Chris Bauer Explained

Occupation:Actor
Children:2
Years Active:1989–present

Chris Bauer is an American actor. He is best known for his television work in The Wire, Third Watch, True Blood, Survivor's Remorse, The Deuce and the Apple TV+ original science fiction space drama series For All Mankind. He has also appeared on Broadway, as Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire, and has originated roles in plays by David Mamet, John Patrick Shanley and Jez Butterworth.

Early life and education

Bauer is of German and Irish descent. He attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, California and played on the Miramonte football team in his senior year, 1984, the year the team won the state championship. Later, he attended the University of San Diego and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and graduated from the Yale School of Drama.

Career

Television

Bauer has starred in numerous television series including The Wire, as port-union boss Frank Sobotka.[1] He initially auditioned for the role of Jimmy McNulty.[2] He also starred in Billy Crystal's 2001 film 61*, as New York Yankees player Bob Cerv. His roles on network television include a regular role as Fred Yokas, husband of Officer Faith Yokas, on the NBC series Third Watch, lead FBI Agent Dodd on the short-lived CBS series Smith, a priest on ABC's Life on Mars, and as Detective Lou Destefano in the original Sci-Fi channel miniseries The Lost Room. In 2004, he played Lee Nickel on the ESPN series Tilt. He appeared in the episode "The No-Brainer" of the television series Fringe as Brian Dempsey, and appeared in multiple episodes of Numb3rs as Dr. Raymond "Ray" Galuski and in Criminal Minds, in season one, as the antagonist.

Chris Bauer played Det. (later Sheriff) Andy Bellefleur on the TV-series True Blood.[3] He also played Dennis Halsey, a guard on Unforgettable in the fourth episode of the first season, "Up In Flames", and appeared as a rival salesman from the Syracuse branch of Dunder Mifflin in Season 8 of The Office (US).[4] In 2014, Bauer guest starred in an episode of NBC's Parks and Recreation.

In October 2014 Bauer started a recurring role on the Starz comedy Survivor's Remorse. He played Jimmy Flaherty, the owner of a fictitious Atlanta professional basketball team. The show was written by Mike O'Malley, who also served as an executive producer along with NBA star LeBron James, and star Jessie T. Usher. Survivor's Remorse ran 4 seasons and concluded in 2017.

Bauer played Det. Tom Lange in the FX limited series American Crime Story.[5] Bauer appeared as Tim Rutten in the NBC mini-series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Brothers, and from 2017 co-stars as Bobby Dwyer in the HBO series The Deuce.

In 2018, Bauer guest starred as the negotiator Dennis Cole in Brooklyn Nine-Nine Series 5 Episode 13 "The Negotiator".

In 2019, Bauer portrayed NASA astronaut and Director of Flight Crew Operations Deke Slayton in the first season of the Apple TV+ original science fiction space drama series For All Mankind.

Film

Bauer's first film appearance was in Snow White: A Tale of Terror, with Sigourney Weaver, Sam Neill, and Monica Keena. Soon after, Bauer played schoolteacher/pedophile Lloyd Gettys in the 1997 film The Devil's Advocate. He played prisoner NB9674932-65 Ivan Dubov in the 1997 action film Face/Off, where he met Nicolas Cage. He then appeared as the masked character 'Machine' in the 1999 film 8mm also starring Cage.[6] He starred as fetish photographer Irving Klaw in the 2005 Bettie Page biopic The Notorious Bettie Page, and as famous author Ken Kesey in a 2007 Neal Cassady biopic. Bauer played a small role in the 2005 Jim Jarmusch film, Broken Flowers. He was featured in the movie The Conspirator, as a fellow officer following Abraham Lincoln's assassination, and played a minor role in Flags of Our Fathers. In 2015, Bauer played the role of 'Pa' in Disney's Tomorrowland. He also appeared in Money Monster as Lt. Nelson, and played Larry Rooney in Sully.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997The Myth of FingerprintsJerryCredited as Christopher Bauer
KonradCredited as Christopher Bauer
Colin FitzTony Baby Shark
The Devil's AdvocateLloyd GettysCredited as Christopher Bauer
One Night StandBartenderCredited as Christopher Bauer
Face/OffDubov
1998A Cool, Dry PlaceLarry IvesCredited as Christopher Bauer
1999Sweet and LowdownAce - Pool Player
FlawlessJacko
8mmMachine
Cradle Will RockVTA - Carpenter
The HunleySimkins TV movie
2000 The PhotographerPaul
Animal FactoryBad Eye
High FidelityPaul
200161*Bob CervTV movie
Taking Back Our TownJames MelanconTV movie
2002The Story of Calvin Stoller, Last Abstract ExpressionistCalvin Stoller
BugErnie
Anatomy of a BreakupJake Short / Credited as Christopher Bauer
Angels CrestTeddy
KeaneBartender
2004Hell's IslandLalo
2005Broken FlowersDan
The Notorious Bettie PageIrving Klaw
The ExoneratedCop #1 TV movie
Our Fathers Olan HorneTV movie
2006Bernard and DorisChef
Flags of Our FathersCommandant Vandegrift
2007Neal CassadyKen Kesey
2008The GuitarChief of SurgeryUncredited
2010The Conspirator Major Smith
2015TomorrowlandThe Frank's Dad
Wrestling Isn't WrestlingRefereeVideo documentary short
2016SullyLarry Rooney
Money MonsterLt. Nelson
TempsMike
2017DismissedMr. Ward
20193 Days with DadFather Rose
2021 The Little Things Detective Sal Rizoli

