Mark Sheppard Explained

Mark Sheppard
Birth Name:Mark Andreas Sheppard
Birth Date:30 May 1964
Birth Place:London, England
Occupation:Actor, musician
Years Active:1976–present
Spouse:
    Children:3
    Father:W. Morgan Sheppard
    Othername:Mark A. Sheppard

    Mark Andreas Sheppard is an English actor and musician. Sheppard is known for playing the demon/King of Hell Crowley on Supernatural and for his recurring roles as lawyer Romo Lampkin on the Battlestar Galactica reboot, Interpol investigator James Sterling on Leverage, and small-time crime lord Badger on Joss Whedon's Firefly. He also plays the character Willoughby Kipling on Doom Patrol.

    Early life

    Mark Andreas Sheppard was born in London, England, the son of actor W. Morgan Sheppard and Regina Lisa (Scherer) Sheppard.[1] He is of Irish and German descent.

    Career

    Music

    Sheppard became a drummer as a teenager, buying his first drum kit in 1976, and spent many years recording and touring with artists including Robyn Hitchcock, the Television Personalities, the Finnish rock band Hanoi Rocks, and the Irish group Light a Big Fire.[2] In 1985, Sheppard played drums on Light a Big Fire's second album,[3] and was with them as the opening act for some stops on U2's 1987 The Joshua Tree Tour.[2]

    He had stepped away from music when his abuse of drugs and alcohol took over his life, and stayed away after he regained sobriety and his acting career began to flourish.[2] In the 2010s, while appearing in Supernatural, he would attend fan conventions with his cast mates; co-star Rob Benedict, whose band played at the conventions, convinced Sheppard to sit in on a song in front of 3,000 attendees, and Sheppard was back. By 2017 he had rejoined Robyn Hitchcock's band on tour.[2]

    Television

    Sheppard's television work includes the following: the "Fire" episode of The X-Files,[4] a year on the Jerry Bruckheimer action series Soldier of Fortune, guest-starring and recurring roles on The Practice, The Invisible Man, Special Unit 2, JAG,[4] ,[4] The Chronicle, ,[4] , Monk, and Las Vegas, among others. He played a demon named Arnon on an episode titled"Witches in Tights" on the TV series Charmed. He played Badger, a semi-comical cockney-style crime boss in the short-lived Joss Whedon show Firefly[4] and later cast again in another Whedon show, Dollhouse as Paul Ballard's dismissive FBI superior. He appeared as a villain in season five of the Fox show 24 and as Patricia Arquette's reincarnated Jack the Ripper-style serial killer nemesis on Medium.[5] He appeared as Romo Lampkin in seasons three and four of Battlestar Galactica, and had a recurring role as Manservant Neville in ABC Family's short-lived The Middleman. He has been seen as Anthony Anthros on Bionic Woman,[6] [7] as Sterling the nemesis character on Leverage, and as the King of Hell Crowley on Supernatural.[4]

    He appeared in the pilot episode of White Collar[4] as a villainous master forger and as the Director of the Ring criminal organisation in Chuck. He appeared in the SyFy series Warehouse 13 as Regent Benedict Valda. He appears in the 2011 Doctor Who episodes "The Impossible Astronaut" and "Day of the Moon" playing the character Canton Everett Delaware III.[8] In October 2013, Sheppard returned to White Collar, reprising his 2009 role as master forger Curtis Hagen.[4]

    Film

    His film credits include the Jim Sheridan film In the Name of the Father,[4] starring opposite Daniel Day-Lewis and Emma Thompson as Guildford Four member Patrick Armstrong; the romantic comedy Lover's Knot; the Russian historical drama Out of the Cold; the thriller Unstoppable;[4] and with Heather Graham and Jeremy Sisto in the dark independent, Broken.[4] He also starred in Megalodon and New Alcatraz.[4]

    Mark Sheppard directed his father, actor W. Morgan Sheppard.[9] in the film Room 101, and co-starred with him in the psychological thriller Nether World, which the younger Sheppard also co-produced. The elder Sheppard played the older version of his son's character in the aforementioned Doctor Who and NCIS episodes.[4]

    Video games

    He voiced the role of protagonist Michael Ford in The Conduit, whose mentor, John Adams, was voiced by W. Morgan Sheppard.

