Doug Savant
Savant in April 2009
Born
Douglas Peter Savant

(1964-06-21) June 21, 1964
OccupationActor
Years active1984–present
Spouse
Dawn Dunkin
(m. 1983; div. 1997)
(m. 1998)
Children4

Douglas Peter Savant (born June 21, 1964) is an American actor, known for his roles as Matt Fielding in the Fox prime time soap opera Melrose Place (1992–97), Tom Scavo in ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives (2004–12), and as Sgt. O'Neal in 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.[1]

Career

Savant began his career appearing in teen comedy films Secret Admirer and Teen Wolf in 1985, and the following year appeared in horror 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 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 mainstream openly gay characters on television.[1][2] 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 playing Sgt. O'Neal, and the following years had guest-starring roles on The Outer Limits, Profiler, Firefly, JAG, Nip/Tuck, NYPD Blue, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. In 2004, he had a four-episode arc on 24.[1]

In 2004, Savant was cast as Tom Scavo in the 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 and 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).[3] Savant also has two children from a previous marriage whom Leighton helped raise, Arianna (born January 17, 1992) and Madeline (born July 20, 1993).[4]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1984Swing ShiftActor
1985Secret AdmirerBoy
Teen WolfBrad
1986Trick or TreatTim Hainey
1987The Hanoi HiltonAshby
1988MasqueradeMike McGill
1989Paint It BlackEric Hinsley
1990Red SurfAttila
Shaking the TreeMichael
1993Maniac Cop III: Badge of SilenceDr. Peter Myerson
1998GodzillaSgt. O'Neal
1999First DaughterGrant Coleman
2000Dropping OutDoctor
2001The OneCopUncredited
2006All You've GotSam McDonald
2014April RainSpecial Agent Singleton

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1985Cagney & LaceyDwayne PattersonEpisode: "Violation"
1986HotelElliot JessupEpisode: "Scapegoat"
Alfred Hitchcock PresentsJoey MedwickEpisode: "Road Hog"
1986–87Knots LandingYoung Mack Mackenzie7 episodes
1987The Facts of LifeDwayneEpisode: "A Winter's Tale"
StingrayCdt. Thomas O'ConnerEpisode: "Night Maneuvers"
1988In the Heat of the NightScott LaPierre2 episodes
1990China BeachRichardEpisode: "The Thanks of a Grateful Nation"
The Knife and Gun ClubDr. BarrowTV movie
Jake and the FatmanJohn BronskiEpisode: "God Bless the Child"
1991Aftermath: A Test of LoveJeffTV movie
1992ColumboDetective Dennis MulrooneyEpisode: "No Time to Die"
Bonnie & Clyde: The True StoryDeputy Sheriff Ted HintonTV movie
1992–98Melrose PlaceMatt FieldingSeries Regular
162 episodes
1995Burke's LawChase CobbEpisode: "Who Killed the World's Greatest Chef?"
Fight for Justice: The Nancy Conn StoryRichard Mark EllardTV movie
1996TerminalDr. Sean O'GradyTV movie
1998Love Boat: The Next WaveJosh WaltersEpisode: "Smooth Sailing"
The Outer LimitsKelEpisode: "The Hunt"
1999ProfilerToby WatsonEpisode: "Inheritance"
A Face to Kill ForVirgilTV movie
First DaughterGrant ColemanTV movie
2000Harsh RealmSergeant SommersEpisode: "Kein Ausgang"
Godzilla: The SeriesTrespasser #2Episode: "Area 51"
First TargetGrant ColemanTV movie
2001That's LifeJ.T.'s CousinEpisode: "Or What's a Heaven For?"
The DistrictJeffrey RivertonEpisode: "To Serve and Protect"
Family LawHarold RainesEpisode: "Sacrifices"
2002FireflyCommander HarkenEpisode: "Bushwhacked"
JAGNavy Seals CommanderEpisode: "Dangerous Game"
First ShotGrant ColemanTV movie
According to JimRickEpisode: "The Bachelor"
200424Craig Phillips4 episodes
The GuardianEric KaneEpisode: "Legacy"
FaultlineProf. Anthony McAllisterTV movie
NYPD BlueJason FosterEpisode: "Chatty Chatty Bang Bang"
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative ServiceFather Larry ClannonEpisode: "A Weak Link"
Nip/TuckJoel GideonEpisode: "Joel Gideon"
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationPaul BradyEpisode: "Swap Meet"
2004–12Desperate HousewivesTom ScavoRecurring role (season 1)
Main role (seasons 2–8)
176 Episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, 2006
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, 2007–2009
2008Playing for KeepsPeter MarchesonTV movie
2012Hot in ClevelandScottEpisode: "Two Girls and a Rhino"
2013VegasMr. BinderEpisode: "Road Trip"
Rizzoli & IslesJudge Roger ThorsonEpisode: "Judge, Jury & Executioner"
Drop Dead DivaJacob JoardiEpisode: "Jane's Secret Revealed"
Criminal MindsMalcolm TaffertEpisode: "The Caller"
2014Hawaii Five-0Robert YoungEpisode: "Wawahi moeʻuhane"- Broken Dreams
2015ScorpionWilson AdlerEpisode: "Tech, Drugs, and Rock 'n Roll"
2016The X-FilesAugustus GoldmanEpisode: "Founder's Mutation"
CastleTrevor NigelEpisode: "The G.D.S."
Halt and Catch FireMac HarporEpisode: "One Way or Another"
Pure GeniusSimon MonroeEpisode: "It’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider Silk Surgery"
NotoriousPaul Weston2 episodes
2017SEAL TeamMalcolmEpisode: "Borderlines"
20189-1-1Matthew Clark2 episodes
LuciferForest ClayEpisode: "Quintessential Deckerstar"
NCIS: New OrleansEric Barlow2 episodes
2019NCISBrigadier General Daniel KentEpisode: "Hail & Farewell"
2020Dirty JohnMartin Newsome2 episodes
L.A.'s FinestRichard ReevesEpisode: "Kangaroo Jack"
S.W.A.T.MarkEpisode: "Gunpowder Treason"
2021Tell Me Your SecretsEd Jennings2 episodes
The RookieBenjaminEpisode: "True Crime"

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Doug Savant | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
  2. "J! Archive - Doug Savant". www.j-archive.com.
  3. "Laura Leighton and Doug Savant welcome a daughter". PEOPLE.com.
  4. "Fame & Fortune: Laura Leighton". bankrate.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2009. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
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