40 Best CARING TV Characters
by schulzbj586 | created - 20 Jan 2013 | updated - 21 Jan 2013 | Public
1. Rita Moreno
Actress | West Side Story
Rita Moreno is one of the very few performers to win an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony and a Grammy, thus becoming an EGOT. She was born Rosita Dolores Alverío in the hospital in Humacao, Puerto Rico on December 11, 1931 (but raised in nearby, smaller Juncos, which had no hospital), to seamstress Rosa ...
2. S. Epatha Merkerson
Actress | Law & Order
A native of Michigan, S. Epatha Merkerson earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Wayne State University. In 1978, she moved to New York City to apply her craft on stage. Although best known since 1993 as the smart and shrewd Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the long-running TV crime drama Law &...
3. Sam Waterston
Actor | The Killing Fields
Sam Waterston was born on November 15, 1940 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Killing Fields (1984), The Great Gatsby (1974) and Law & Order (1990). He has been married to Lynn Louisa Woodruff since January 26, 1976. They have three children. He was ...
4. Benjamin Bratt
Actor | Miss Congeniality
The middle of five children, Bratt hails from a close-knit family. His mother, an indigenous Quechua Peruvian from Lima, moved to the U.S. at age 14. He grew up in San Francisco. He is known for his roles in the films Traffic (2000), Miss Congeniality (2000), and Despicable Me 2 (2013). He is ...
5. Jesse L. Martin
Actor | Rent
Jesse Martin was born Jesse Lamont Watkins in Virginia's Blue Ridge mountain range. His mother, Virginia Price, was a college career counselor. His father, Jesse Reed Watkins, was a truck driver. His parents divorced when he was very young. His mother then moved his family to Buffalo, New York. He ...
6. Michael Moriarty
Actor | Courage Under Fire
As one of Hollywood's tallest actors standing at 6' 3", he will always be noticed. Michael Moriarty is one of the great character T.V. actors of all time. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1941. Moriarty was to move to London, England, where he built up a name as a great stage actor. It was also...
7. Alana De La Garza
Actress | Law & Order
Alana De La Garza was born in Columbus, Ohio and later relocated to Texas, ultimately attending the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). After college, she moved to Orlando, Florida, landing roles in a number of independent films as well as commercials. Her work took her to New York, where she ...
8. Jill Hennessy
Actress | Crossing Jordan
Jill Hennessy can be seen starring in Showtime's "City on a Hill" with Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge, executive produced by Tom Fontana and Ben Affleck. Jill starred in the special event series "Shots Fired" by Gina Prince-Bythewood with Sanaa Lathan and Stephan James on FOX and was the lead in the ...
9. Linus Roache
Actor | Mandy
Linus Roache began his acting career with a two-week appearance as a young Barlow on Coronation Street (1960) at the age of 11. He also played a boy with the bubonic plague in The Onedin Line (1971). He spent much of the next two decades on stage. In 1986 he had brief appearances in a few films, ...
BRUCE WAYNE BEST DAD
10. Henry Winkler
Actor | The Waterboy
Henry Franklin Winkler was born on October 30, 1945, in Manhattan, New York. His parents, Ilse Anna Maria (Hadra) and Harry Irving Winkler, were German Jewish immigrants who escaped the Holocaust by moving to the US in 1939. His father was the president of an international lumber company while his ...
MAKER OF MACGYVER
11. Marion Ross
Actress | Superhero Movie
The lovely, cheery, continuously upbeat All-American mom from the classic Happy Days (1974) TV sitcom had fervent desires of becoming an actress while growing up in her obscure Minnesota town. Born Marian Ross (with an "a") on October 25, 1928, she grew up in her native state and, at one time, ...
12. Erin Moran
Actress | Joanie Loves Chachi
Born in Burbank, California, USA on October 18, 1960, Erin Moran was the youngest daughter of Sharon and Edward Moran, who have five other children. She attended Walter Reed Junior High School for one year and North Hollywood High School for another year. Her first professional acting job was in a ...