    Double casting

    Sheppard was cast with his father (who died in 2019) as the same character on three occasions, each playing the character at different ages:

    In the Macgyver reboot episode, "Cigar Cutter", which first aired 14 April 2017, he plays an assassin who assumes the identity of murder victim "Dr. Zito",[10] a role his father played in the original series, except "Dr. Zito" was the name of the killer.

    Voice

    Since 2011, Mark Sheppard has been "The Voice" of BBC America promos and announcements.[11]

    Personal life

    On 9 November 2015, Sheppard married Australian heiress Sarah Louise Fudge.[12] In March 2016, their daughter, Isabella Rose, was born, and the couple held a wedding ceremony in November of that year in Malibu, California.[13]

    On 1 December 2023, Sheppard suffered a total of six heart attacks at his home in Los Angeles. He needed to be resuscitated by first responders. Doctors discovered a complete blockage in his left anterior descending artery.[14] [15] [13]

    Filmography

    Film roles

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1993In the Name of the FatherPaddy Armstrong
    1996Lover's KnotNigel Bowles
    1997Nether World"California"
    1999Out of the Cold"Fang"
    2000Farewell, My LoveM.J.
    2001Lady in the BoxDoug Sweeney
    New AlcatrazYuri Breshcov
    2002MegalodonMitchell ParksDirect-to-video film
    2004Evil EyesPeter
    UnstoppableLeitch
    2006BrokenMalcolm
    2010Dr. Charles LeBlanc
    2012Jules Verne's Mysterious IslandYoung Captain NemoAlso director
    Sean O'Brien (Voice)
    2013Sons of LibertyAckley

    Television roles

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1992–1993Silk StalkingsEric / Eddie BryceEpisodes: "In Too Deep", "Schemes Like Old Times"
    1993Bob / Cecil L'IvelyEpisode: "Fire"
    1995M.A.N.T.I.S.C. Flayton RuellEpisode: "Spider in the Tower"
    1997Soldier of FortuneChristopher "C.J." YatesTV film
    1997–1998Soldier of Fortune, Inc.Christopher "C.J." YatesMain role (season 1)
    1998SlidersJackEpisode: "Net Worth"
    1999Martial LawClay SullivanEpisode: "Thieves Among Thieves"
    Eddie WicksEpisode: Day in Court
    2000LeuconEpisode: "Child's Play"
    JAGDeputy Director of Air Operations / Young General ParkerEpisodes: "A Separate Peace: Parts 1 & 2"
    2001Yuri GregorovEpisode: "Diseased"
    "Nitro"Episode: "Bring Me the Head of Tucker Burns"
    Special Unit 2"The Chameleon"Episode: "The Skin"
    Lost VoyageIan FieldsTV film
    2001–2002V.I.P.NeroEpisodes: "A.I. Highrise", "48½ Hours"
    2002Mitchell ReevesEpisode: "Manhunt"
    Rod DarlingEpisode: "The Hunger Artist"
    CharmedArnonEpisode: "Witches in Tights"
    Firefly"Badger"Episodes: "Serenity", "Shindig"
    2003FastlaneRonan DennehyEpisode: "Simone Says"
    Man In CarTV film
    Deep ShockChomskyTV film
    Jake 2.0HartmanEpisode: "Whiskey – Tango – Foxtrot"
    2004Las VegasGeorge BeckwahrEpisode: "Degas Away with It"
    MonkChris DowneyEpisode: "Mr. Monk vs. the Cobra"
    2005Kevin HanniganEpisode: "Hush"
    2005–2006MediumDr. Charles WalkerEpisodes: "Penny for Your Thoughts", "Doctor's Orders", "Blood Relation"
    200624Ivan ErwichRecurring role (season 5), 6 episodes
    Without a TraceIoannis "Johnny" PataniEpisode: "Requiem"
    2007–2009Battlestar GalacticaRomo LampkinRecurring role, 7 episodes
    2007Bionic WomanAnthony AnthrosEpisodes: Pilot, "Sisterhood"
    2008SharkRupert StoneEpisode: "One Hit Wonder"
    In Plain SightRussellEpisode: "To Serge with Love"
    Neville, The ManservantEpisodes: "The Clotharian Contamination Protocol", "The Palindrome Reversal Palindrome"
    2008–2012LeverageJim SterlingRecurring role, 10 episodes
    2009NCISYoung Marcin JerekEpisode: "Broken Bird"
    Burn NoticeTom PrescottEpisode: "Bad Breaks"
    DollhouseTanakaEpisodes: "The Target", "Man on the Street", "Omega"
    2009–2014White CollarCurtis HagenRecurring role, 6 episodes
    2009Dimitri SadeskyEpisode: "The Lost Girls"
    2009–2014Warehouse 13Benedict ValdaRecurring role, 6 episodes
    2009–2017SupernaturalCrowleyRecurring role (seasons 5–9); main role (seasons 10-12)[16]
    2010ChuckRing DirectorEpisodes: "Chuck Versus the American Hero", "Chuck Versus the Other Guy"
    2011Doctor WhoCanton Everett Delaware IIIEpisodes: "The Impossible Astronaut", "Day of the Moon"
    Prime Suspect"Blackjack" MullinsEpisode: "A Gorgeous Mosaic"
    2017MacGyverFake Dr. Zito / Jason TennantEpisode: "Cigar Cutter"
    2018Mania CityRichard JohnsonRecurring role
    2019–2023Doom PatrolWilloughby KiplingRecurring role, 8 episodes
    2022-2023Nathaniel Hagan5 episodes

