Biography
Who is Ted Levine?
Origins and education
Born in Bellaire, Ohio, Frank Theodore Levine grew up in the suburbs of Oak Park, Illinois. His mother, Charlotte Virginia Clark, and father, Milton Dmitri Levine, both worked as medical doctors. They were active in a group called Physicians for Social Responsibility. Ted Levine identifies with a mix of Welsh, Native American, and Russian-Jewish heritage. He attended Oak Park and River Forest High School before continuing his studies. His higher education path took him to Marlboro College starting in 1975, and he also studied at the University of Chicago.
Building a career in Chicago
After his time in school, the performer became a regular presence in the theatre scene located in Chicago. He helped form the Remains Theatre alongside colleagues Gary Cole and William Petersen. This experience on stage served as a foundation for his later work. During the 1980s, Ted Levine shifted his focus toward securing parts in television and movie projects. One of his earliest well-known appearances came in the NBC drama Crime Story, where he portrayed the mob enforcer Frank Holman.
Breakthrough and film success
The major turning point for his career arrived when he was cast as the serial killer Jame Gumb, also known as Buffalo Bill, in the 1991 movie The Silence of the Lambs. While this role brought him significant attention, he faced challenges with being typecast as a villain for a period afterward. He successfully navigated this by branching out into diverse characters. He appeared as a member of a police unit led by Al Pacino in Heat. He also portrayed astronaut Alan Shepard in the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon and played a sympathetic husband in the drama Georgia.
Television and expansive roles
Between 2002 and 2009, he maintained a steady presence on television as Captain Leland Stottlemeyer in the detective series Monk. Beyond live-action work, he provided the voice for the character Sinestro across multiple animated series, including Justice League and Static Shock. His filmography continued to expand with projects like the 2001 thriller The Fast and the Furious, where he played Sergeant Tanner. He appeared in the 2003 film Wonderland, based on real events in the Hollywood Hills, and took on a role in the 2006 remake of The Hills Have Eyes.
Other credits include the 2010 film Shutter Island, the 2013 FX series The Bridge, and the 2018 sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. He also joined the cast of the ABC drama Big Sky in 2021.
Life with family
Regarding his life outside of production sets, Ted Levine resides with his partner, Kim Phillips. Together, they have raised two children, consisting of a son and a daughter. He generally keeps his private affairs away from public scrutiny, focusing his public output on his ongoing work as an actor, character actor, and screenwriter.
Birthday and age
Ted Levine was born on May 29, 1957, which makes Ted 69 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Ted shares the date with 33 other famous people.
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