- Corbin Bernsen
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Corbin Bernsen 
Corbin Bernsen, April 18, 2009Born Corbin Dean Bernsen
September 7, 1954
North Hollywood, California, U.S.Occupation Actor, director Years active 1967–present Spouse Amanda Pays (1988-present; 4 children)
Brenda Cooper (1983-1987; divorced)Corbin Dean Bernsen (born September 7, 1954) is an American actor and director, known for his work on television. He is best known for his roles as divorce attorney Arnold Becker on the NBC drama series L.A. Law,[1] and as retired police detective Henry Spencer on the USA Network comedy-drama series Psych. He has also appeared regularly on other shows, including General Hospital and Cuts.
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Early life
Bernsen was born in North Hollywood, California, to Harry Bernsen, a Hollywood producer, and veteran soap actress Jeanne Cooper, who appears on The Young and the Restless.[1] He graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1971. Bernsen is also a "double Bruin," having received both a BA in Theatre Arts and an MFA in Playwriting from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[2]
Acting career
After a two-year appearance on the soap opera, Ryan's Hope,[1] Bernsen was awarded the role as lawyer Arnold Becker on the hit Steven Bochco television series, L.A. Law in 1986. The role earned him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, appearances on dozens of magazine covers, and guest-starring roles on shows such as Seinfeld and The Larry Sanders Show.[1] He was one of the few actors to remain on L.A. Law for the entire run the show, until it ended in 1994.
Bernsen appeared with the British actor Bruce Payne in the films Kounterfeit and Aurora: Operation Intercept. He starred as the title character, Dr. Alan Feinstone, in the horror film The Dentist and its sequel. Bernsen was also cast as primadonna 3rd baseman, Roger Dorn, in the sports comedy Major League and appeared in both of the film's sequels. Bernsen appeared on General Hospital, where he portrayed John Durant from September 2004 until the character was murdered in May 2006.
Bernsen played Jack Sherwood on Cuts, appeared twice on Celebrity Mole, and played a lawyer on Boston Legal. He appeared as Q2 on Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also had a recurring role as Captain Owen Sebring on the military drama JAG and played a Republican senator on two episodes of The West Wing. He directed, produced and appeared in the horror film Dead Air. Bernsen currently co-stars in USA's Psych, playing the role of Henry Spencer, the father of the main character, Shawn Spencer (James Roday). In the film RUST, Bernsen played a former minister who returns to his hometown.
Bernsen at the 39th Emmy Awards in 1987
Bernsen is currently directing a film titled 25 Hill, which is centered around the All-American Soap Box Derby, and is planning a baseball movie about zombies, called "Three Strikes, You’re Dead."[3]
Producing career
Bernsen is president and co-owner of Public Media Works, a new media company that develops entertainment for targeted fan bases.[4] He directed and starred in Carpool Guy, the company's first film; it was targeted at soap opera fans[5] and released on DVD in 2005.
Bernsen's role at Public Media Works led him to follow up with Kyle MacDonald, the blogger behind one red paperclip. According to the book One Red Paperclip, in June 2006, Bernsen traded a role in the Public Media Works film Donna on Demand to the book's author, blogger Kyle MacDonald, for a snow globe of the band KISS. It was for this role that MacDonald eventually traded for a two-story farm house.[6]
Bernsen is the founder and head of Team Cherokee Productions, an independent production company that, similar to Public Media Works, develops, produces and markets films and television shows for targeted fan bases. Along with Bernsen, the company is run by James Greilick, who is in charge of development. The company's latest Film RUST, was released in 2010.
Personal life
Bernsen is married to British actress Amanda Pays. They have four sons.
In 2008, Bernsen and his family appeared on the NBC show Celebrity Family Feud, competing first against the Margaret Cho family and then against the crew from American Chopper, but lost to them.