Television

YearTitleRoleEpisodesRef.
1989Midnight Caller Baby Chase Episode: "Truck Driver"
A Fine Romance CrewmanEpisode: "The Tomas Crown Affair"
1992, 1996, 2002Law & Order Homeless David / Mickey Scott / SergeantEpisodes: "Forgiveness", "Aftershock", "Patriot"
1994The Untouchables DoormanEpisode: "Stadt"
1996New York Undercover Terry Fillpot Episode: "Unis"
1999–2004Third Watch Fred YokasMain role; 53 episodes
2001Dead Last DaleEpisode: "To Serve, with Love"
The Fugitive GoonEpisode: "Thanatos"
2003The Wire Frank SobotkaMain role; 12 episodes
2005Jonny Zero StringerRecurring role; 6 episodes
Criminal Minds Ted BryarEpisode: "Derailed"
Tilt Leeland Lee NickelMain role; 9 episodes
2006Masters of Horror Larry PierceEpisode: "Sounds Like"
Conviction Mr. FoyeEpisode: "Denial"
The Lost Room Lou DestefanoMain role; 2 episodes
American Experience (TV Series documentary) Hiram PierceEpisode: "The Gold Rush"
SmithAgent DoddMain role; 3 episodes
2007The Black Donnellys Huey FarrellEpisodes: "Wasn't That Enough?" / "The World Will Break Your Heart" / "Pilot"
MurtaughEpisode: "30"
Detective Paul BrowningEpisode: "Sweet Jane"
2007, 2008Numb3rsRay Galuski Episodes: "Velocity" (2007) / "Breaking Point" (2008)
2008New AmsterdamAndrew GleasonEpisode: "Reclassified"
Life on Mars Father TimEpisode: "Things to Do in New York When You Think You're Dead"
2008–2014True BloodAndy BellefleurMain role; 81 episodes
2009The Good WifeJames McCloonEpisode: "Fixed"
FringeBrian DempseyEpisode: "The No-Brainer"
2009, 2017Bill Tattenger / Sgt. Tom ColeEpisodes: "Hammered" (2009) / "Next Chapter" (2017)
2011UnforgettableDennis Halsey / GuardEpisode: "Up in Flames"
Hawaii Five-0Cory SampsonEpisode: "Ike Maka"
2012Prime SuspectStevieEpisode: "Stuck in the Middle with You"
The OfficeHarry JanneroneEpisode: "Turf War"
2013ElementaryDetective Gerry CoventryEpisode: "On the Line"
2014Parks and RecreationHaroldEpisode: "Ann and Chris"
The Divide Jared Bankowski / JusticeEpisodes: "Facts Are the Enemy" / "The Way Men Divide" / "No Such Thing"
Full CircleRichie DeStefanoEpisodes: "Jimmy & Richie" / "Shelly & Katie" / "Richie & Shelly"
2014–2017Survivor's RemorseJimmy FlahertyMain role; 17 episodes
2015The Lizzie Borden ChroniclesTom Horn Episodes: "Capsize" / "The Sister's Grimke"
2016American Crime StoryDetective Tom LangeMain role (season 1)
2017Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez MurdersTim RuttenMain role; 9 episodes
2017–2019The DeuceBobby DwyerMain role; 24 episodes
2018Brooklyn Nine-Nine Dennis Kole Episode: "The Negotiation"
Modern FamilyOfficer StablitzkyEpisode: "CHiPs and Salsa"
UnsolvedSheriff HilmanEpisode: "Unsolved?"
2019For All MankindDeke SlaytonRecurring role; 9 episodes
2020FBIDan OsborneEpisode: "Payback"
HomelandKevin DanceEpisode: "The English Teacher"
2021GaslitJames McCord
2021–2023HeelsWild Bill HancockMain role
2022SprungStanRecurring role; 4 episodes
2023Fellow TravelersMcCarthyRecurring role[7]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
200914th Satellite AwardsBest Cast (or Best Ensemble) – Television SeriesTrue Blood
201016th Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chris Bauer on "The Wire," "True Blood" and Addiction The Fix. The Fix. October 25, 2016.
  2. Book: Abrams, Jonathan. All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of the Wire. Crown Archetype. 2018. 978-0-451-49814-4. New York. 107.
  3. Web site: Vineyard . Jennifer . July 15, 2013 . True Blood's Chris Bauer on Faery Fatherhood and His Alexander Skarsgård Impression . October 25, 2016 . Vulture.
  4. Web site: OfficeTally. April 18, 2012 . May 6, 2012.
  5. Web site: 'The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story' recap: 'From the Ashes of Tragedy' . October 25, 2016 . Entertainment Weekly's EW.com . November 23, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161123054452/http://www.ew.com/recap/the-people-v-oj-simpson-american-crime-story-series-premiere/2 . dead .
  6. http://www.americantheatrewing.org/seminars/detail/interpreting_tennessee_williams_04_05/ Interpreting Tennessee Williams
  7. Web site: Otterson . Joe . July 21, 2022 . Showtime Limited Series 'Fellow Travelers' Adds Five to Cast (Exclusive) . July 21, 2022 . Variety . en-US.