Ted Danson
Biography
Ted Danson is an American actor who first became known on television, playing Tom Conway on the daytime soap opera Somerset from 1975 to 1976 before his film debut in The Onion Field (1979). Born in San Diego and raised mainly in Flagstaff, Arizona, he studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University. His starring role as bartender Sam Malone on the NBC sitcom Cheers, which ran from 1982 to 1993, brought him two Primetime Emmy Awards and a pair of Golden Globe Awards. He later earned Emmy nominations for the legal drama Damages and the comedy The Good Place, and in 2025 he received the Carol Burnett Award. His films include Body Heat (1981), Creepshow (1982), Three Men and a Baby (1987), Dad (1989), Three Men and a Little Lady (1990), and Saving Private Ryan (1998). On television he also led Becker and appeared in Fargo, Bored to Death, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mr. Mayor, and A Man on the Inside.
78years old
Turns 79 on December 29in 76 days
- Born San Diego
- Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
- Edward Bridge Danson III (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 27
- Career span
- 39 years1979 to 2018
Genres
First and latest
Photos
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First role
Danson's first film role was in 1978's The Onion Field, where he played Officer Ian Campbell, a character who played the bagpipes.
First role
Danson started his television career playing Tom Conway on the daytime soap opera Somerset, where he was a contract player from 1975 to 1976.
A first
By 2024, Danson had been a regular on twelve television shows, which is reportedly more than any other actor in history.
Early training
Danson trained at Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned a B.F.A. in Drama in 1972 after transferring from Stanford University.
Ted Danson movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Lawrence Kasdan directed two of these films, Stephen Gyllenhaal two. Mary Steenburgen appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Mary Steenburgen's page
Stephen Root's page
Kathy Baker's page
Queen Latifah's page
Saul Rubinek's page
Steve Guttenberg's page
All films by Stephen Gyllenhaal
Also two films together5 more actors
- Paul GuilfoyleCSI: Immortality (2015) and 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- Elisabeth MossThe One I Love (2014) and Mumford (1999)
- Tom Selleck3 Men and a Little Lady (1990) and 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- Nancy Travis3 Men and a Little Lady (1990) and 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- William PetersenCSI: Immortality (2015) and Cousins (1989)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Ted Danson's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$1.1 billion
16 of the 27 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 27 films: 16 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 4 figure not found.
- 16Worldwide figure
- 3US gross only
- 4Never in cinemas
- 4Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 95% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$482M44.7% of the total
- 2$243M22.5% of the total
- 3$105M9.7% of the total
- 4$72M6.6% of the total
- 5$54M5.0% of the total
- 6$25M2.3% of the total
- 7$24M2.2% of the total
- 8$22M2.0% of the total
$51.6 millionfrom the other 8 films with a worldwide figure, 5% of the total
Awards
Four awards and honors from 1990 to 2018, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 1993 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Cheers | Won |
| 1990 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Cheers | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| 2018 | Honorary doctor of Carnegie-Mellon University | Honorary | |
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.