Alan Rosenberg

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Alan Rosenberg
Rosenberg in 2007
27th President of the Screen Actors Guild
In office
2005–2009
Preceded byMelissa Gilbert
Succeeded byKen Howard
Personal details
Born (1950-10-04) October 4, 1950 (age 73)[1]
Passaic, New Jersey, US
Spouses
(m. 1976; div. 1984)
(m. 1989; div. 2010)
Children1
RelativesMark Rosenberg
(brother)
Donald Fagen
(cousin)
EducationCase Western Reserve University (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active1978–present

Alan Rosenberg (born October 4, 1950)[1] is an American actor who portrayed the character Eli Levinson in both Civil Wars and L.A. Law. From 2005 to 2009, Rosenberg was president of the Screen Actors Guild, the principal motion picture industry on-screen performers' union.

Early life and education[edit]

Rosenberg was born on October 4, 1950, and raised in Passaic, New Jersey. He was raised in Conservative Judaism.[1][2][3] Rosenberg's late brother, Mark, was a political activist in the 1960s, later a film producer. Their first cousin, also from Passaic, is musician/songwriter Donald Fagen, co-founder of the group Steely Dan.[1]

Rosenberg's parents gave him money to apply to graduate school.[3] Rosenberg said that upon graduating in 1972 from Case Western Reserve University, he found another passion, poker, and subsequently gambled away most of the money his parents sent him, leaving him only able to afford one application, to the Yale School of Drama. Rosenberg dropped out halfway through his second year at Yale. His "greatest influence and best friend" while there was classmate Meryl Streep.[1]

Career[edit]

In 1979, Rosenberg appeared in the movie The Wanderers, as Turkey. He is also well known for his character Ira Woodbine in the sitcom Cybill. More recently, he was seen in the legal drama The Guardian as Alvin Masterson.

Rosenberg supplied the voice of the bounty hunter Boba Fett on NPR's adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. Rosenberg is also known for his appearance as the crazed "Mad Bomber" in the 1986 cult-classic Stewardess School and Paul Bartel's screwball comedy Not for Publication opposite Nancy Allen (1984).

In 1991, he appeared in the TV film The Boys.

In 1995, he received an Emmy Award nomination for a guest-starring role in the hit drama ER. He starred in the Temptations miniseries in 1998, as long-time manager Shelly Berger.

In 1999, he began a recurring role as the hospital legal counsel, Stuart Brickman, on Chicago Hope. Halfway through their final season, he was added to the opening titles as a series regular.

He appeared on Broadway in What's Wrong With This Picture and Lost In Yonkers, and off-Broadway in Isn't It Romantic, A Prayer for My Daughter, and Kid Champion. He most recently starred at the Delaware Theatre Company production of Partners, written by Allan Katz.

He was elected the 24th president of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) on September 23, 2005. Rosenberg succeeded Melissa Gilbert, who had served as president since 2001 and chose not to run for a third two-year term. Rosenberg received 39.99 percent (10,748 total votes) of the nationwide vote of the Guild's general membership, defeating Morgan Fairchild and Robert Conrad.

In 2005, he appeared as shady defense attorney Adam Novak in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation co-starring alongside his real-life wife Marg Helgenberger. Novak was portrayed as a womanizer who encountered Catherine (Helgenberger) in a bar and later became the prime suspect in two homicides. In a 2007 episode "Leaving Las Vegas" he appeared as a lawyer defending a client who turned out to be guilty of two separate crimes, and yet the evidence failed to pin him down, resulting in a not guilty verdict which annoyed Catherine so much that she began to undertake further investigation.

In 2006, he appeared in a recurring role as Bruce Steinerman, the divorce attorney of Dr. James Wilson in the television-series House M.D. He has hosted episodes of the public television program, Life: Part 2,[4] which began in 2007 and is produced in St. Paul, Minnesota. The show features panel discussions about issues that baby boomers face as they age.[5]

In 2015, he appeared as Dr. William Golliher in the Amazon original series Bosch.[6] In 2016, he had a recurring role as shady investor William Sutter on the USA Network drama Suits.

From 2016 to 2017, he had a recurring role in the Showtime cable series Shameless (seasons 6 - 8). He portrayed Professor Youens, an alcoholic college professor and mentor to Lip Gallagher.

Personal life[edit]

Rosenberg's first marriage was to actress Robin Bartlett, from 1976 to 1984.[7]

He met Marg Helgenberger in New York City in 1984, while guest-starring on her soap Ryan's Hope. The two became friends and started dating in 1986. They married in 1989 and have one son, Hugh Howard Rosenberg (born October 21, 1990).[8] On December 1, 2008, Rosenberg and Helgenberger announced their separation.[8] On March 25, 2009, Helgenberger filed for divorce.[9] The divorce was finalized in February 2010.[10]

As a result of Helgenberger's mother's 27-year battle with breast cancer, Helgenberger and Rosenberg became involved in the fight against the disease. They have hosted a benefit called Marg and Alan's Celebrity Weekend every year in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1999.[citation needed]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1979 The Wanderers Turkey
1980 Happy Birthday, Gemini Francis Geminiani
1984 Not for Publication Bernie
1986 Stewardess School Mad Bomber
1987 White of the Eye Mike Desantos
1988 The Last Temptation of Christ Thomas, Apostle
1988 Miracle Mile Mike
1989 Peacemaker David Cooper Short
1989 After Midnight Richard Segment: "All Night Operator"
1990 Impulse Charley Katz
1994 On Hope Arnie Short
2001 Reaching Normal Frank
2002 The Bum The Bum Short
2005 Robots Jack Hammer Voice
2008 Righteous Kill Stein
2008 Welcome to Los Feliz Bob White
2014 Still Here Stan Short
TBA The Next Cassavetes SAG Rep Post-production