Bernsen's mother is of Cherokee heritage.[citation needed]
Bernsen has one of the biggest snow globe collections in the world, with almost 7,000 snowglobes.[7]
Filmography
Film Year Film Role Notes 1967 Clambake Boy uncredited 1974 Three the Hard Way Boy 1976 Eat My Dust Roy Puire 1987 Dead Aim Webster Hello Again Jason Chadman 1988 Mickey's 60th Birthday Arnie Becker TV film 1989 Bert Rigby, You're a Fool Jim Shirley Major League Roger Dorn Disorganized Crime Frank Salazar Breaking Point Pike TV film 1991 Line of Fire: The Morris Dees Story Morris Dees TV film Shattered Jeb Scott Dead on the Money Carter Matthews TV film 1992 Grass Roots Will Lee TV film Frozen Assets Zach Shepard Ring of the Musketeers Harry TV film Love Can Be Murder Nick Peyton TV film 1993 Fatal Inheritance Woodward Dawes Ghost Brigade Col. Nehemiah Strayn Beyond Suspicion Stan TV film 1994 Guns of Honor Brent Mallick TV film The Soft Kill Martin Lewis Bud Bowl V Coach of Team Bud Light A Brilliant Disguise Dr. Martin Trigger Fast Brent Mallick I Know My Son Is Alive Dr. Mark Elshant TV film Final Mission General Morgan Breslaw Major League II Roger Dorn Savage Land Quint The New Age Kevin Bulasky Where Are My Children? Tom Scott TV film Radioland Murders Dexter Morris 1995 Someone to Die For Jack Davis Cover Me Andre Solloway Dangerous Intentions Tom Williamson Aurora: Operation Intercept Flight Engineer Murphy Tales from the Hood Duke Metger Tails You Live, Heads You're Dead Neil Jones/Roy Francis Netter TV film Murderous Intent Brice TV film Temptress Nick 1996 Bloodhounds Harrison Coyle TV film Murder on the Iditarod Trail Alex Jensen TV film Baja John Stone The Dentist Dr. Alan Feinstone The Great White Hype Peter Prince Inhumanoid Foster Carver TV film Bloodhounds II Harrison Coyle TV film Full Circle Harrison Winslow TV film 1997 An American Affair Dist. Atty. Sam Brady/Sen. John Crawford Menno's Mind Felix Medina Tidal Wave: No Escape John Wahl TV film Kounterfeit Marty Hopkins Spacejacked Barnes 1998 The Fairy King of Ar Rob Preston a.k.a. Beings Loyal Opposition: Terror in the White House Secret Service Agent John Gray TV film Major League: Back to the Minors Roger Dorn The Dentist 2 Dr. Alan Feinstone Riddler's Moon George TV film Recipe for Revenge Dr. Chester Winnifield TV film The Misadventures of Margaret Art Turner Young Hearts Unlimited Brian TV film 1999 Kiss of a Stranger Mason Two of Hearts Bruce Saunders TV film 2000 Borderline Normal Benjiman Walling Rangers The Senator 2001 Apocalypse IV: Judgment Mitch Kendrick Fangs Carl Hart The Tomorrow Man Larry Final Payback Mayor Richardson Killer Instinct Jennings Wilhite Raptor Dr. Hyde 2002 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus David Carver Gentle Ben Fog Benson TV film L.A. Law: The Movie Arnie Becker TV film Atomic Twister Sheriff C. B. Bishop TV film Dead Above Ground Mark Mallory The Santa Trap Chief Tom Spivak TV film 2003 Gentle Ben 2 Fog Benson TV film Love Comes Softly Ben Graham TV film The Commission Rep. Gerald R. Ford 2004 Call Me: The Rise and Fall of Heidi Fleiss Steve TV film They Are Among Us Norbert TV film Nightmare Boulevard Jerry Martin 2005 Raging Sharks Capt. Riley Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Harlan Dexter Ordinary Miracles David Woodbury TV film Carpool Guy Michael 2006 Submission Max The Naked Ape Mr. Feldman Paid William Montague Last Sunset John Wayne 2008 House of