Ed Begley, Jr.

Infobox actor

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imagesize =
caption = Begley Jr. and Penny Marshall on the red carpet at the 40th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, August 28, 1988
birthname = Edward James Begley, Jr.
birthdate = birth date and age|1949|9|16
birthplace = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
occupation = Film, television, voice actor
yearsactive = 1970-
spouse = Ingrid Taylor (1976-1989)
Rachelle Carson (2000-present)
homepage = http://www.edbegley.com
academyawards =
emmyawards =
tonyawards =

Edward James Begley, Jr. (born September 16, 1949) is an American actor, game show panelist and environmentalist. Begley is perhaps best known for his work as Dr. Mark Craig's intern, Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the television series "St. Elsewhere", for which he received six consecutive Emmy Award nominations. He currently has a reality show about green living called "Living With Ed" on Planet Green with his wife actress Rachelle Carson.

Biography

Personal life

Begley, Jr. was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Allene Jeanne Sanders and Ed Begley, both actors (although at the time, Ed Begley was married to Amanda Huff). [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/61/Ed-Begley-Jr.html Ed Begley, Jr. Biography (1949-) ] ] [ [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/16668334.html?dids=16668334:16668334&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Apr+14%2C+1996&author=CONNIE+KOENENN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Rooted+to+the+Cause%3B+Ed+Begley+Jr.+shines+in+a+world+in+which+some+stars+are+environmentalists+only+when+the+cameras+are+on.+He+lives+what+he+preaches.&pqatl=google Rooted to the Cause; Ed Begley Jr. shines in a world in which some stars are environmentalists only when the cameras are on. He lives what he preaches ] ] He grew up on Merrick, Long Island, New York where he attended Stella Niagara Education Park Cadet school in Lewiston, New York. In 1962 the family moved back to California where he graduated from Van Nuys High School, Van Nuys, California and Los Angeles Valley College in North Hollywood, California. [ [http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/Ed_Begley_Jr/197266 Hollywood.com, Ed Begley, Jr.] ]

He married his first wife Ingrid Taylor, on October 31, 1976 and together had daughter, Amanda Begley born on October 3, 1977 and a son, Nicholas Taylor Begley born on January 4, 1979. Ed and Ingrid divorced in October 1989. He then married Rachelle Carson on August 23, 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Together they had a daughter Hayden Carson born in 1999.

Acting career

Begley, Jr.'s numerous works in television and film include recurring roles on "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman", "7th Heaven", "Arrested Development" and "Six Feet Under", and starring roles in "Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital," "St. Elsewhere," and "". He has played significant roles in the mockumentary films "Best in Show", "A Mighty Wind", and "For Your Consideration". Additionally, Begley played Viper pilot Greenbean on the original Battlestar Galactica tv series, Boba Fett in the radio adaptation of "Return of the Jedi" and Seth Gillette, a fictional Democratic U.S. senator from North Dakota in the television drama "The West Wing". Since 2000, he has been a member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

He has guest-starred on shows such as "Scrubs", "Boston Legal" and "", ("Future's End", parts I and II). He had a recurring guest role in season three of "Veronica Mars". Most recently, he appeared in the 2008 HBO movie "Recount", which profiled the 2000 Presidential Election and its aftermath, which was decided by the state of Florida's electoral votes. Begley Jr also made an appearance on "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!" Season 3, episode 3 as a spokesman for Cinco.

Begley's latest acting endeavor is on the new CBS sitcom "Gary Unmarried". Begley plays Dr. Walter Krandall, the protagonist's former marriage counselor and fiancee of his ex-wife.

Environmental activism

Since 1970, he has been an environmentalist beginning with his first electric vehicle, a Taylor-Dunn [ [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Ed+Begley,+Jr-a018082847 The Free Library: Ed Begley, Jr.] ] golf cart style vehicle, recycling, and becoming a vegan. [cite web | url=http://www.vegfamily.com/interviews/ed-begley-jr.htm| publisher=VegFamily | title=Ed Begley Jr.: Actor and Environmentalist | accessdate=2008-08-19] He promotes eco-friendly products like the Toyota Prius and Begley's Best Household Cleaner.

The Begley home is a modest 1,585 square feet in size utilizing solar power and also uses wind power via a PacWind vertical-axis wind turbine; an air conditioning unit cooled by Greenway Design Group, LLC., and he pays around $300 a year in electric bills. [The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, April 25, 2008] Though he is noted for riding bicycles or uses public transportation, he owns a 2003 Toyota RAV4 EV electric powered vehicle.

His hybrid electric bicycle was often featured on his television show, "Living With Ed". Begley also spoofed his own environmentalist beliefs on an episode of "The Simpsons" by showing himself using a nonpolluting go-cart that is powered by his "own sense of self-satisfaction".