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1978 Barnaby Jones Ray Reed Episode: "Memory of a Nightmare"
1981 Texas Doctor 1 episode
1982 Nine to Five Instructor Episode: "Real Men Don't Make Quiche"
1985 Robert Kennedy and His Times Jack Newfield 3 episodes
1985 Kojak: The Belarus File Lustig Television film
1986 Promise Dr. Pressman Television film
1987 The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd Martin Storm Episode: "Here's Why Good Guys Sometimes Wear Black"
1987 The King of Love Jay Schoen Television film
1989 Capone Behind Bars Frank Nitti Television film
1989 Coach Professor John Sterling Episode: "Kelly and the Professor"
1989 The Preppie Murder Dan Levin Television film
1989 Empty Nest Professor Brooks Episode: "Overdue for a Job"
1989–1994 L.A. Law Eli Levinson, Lawyer William Wills 24 episodes
1990 Bar Girls Miles Television film
1990 Parker Kane Morris Television film
1990 Lucky Chances Costa 3 episodes
1990 Midnight Caller J.D. Stillwell 2 episodes
1990 Over My Dead Body Kurt Episode: "Dead Air"
1991 The Boys Psychiatrist Television film
1991 ...And Then She Was Gone Alan Dunlap Television film
1991–1993 Civil Wars Eli Levinson 36 episodes
1993 The Tommyknockers Jack Kimble Episode: "Part 1"
1993 Partners Unknown role Television film
1994 ER Samuel Gasner Episode: "Into That Good Night"
1994 Witch Hunt N.J. Gottlieb Television film
1995 Freaky Friday Bill Davidson Television film
1995 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Huckter, Skater Voice, 1 episode
1995–1998 Cybill Ira Woodbine, Zechariah 85 episodes
1996 On Seventh Avenue Phillip Reiman Television film
1996 Undue Influence Harry Hines Television film
1996 Rugrats Mr. Dreidel, TV Announcer Voice, episode: "Chanukah"
1996 Breaking Through Ned Burkett Television film
1997 Duckman Dr. Bob Voice, episode: "How to Suck in Business Without Really Trying"
1997 Cloned Dr. Wesley Kozak Television film
1998 Murphy Brown Max Llewelyn Episode: "The Last Temptation of Murphy"
1998 Giving Up the Ghost Jake Television film
1998 The Temptations Shelly Berger Miniseries
1998 L.A. Doctors Dr. Keith Burke Episode: "The Code"
1998 Bronx County Unknown role Television film
1999 Hercules Boreas Voice, episode: "Hercules and the Spartan Experience"
1999 Touched by an Angel T.K. McKenna Episode: "The Medium and the Message"
1999 The Wild Thornberrys Hyena Voice, episode: "No Laughing Matter"
1999 A Touch of Hope Dr. Rohan Television film
1999 Family Law Unknown role Episode: "Decisions"
1999–2000 Chicago Hope Stuart Brickman 16 episodes
2000 Level 9 Colonel Lavalle Episode: "Through the Looking Glass"
2001 A Mother's Fight for Justice Geoff Stone Television film
2002 L.A. Law: The Movie Eli Levinson Uncredited
Television film
2001–2004 The Guardian Alvin Masterson 67 episodes
2005 NYPD Blue Barry Olshan Episode: "Lenny Scissorhands"
2005 Numb3rs Judge Franklin Trelane Episode: "Judgment Call"
2005–2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Adam Novak 2 episodes
2006 House Bruce Steinerman Episode: "Whac-A-Mole"
2009 American Dad! Lawyer #1 Voice, episode: "Live and Let Fry"
2011 Harry's Law Dr. Carleton Episode: "Send in the Clowns"
2011–2012 Luck Nick DeRossi 6 episodes
2014–2021 Bosch Dr. William Golliher 5 episodes
2016 Suits William Sutter 6 episodes
2016–2017 Shameless Professor Youens 19 episodes
2017 Elementary Sydney Garber Episode: "Fidelity"
2017 APB Professor Malkova Episode: "Strange Bedfellows"
2017 Training Day Jack Rawls Episode: "Bad Day at Aqua Mesa"
2018 The Good Fight Len Gottlieb Episode: "Day 485"
2022 Bosch: Legacy Dr. William Golliher 3 episodes
2022 Mo Aba Weinberg 3 episodes

Video games[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Robots Jack Hammer

Radio[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Star Wars Boba Fett Episode: "The Empire Strikes Back"

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "In Theater and Politics, Alan Rosenberg Affirms the Lessons of His Undergraduate Years". Art/Sci. 5 (2). Case Western Reserve University. Spring 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2014. art/sci misspells Fagen's name but identification is clear.
  2. ^ Berrin, Danielle (March 18, 2009). "Is SAG's Rosenberg Serving the Cause, or Wreaking Havoc?". The Jewish Journal.
  3. ^ a b Pfefferman, Naomi (June 6, 2002). "'Letters' From the Heart". JewishJournal.com.
  4. ^ "Life: Part 2". PBS.org.
  5. ^ "About Life (Part 2)". PBS.org. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  6. ^ Rodman, Sarah (11 February 2015). "Amazon squeezes quality pulp out of 'Bosch'". Boston Globe. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Rosenberg, Alan 1950(?)- (Alan Rosenburg) | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  8. ^ a b Fleeman, Mike (December 1, 2008). "Marg Helgenberger & Husband Separate After 19 Years". People.
  9. ^ Lee, Ken (March 25, 2009). "CSI Star Marg Helgenberger Files for Divorce". People. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
  10. ^ Rebecca Davies (December 28, 2009). "'CSI' star's divorce final by February". Digital Spy. Retrieved August 17, 2011.

External links[edit]