    Video game roles

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    2009The ConduitMichael Ford
    2021Roman "Knight" GreyDLC

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Mark Sheppard Biography . June 3, 2023.
    2. Mark Sheppard of Robyn Hitchcock and His L.A. Squires . Adam . Budofsky . . August 2018 . 24 . 8 . 2023-06-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200926150300/https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/august-2018-mark-sheppard-of-robyn-hitchcock-and-his-l-a-squires/ . 2020-09-26 . dead.
    3. Web site: Light a Big Fire . Irish Punk and New Wave Discography . https://archive.today/20081121082034/http://www.irishrock.org/ipnw/bands/lightabig.html . dead . 21 November 2008.
    4. Web site: Mark Sheppard Credits . June 3, 2023.
    5. News: . No Mr. Nice Guy . https://web.archive.org/web/20121020044139/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-118448464.html . dead . 20 October 2012 . Virginia . Rohan . 13 February 2006.
    6. News: Daily Variety . Players: Mark Sheppard . 26 July 2007 . Stacy . Dodd.
    7. News: . TV Review: 'Bionic Woman' dark, but intriguing . 26 September 2007 . Rob . Owen.
    8. Web site: Casting Update: Mark Sheppard. Doctor Who News Page. 25 March 2011. 16 October 2010.
    9. News: Doctor Who: The Impossible Astronaut – Series 32, episode 1 . Dan . Martin . . 23 April 2011 . 24 April 2011 . ...the older Canton on the beach is actually Mark Sheppard's dad, William Morgan Sheppard..
    10. Web site: "Zito Zives!" - MacGyver S01E21 News. TV.com. 13 April 2018.
    11. News: Mark Sheppard on Being a Voice for BBC America. BBC News. 31 May 2020.
    12. News: Vulpo. Mike. 20 November 2016. Supernatural's Mark Sheppard Is Married! All the Details on His "Fantastic" Sunset Wedding. 15 March 2020. E! Online.
    13. Web site: Jones . Callum . Supernatural star Mark Sheppard brought back to life after six ‘massive’ heart attacks . UNILAD . 4 December 2023 . 15 December 2023.
    14. Web site: Flemming . Tessa . Supernatural star Mark Sheppard recovering after six 'massive' heart attacks . . 4 December 2023 . 4 December 2023.
    15. Web site: Instagram . www.instagram.com . 3 December 2023.
    16. News: Fowler . Matt . Supernatural: Mark Sheppard Promoted to Series Regular . . 23 May 2014 . 17 August 2014.