Environmental affiliations

*Environmental Media Association [ [http://ema-online.org/ EMA - Environmental Media Association ] ]
*Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
*The American Oceans Campaign [ [http://www.oceana.org/international-home-nao/ Oceana – Protecting the World’s Oceans: International Protection and Restoration ] ]
*League of Conservation Voters
*Environmental Research Foundation
*Walden Woods Project
*Thoreau Institute
*Earth Communications Office
*Tree People
*Friends of the Earth

As of 2007, Begley and his wife Rachelle Carson star in their own reality television series, "Living With Ed", on the Home & Garden Television channel and Discovery's Planet Green channel. cite news | url=http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_56190,00.html | title=Living With Ed | publisher=HGTV.com| accessdate=2006-12-27 ] He is receiving the prestigious "Thomas Alva Edison Award" for Energy Independence by the American Jewish Congress, the first of this award to be presented. Begley has been a leader in this field and is being recognized November 2007 for his life's work to the planet.

Political Activism

9/11 Truth Movement

Begley is a part of the 9/11 Truth Movement and on September 11, 2004 he hosted a forum in NYC called "Confronting the Evidence: 911 and the Search for Truth" in New York City. [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7871917330806338693 Video of the event] can be found online.

2004 Racism Watch

Begley was also on the advisory committee for the group 2004 Racism Watch, founded by fellow actor Ed Asner. The group was formed to respond to activities of the George W. Bush/Dick Cheney presidential campaign that they saw as encouraging racism. [cite web | url=http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/0331-04.htm| publisher=Common Dreams | title=2004 Racism Watch Calls On Bush-Cheney Campaign to Change or Pull Offensive Ad | accessdate=2008-10-04]

Filmography

*"Now You See Him, Now You Don't" (1972), Druffle
*"Cockfighter" (1972), Tom Peeples
*"Goin' South" (1978), Whitey Haber
*"The Concorde...Airport '79" (1979), Rescuer #1
*"The In-Laws" (1979), Barry Lutz
*"Private Lessons" (1981), Jack Travis
*"Buddy Buddy" (1981), Lieutenant #1
*"Eating Raoul" (1982), Hippie
*"Get Crazy" (1983), Colin Beverly
*"Streets of Fire" (1984), Ben Gunn
*"Protocol" (1984), Mr. Hassler
*"This is Spinal Tap" (1984), John "Stumpy" Pepys
*"Transylvania 6-5000" (1985), Gil Turner
*"Amazon Women on the Moon" (1987), Griffin
*"The Accidental Tourist" (1988), Charles Leary
*"She-Devil" (1989), Bob
*"In The Best Interest Of The Child" (1990), Lawyer Howard Feldon
*"Meet the Applegates" (1991), Richard Applegate
*"Dark Horse" (1992), Jack Mills
*"Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" (1993), Rupert
*"Renaissance Man" (1994), Jack Markin
*"The Pagemaster" (1994), Alan Tyler
*"Greedy" (1994), Carl McTeague
*"Batman Forever" (1995), Fred Stickley
*"Santa with Muscles" (1996), Ebner Frost
*"Addams Family Reunion" (1998), Phillip Addams
*"The Simpsons - Homer to the Max" (1998), Himself
*"Best in Show" (2000), Mark Schafer
*"Get Over It" (2001), Frank Landers
*"Back by Midnight" (2002), Robert Wade
*"A Mighty Wind" (2003), Lars Olfen
*"Raising Genius" (2004), Dr. Curly Weeks
*"Alone in a Crowd" (2005)
*"Arrested Development" (2005-2006), Stan Sitwell
*"Eco 4 the World" (2006)
*"For Your Consideration" (2006), Sandy Lane
*"Pittsburgh" (2006), Himself
*"Veronica Mars" (2006), Dean Cyrus O'Dell
*"CSI Miami" (2007), Supervisor O' Shay
*"Fly Me to the Moon" (2008), Poopchev (voice)
*"Recount" (2008), David Boies
*"Pineapple Express" (2008), Robert Anderson
*"Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!" (2008), Himself

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0000893|name=Ed Begley, Jr.
*amg name|2:5007
* [http://www.edbegley.com/ Ed Begley, Jr. official site]
* [http://www.begleysbest.com/ Begley's Best Household Cleaner]
*http://www.myspace.com/livingwithed
* [http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/the_treehugger_2.php The TreeHugger Interview: Ed Begley, Jr.]
* [http://www.izipusa.com Currie Technologies]
* [http://www.oneforthetable.com/oftt/index.php?option=com_search&Itemid=5&searchword=Ed+Begley&submit=Search&searchphrase=exact&ordering=newest Writings at One For The Table]
* [http://loghome.com/eco_friendly_home_designs_with_ed_begley_jr/articles/2758 Interview from Log Home Design magazine: Ed Begley, Jr.]
* [http://www.RecountMovie.com Recount Movie]