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Doug Savant
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{{short description|American film and television actor}} {{Infobox person | name = Doug Savant | image = Doug Savant 2009.jpg | caption = Savant in April 2009 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|6|21}} | birth_place = [[Burbank, California]], U.S. | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1984–present | spouse = {{Marriage|Dawn Dunkin|1983|1997|end=divorced}}{{Marriage|[[Laura Leighton]]|1998}} | birth_name = Douglas Peter Savant | children = 4 }} '''Douglas Peter Savant''' (born June 21, 1964) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as [[Matt Fielding]] in the Fox prime time soap opera ''[[Melrose Place]]'' (1992–97), [[Tom Scavo]] in [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] comedy-drama ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'' (2004–12), and as Sgt. O'Neal in ''[[Godzilla (1998 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1998). == Early life == Savant was born and raised in [[Burbank, California]]. He attended [[University of California, Los Angeles]], but left before graduating to pursue his acting career.<ref name="tbg" /> ==Career== Savant began his career appearing in teen comedy films ''[[Secret Admirer (film)|Secret Admirer]]'' and ''[[Teen Wolf]]'' in 1985, and the following year appeared in horror film ''[[Trick or Treat (1986 film)|Trick or Treat]]''. From 1986 to 1987, he had a recurring role as a younger version of Mac McKenzie (played by [[Kevin Dobson]]) in the [[CBS]] prime time soap opera ''[[Knots Landing]]''. He was paired with future ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'' co-star [[Nicollette Sheridan]], who played a younger version of the Anne Matheson character portrayed by [[Michelle Phillips]]. In 1988, he co-starred in erotic thriller film ''[[Masquerade (1988 film)|Masquerade]]'' alongside [[Rob Lowe]] and [[Kim Cattrall]]. From 1992 to 1997, Savant starred as [[Matt Fielding]] in the Fox prime time soap opera ''[[Melrose Place]]'', a role that was notable for being one of the first openly gay lead characters on a television series.<ref name=tbg>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/doug-savant/bio/148039|title=Doug Savant | TV Guide|website=TVGuide.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.j-archive.com/showplayer.php?player_id=2779|title=J! Archive - Doug Savant|website=www.j-archive.com}}</ref> However, his role was censored greatly by the network - notably a kiss between Matt and guest star [[Ty Miller]] during the season two finale was edited out at the last minute by FOX. Savant left the series after five seasons and, a year later, his character was killed off-screen in a car crash. In 1998, he appeared in monster film ''[[Godzilla (1998 film)|Godzilla]]'' playing Sgt. O'Neal, and the following years had guest-starring roles on ''[[The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'', ''[[Profiler (TV series)|Profiler]]'', ''[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'', ''[[JAG (TV series)|JAG]]'', ''[[Nip/Tuck]]'', ''[[NYPD Blue]]'', and ''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]''. In 2004, he had a four-episode arc on ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]''.<ref name=tbg/> In 2004, Savant was cast as [[Tom Scavo]] in the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] comedy-drama series, ''[[Desperate Housewives]]''. In the first season (2004–05), Tom was originally credited as a recurring role throughout Season 1, but became credited as a series regular in Season 2. Married to [[Lynette Scavo]] ([[Felicity Huffman]]), he was out of town regularly on business. Viewer response to Savant and his character led the producers to contract him as a series regular from season two onwards, and Tom and Lynette were portrayed as the most stable couple on the series. The series ended in 2012, and the following years, Savant had guest-starring roles in a number of shows, including ''[[Hot in Cleveland]]'', ''[[Criminal Minds]]'', ''[[9-1-1 (TV series)|9-1-1]]'' and ''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]''. ==Personal life== In May 1998, he married his ''[[Melrose Place]]'' co-star [[Laura Leighton]]. They have two children together: Jack (born October 10, 2000) and Lucy (born June 9, 2005).