Fallen Rowland Depth Charge Captain Richards TV film Vipers Burton TV film Confessions of a Go-Go Girl Nick Harvey TV film For the Love of Grace Captain Washington TV film 2009 Donna on Demand Ben Corbin Also director Dead Air Dr. F Also director 2010 Rust James Moore Also director, writer, & producer 25 Hill Roy Gibbs Also director, writer, & producer Television Year Title Role Notes 1979 Flying High Dan Ellison 1 episode 1980 The Waltons Casey 1 episode 1984–1985 Ryan's Hope Ken Graham 5 episodes 1986–1994 L.A. Law Arnie Becker 171 episodes 1990 Saturday Night Live Himself 1 episode Star Trek: TNG Q (uncredited) 1 episode Dear John Blake McCarron 1 episode 1991 Out of This World Chad 1 episode 1992 Seinfeld Himself 1 episode 1993 Roc Jim Larson 1 episode 1994 The Nanny Glen Mitchell 1 episode 1995 A Whole New Ballgame Brett Sooner 7 episodes In the Heat of the Night Frank Cole 1 episode 1996–1997 The Cape USAF Col. Henry 'Bull' Eckert 17 episodes 1997 Touched by an Angel Eric Weiss 1 episode 1999 Tracey Takes On... Jack Dayton 1 episode 7th Heaven Ted Grant 1 episode Twice in a Lifetime Roger Stovall/Bill Water 1 episode Nash Bridges Edward Jansen 1 episode 1999–2004 JAG Captain Owen Sebring 8 Episodes 2000 Battery Park Michael 1 episode The Outer Limits Virgil Nygard 1 episode Son of the Beach Big Red Johnson 1 episode Beggars and Choosers Sandy Peretz 1 episode Yes, Dear Gary Walden 1 episode Baywatch Barry Poe 1 episode 2001 The West Wing Henry Shallick 2 episodes V.I.P. Zack Henley 1 episode Jack & Jill Paul Barrett 2 episodes Citizen Baines Nicholas Tassler 1 episode 2003 Miss Match Stu 'Dr. Love' Scott 1 episode L.A. Dragnet Richard Atkins 1 episode Celebrity Mole: Hawaii Himself 3 episodes 2004 Third Watch Carter Savage 1 episode NYPD Blue Bob Cavanaugh 1 episode Celebrity Mole: Yucatan Himself 2 episodes 2004, 2009–2010 The Young and the Restless Father Todd Williams 9 episodes 2004–2006 General Hospital John Durant 2005 Palmetto Pointe Old Ballplayer 1 episode Law & Order: Criminal Intent William Hendry 1 episode 2005–2006 Cuts Jack Sherwood 12 episodes 2006 Boston Legal Eli Granger 1 episode 2006–Present Psych Henry Spencer 79 episodes 2007 Masters of Horror Ira 1 episode 2009 The New Adventures of Old Christine Howard 1 episode 2011 Castle Lance Buchanan 1 episode 2011 Criminal Minds Jerry Grandin 1 episode Video Games Year Title Role Notes 1997 Blue Heat: The Case of the Cover Girl Murders Andre Solloway References
- ^ a b c d Biography from a USA Network website for Psych
- ^ MSN Bio
- ^ Corbin Bernsen planning zombie baseball movie
- ^ Summary of Public Media Works from the OTC Bulletin Board website
- ^ Interview with Bernsen from Soap Opera Digest
- ^ Podcast featuring in its second-half an interview with Bernsen (in MP3 format) by a "new marketing" podcaster
- ^ Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine The Celebrity Collector: Corbin Bernsen
External links
- Corbin Bernsen at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
- Corbin Bernsen at the Internet Movie Database
- Corbin Bernsen at AllRovi
Categories:- 1954 births
- Actors from Los Angeles, California
- American film actors
- American game show hosts
- American soap opera actors
- American television actors
- Living people
- Participants in American reality television series
- University of California, Los Angeles alumni
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