camera. He starred with Cybill Shepherd in the based-on-true-story TV-film “Telling Secrets” (1993), acted with his wife on the CBS movie “Nothing But the Truth” (1995) and offered a fine starring turn as Brad Cunningham on the Emmy-nominated TV film “Dead by Sunset” (1995). The active performer revisited series TV as a star of the the short-lived, but highly praised CBS drama series “EZ Streets” (1996-1997), playing police detective Cameron Quinn. After appearing on romance film 'Till There Was You”and starring as a lawyer on the TV film “The Advocate's Devil” (both 1997), he once again returned to series TV, this time as Dr. Roger Cattan on the CBS medical drama “L.A. Doctors” (1998-1999), which also had a short life. In addition to acting, he also served as executive consultant and directed several episodes of the show.

More recently, Olin has concentrated more on his behind-the-camera career. In 2000, he directed episodes of NBC's “The West Wings,” “Felicity” and “Freaks and Geeks.” He was an executive producer of the TNT series “Breaking News” (2002), where he also directed the pilot. However, Olin is probably best known for his work on the now defunct ABC series “Alias” (2001-2006). He directed 23 episodes (2001-2005) and also served as co-executive producer and producer, for which he jointly nabbed a PGA nomination for Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Drama. More over, he had an uncredited part as David McNeil on the episodes “Spirit” (2001), “The Coup” and Page 47” (both 2002).

Olin directed the 2003 TV film “Phenomenon II” (2003), the 2006 TV film drama “Introducing Lennie Rose,” starring Abigail Spencer in the title role. In a more recent time, he directed and executive produced the ABC family drama “Brothers & Sisters” (2006-2007). He also appeared as David Caplan on two episodes of the show during the 2007-2008 season.

Awards:
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