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/parents/laura_leighton_-2/|title=Laura Leighton and Doug Savant welcome a daughter|website=PEOPLE.com}}</ref> Savant also has two children from a previous marriage whom Leighton helped raise, Arianna (born January 17, 1992) and Madeline (born July 20, 1993).<ref>{{cite news|title=Fame & Fortune: Laura Leighton |work=bankrate.com |access-date=April 9, 2009 |url=http://www.bankrate.com/nydn/news/investing/20080118_fame_fortune_Laura_Leighton_a1.asp?prodtype=invest |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626215414/http://www.bankrate.com/nydn/news/investing/20080118_fame_fortune_Laura_Leighton_a1.asp?prodtype=invest |archive-date=June 26, 2009 }}</ref> ==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1984 || ''[[Swing Shift (film)|Swing Shift]]'' || Actor || |- |rowspan=2|1985 || ''[[Secret Admirer (film)|Secret Admirer]]'' || Boy || |- | ''[[Teen Wolf]]'' || Brad || |- |1986 || ''[[Trick or Treat (1986 film)|Trick or Treat]]'' || Tim Hainey || |- |1987 || ''[[The Hanoi Hilton]]'' || Ashby || |- |1988 || ''[[Masquerade (1988 film)|Masquerade]]'' || Mike McGill || |- |1989 || ''[[Paint It Black (1989 film)|Paint It Black]]'' || Eric Hinsley || |- |rowspan=2|1990 || ''Red Surf'' || Attila || |- |''[[Shaking the Tree (film)|Shaking the Tree]]'' || Michael || |- |1993 || ''[[Maniac Cop III: Badge of Silence]]'' || Dr. Peter Myerson || |- |1998 || ''[[Godzilla (1998 film)|Godzilla]]'' || Sgt. O'Neal || |- |1999 || ''[[First Daughter (1999 film)|First Daughter]]'' ||Grant Coleman || |- |2000 || ''Dropping Out'' || Doctor || |- |2001 || ''[[The One (2001 film)|The One]]'' || Cop || Uncredited |- |2006 || ''[[All You've Got]]'' || Sam McDonald || |- |2014 || ''April Rain'' || Special Agent Singleton || |} ===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1985 || ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]'' || Dwayne Patterson || Episode: "Violation" |- |rowspan=2|1986 || ''[[Hotel (U.S. TV series)|Hotel]]'' || Elliot Jessup || Episode: "Scapegoat" |- | ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985 TV series)|Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'' || Joey Medwick || Episode: "Road Hog" |- |1986–87 || ''[[Knots Landing]]'' || Young Mack Mackenzie || 7 episodes |- |rowspan=2|1987 || ''[[The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]'' || Dwayne || Episode: "A Winter's Tale" |- |''[[Stingray (1985 TV series)|Stingray]]'' || Cdt. Thomas O'Conner || Episode: "Night Maneuvers" |- |1988 || ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]'' || Scott LaPierre || 2 episodes |- |rowspan=3|1990 || ''[[China Beach]]'' || Richard || Episode: "The Thanks of a Grateful Nation" |- |''The Knife and Gun Club'' || Dr. Barrow || TV movie |- | ''[[Jake and the Fatman]]'' || John Bronski || Episode: "God Bless the Child" |- |1991 || ''Aftermath: A Test of Love'' || Jeff || TV movie |- |rowspan=2|1992 || ''[[Columbo]]'' || Detective Dennis Mulrooney || Episode: "No Time to Die" |- | ''[[Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story]]'' || Deputy Sheriff [[Ted Hinton]] || TV movie |- |1992–98 || ''[[Melrose Place]]'' || [[Matt Fielding]] || Series Regular<br>162 episodes |- |rowspan=2|1995 || ''[[Burke's Law (1994 TV series)|Burke's Law]]'' || Chase Cobb || Episode: "Who Killed the World's Greatest Chef?" |- |''Fight for Justice: The Nancy Conn Story'' || Richard Mark Ellard || TV movie |- |1996 || ''Terminal'' || Dr. Sean O'Grady || TV movie |- |rowspan=2|1998 || ''[[Love Boat: The Next Wave]]'' || Josh Walters || Episode: "Smooth Sailing" |- | ''[[The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'' || Kel || Episode: "[[The Hunt (The Outer Limits)|The Hunt]]" |- |rowspan=3|1999 || ''[[Profiler (TV series)|Profiler]]'' || Toby Watson || Episode: "Inheritance" |- | ''A Face to Kill For'' || Virgil || TV movie |- | ''[[First Daughter (1999 film)|First Daughter]]'' || Grant Coleman || TV movie |- |rowspan=3|2000 || ''[[Harsh Realm]]'' || Sergeant Sommers || Episode: "Kein Ausgang" |- | ''[[Godzilla: The Series]]'' || Trespasser #2 || Episode: "Area 51" |- | ''[[First Target]]'' || Grant Coleman || TV movie |- |rowspan=3|2001 || ''[[That's Life (2000 TV series)|That's Life]]'' || J.T.'s Cousin || Episode: "Or What's a Heaven For?" |- |''[[The District]]'' || Jeffrey Riverton || Episode: "To Serve and Protect" |- | ''[[Family Law (American TV series)|Family Law]]'' || Harold Raines || Episode: "Sacrifices" |- |rowspan=4|2002 || ''[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'' || Commander Harken || Episode: "[[Bushwhacked (Firefly)|Bushwhacked]]" |- | ''[[JAG (TV series)|JAG]]'' || Navy Seals Commander || Episode: "Dangerous Game" |- | ''[[First Shot (2002 film)|First Shot]]'' || Grant Coleman || TV movie |- | ''[[According to Jim]]'' || Rick || Episode: "The Bachelor" |- |rowspan=7|2004 || ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'' || Craig Phillips || 4 episodes |- |''[[The Guardian (TV series)|The Guardian]]'' || Eric Kane || Episode: "Legacy" |- | ''Faultline'' || Prof. Anthony McAllister || TV movie |- | ''[[NYPD Blue]]'' || Jason Foster || Episode: "Chatty Chatty Bang Bang" |- | ''[[NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service]]'' || Father Larry Clannon || Episode: "A Weak Link" |- | ''[[Nip/Tuck]]'' || Joel Gideon || Episode: "Joel Gideon" |- | ''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]'' || Paul Brady || Episode: "Swap Meet" |- |2004–12 || ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'' || [[Tom Scavo]] || Recurring role (season 1)<br>Main role (seasons 2–8)<br>176 Episodes<br>[[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series]], 2006<br>Nominated — [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series]], 2007–2009 |- |2008 || ''Playing for Keeps'' || Peter Marcheson || TV movie |- |2012 || ''[[Hot in Cleveland]]'' || Scott || Episode: "Two Girls and a Rhino" |- |rowspan=4|2013 || ''[[Vegas (2012 TV series)|Vegas]]'' || Mr. Binder || Episode: "Road Trip" |- |''[[Rizzoli & Isles]]'' || Judge Roger Thorson || Episode: "Judge, Jury & Executioner" |- | ''[[Drop Dead Diva]]'' || Jacob Joardi || Episode: "Jane's Secret Revealed" |- | ''[[Criminal Minds]]'' || Malcolm Taffert || Episode: "The Caller" |- |2014 || ''[[Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]'' || Robert Young || Episode: "Wawahi moeʻuhane"- Broken Dreams |- |2015 || ''[[Scorpion (TV series)|Scorpion]]'' || Wilson Adler || Episode: "Tech, Drugs, and Rock 'n Roll" |- | rowspan="5" |2016 || ''[[The X-Files]]'' || Augustus Goldman || Episode: "[[Founder's Mutation]]" |- || ''[[Castle (TV series)|Castle]]'' || Trevor Nigel || Episode: "The G.D.S." |- || ''[[Halt and Catch Fire (TV series)|Halt and Catch Fire]]'' || Mac Harpor || Episode: "One Way or Another" |- || ''[[Pure Genius]]'' || Simon Monroe || Episode: "It’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider Silk Surgery" |- || ''[[Notorious (2016 TV series)|Notorious]]'' || Paul Weston || 2 episodes |- |2017 || ''[[SEAL Team (TV series)|SEAL Team]]'' || Malcolm || Episode: "Borderlines" |- |rowspan=3 | 2018 || ''[[9-1-1 (TV series)|9-1-1]]'' || Matthew Clark || 2 episodes |- | ''[[Lucifer (TV series)|Lucifer]]'' || Forest Clay || Episode: "[[List of Lucifer episodes#ep54|Quintessential Deckerstar]]" |- | ''[[NCIS: New Orleans]]'' || Eric Barlow || 2 episodes |- |2019 || ''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]'' || Brigadier General Daniel Kent || Episode: "Hail & Farewell" |- |rowspan=3 | 2020 || ''[[Dirty John (TV series)|Dirty John]]'' || Martin Newsome || 2 episodes |- | ''[[L.A.'s Finest]]'' || Richard Reeves || Episode: "Kangaroo Jack" |- | ''[[S.W.A.T. (2017 TV series)|S.W.A.T.]]'' || Mark || Episode: "Gunpowder Treason" |- |rowspan=2 | 2021 || ''[[Tell Me Your Secrets]]'' || Ed Jennings || 2 episodes |- | ''[[The Rookie (TV series)|The Rookie]]'' || Benjamin || Episode: "True Crime" |} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{IMDb name|0767443}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070531170437/http://sidewalkstv.com/webclips/s/dougsavant.html Doug Savant 2007 Interview] on ''[[Sidewalks Entertainment]]'' {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Savant, Doug}} [[Category:1964 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century American male actors]] [[Category:21st-century American male actors]] [[Category:American male film actors]] [[Category:American male television actors]] [[Category:Male actors from Burbank, California]]
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