Ted Danson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ted Danson
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Danson in 2018
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Edward Bridge Danson III
December 29, 1947 San Diego, California, U.S.
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| Education | Stanford University Carnegie Mellon University (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1975–present |
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| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Charlie McDowell (stepson) Jesse Bochco (son-in-law) |
Ted Danson (born December 29, 1947) is a famous American actor. He is best known for playing the main character, Sam Malone, in the TV show Cheers from 1982 to 1993. For this role, he won two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
He also received Emmy nominations for his roles in the TV dramas Damages and the comedy The Good Place. Ted Danson has also starred in many movies, including Three Men and a Baby and Saving Private Ryan.
On television, he has had leading roles in shows like Becker, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and Fargo. He also appeared in Curb Your Enthusiasm and Mr. Mayor.
Ted Danson has been married to actress Mary Steenburgen since 1995. He is also very active in protecting the oceans and wrote a book about it called Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ted Danson was born in San Diego, California. His father, Edward Danson Jr., was an archaeologist and led the Museum of Northern Arizona. Ted grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona. His family background is mostly English and some Scottish.
In 1961, Ted went to Kent School, a prep school in Connecticut. He was a great basketball player there. But he became interested in acting while at Stanford University. He then moved to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh to study drama. He earned his degree in drama in 1972.
Acting Career
Starting Out in TV and Movies
Ted Danson began his acting career on TV in the 1970s. He appeared in soap operas like Somerset and The Doctors. He also acted in many commercials. He made guest appearances on popular shows like Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, and Magnum, P.I..
His first movie role was in the crime drama The Onion Field in 1978. He also appeared in the film Body Heat.
Becoming a Star with Cheers
In 1982, Ted Danson got the role of Sam Malone in the NBC comedy show Cheers. Sam was a former baseball player who owned a bar. On the show, he had a special relationship with a character named Diane Chambers.
Even though Cheers was not popular at first, critics loved it. By 1986, it was one of the most-watched shows on TV. The show ran for 11 seasons, ending in 1993. The final episode was watched by 80 million people! Cheers won many awards, including four Emmy Awards for Best Comedy Series. Ted Danson won two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for his role as Sam Malone.
During his time on Cheers, Ted also starred in several movies. His most famous movie roles were in Three Men and a Baby (1987) and its sequel Three Men and a Little Lady (1990). He also appeared in Creepshow and Dad.
Later Roles in TV and Film
After Cheers ended, Ted Danson continued to act in movies like Made in America and Saving Private Ryan. In 1996, he starred with his wife, Mary Steenburgen, in the TV show Ink. They also appeared together in the TV miniseries Gulliver's Travels.
From 1998 to 2004, Ted starred in the successful TV comedy Becker. He also played a funny version of himself in the show Curb Your Enthusiasm. In 1999, he received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
Later, Ted Danson took on roles in dramas. He starred in Damages as a rich, dishonest businessman. He also played a police supervisor, D.B. Russell, in the popular crime show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation from 2011 to 2015. He continued this role in the spin-off show CSI: Cyber.
In 2015, he played Sheriff Hank Larsson in the second season of Fargo. From 2016 to 2020, he starred as Michael in the NBC comedy The Good Place, which was very popular. More recently, he was the main character in Mr. Mayor (2021–2022) and the Netflix comedy A Man on the Inside (2024–present). Ted Danson has been a regular actor in many TV shows, more than most actors in history!
Personal Life
Family
Ted Danson was first married to Randall Gosch from 1970 to 1975.
His second wife was Cassandra Coates. They married in 1977. In 1979, Cassandra had a stroke while giving birth to their first daughter, Kate. Ted spent several years helping her recover. They later adopted another daughter, Alexis. They divorced in 1993.
On October 7, 1995, Ted Danson married actress Mary Steenburgen. They met while working on a movie called Pontiac Moon. Ted became a stepfather to Mary's children, Lilly and Charlie. Ted Danson follows a pescetarian diet, which means he eats fish but no other meat. He is also a member of the Episcopal Church.
Protecting Our Oceans
Ted Danson has been interested in protecting the environment since he was 12 years old. He learned about caring for nature from a friend who worked at a museum.
Over the years, Ted became very concerned about the health of the world's oceans. In the 1980s, he helped start the American Oceans Campaign. This group later joined with another organization called Oceana, where he is now a board member. His dedication to the environment led him to host a TV series called "Challenge of the Seas" in 1991.
In 2011, Ted Danson wrote his first book, Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do To Save Them. He wrote it with journalist Michael D'Orso. In 2019, Ted Danson was arrested at a climate change protest in Washington, D.C., along with actress Jane Fonda.
Supporting Good Causes
Ted Danson is friends with former President Bill Clinton. He has given money to support Democratic political candidates and groups. He and his wife, Mary Steenburgen, have campaigned for politicians like Hillary Clinton. They also attended Chelsea Clinton's wedding.
Images for kids
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Danson in 2018
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Ted Danson at the Emmy Awards in 1990
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Ted Danson with his wife Mary Steenburgen in December 2009
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Ted Danson speaking about plastic pollution in 2019
See also
In Spanish: Ted Danson para niños