13. Anson Williams
Actor | Happy Days
Anson Williams was born on September 25, 1949 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Happy Days (1974), Baywatch (1989) and ABC Afterschool Specials (1972). He has been married to Sharon MaHarry since May 6, 2023. He was previously married to Jackie Gerken and ...
OK DIRECTOR
14. Ron Howard
Producer | Arrested Development
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard is one of this generation's most popular directors. From the critically acclaimed dramas A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Apollo 13 (1995) to the hit comedies Parenthood (1989) and Splash (1983), he has created some of Hollywood's most memorable films.
Howard ...
WORKED WITH SHIRLEY JONES
15. Al Molinaro
Actor | The Odd Couple
Albert was born on June 24, 1919 to Raffaele Molinaro and Teresa Marrone. His father was born in Calabria, Italy and immigrated to the US when he was 15 years old and worked as a water boy with a railroad crew going west from New York. He ended up in Kenosha Wisconsin where he met and married ...
ODD COUPLE COP
16. Scott Baio
Actor | Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2
Scott Vincent James Baio was born on September 22, 1960 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the third child of Mario and Rose Baio, who had emigrated from Italy. At the young age of nine, Scott decided that he wanted to be an actor. Soon after, his parents took him on interviews and he was able to land ...
ZAPPED
17. Pat Morita
Actor | The Karate Kid
Abundantly busy and much-loved Asian-American actor who became an on-screen hero to millions of adults and kids alike as the wise and wonderful Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid (1984), the sparkling Noriyuki Morita was back again dishing out Eastern philosophy and martial arts lessons for The Karate ...
18. Penny Marshall
Actress | Laverne & Shirley
Penny Marshall was born Carole Penny Marshall on October 15, 1943 in Manhattan. The Libra was 5' 6 1/2", with brown hair and green eyes. She was the daughter of Marjorie (Ward), a tap dance teacher, and Anthony "Tony" Marshall, an industrial film director. She was the younger sister of filmmakers ...
19. Mariska Hargitay
Actress | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mariska (Ma-rish-ka) Magdolna Hargitay was born on January 23, 1964, in Santa Monica, California. Her parents are Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield. She is the youngest of their three children. In June 1967, Mariska and her brothers Zoltan and Mickey Jr. were in the back seat of a car when it was...
20. Tamara Tunie
Actress | Flight
Tamara Tunie was born on March 14, 1959 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, USA. She is an actress and director, known for Flight (2012), The Devil's Advocate (1997) and Snake Eyes (1998). She was previously married to Gregory Generet and Greg Bouquett.
BEST M.E.
21. Richard Belzer
Actor | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
A social misfit, was kicked out of every school he ever attended, due to his uncontrollable wit. His mother (Frances) died of breast cancer when Richard was 18. His father (Charles) committed suicide when he was 22. A dedication is written to him in Richard Belzer's "UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: ...
22. BD Wong
Actor | Jurassic Park
BD Wong was born and raised in San Francisco, California. He made his Broadway debut in "M. Butterfly." He is the only actor to be honored with the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Clarence Derwent Award, and Theater World Award for the same performance. He starred in the ...
OZ PRIEST
23. Stephanie March
Actress | The Invention of Lying
Stephanie March was born on July 23, 1974 in Dallas, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Invention of Lying (2009), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999). She has been married to Dan Benton since September 1, 2017. She was previously ...
BEST D.A.
24. Michelle Hurd
Actress | Blindspot
Michelle Hurd was born in New York City, New York, USA. Michelle is an actor and producer, known for Blindspot (2015), Star Trek: Picard (2020) and The Glades (2010). Michelle has been married to Garret Dillahunt since July 6, 2007.
25. Anne Lockhart
Actress | The Time Traveler's Wife
Actress, writer, producer, and director Anne Lockhart can look back over 100 years to trace her theatrical roots.
She was born Anne Kathleen Maloney on September 6, 1953 in New York City and grew up in Brentwood, California. Born to one of theatre's leading families, she is the fourth generation of ...
26. Patrick Stewart
Actor | Logan
Sir Patrick Stewart was born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England, to Gladys (Barrowclough), a textile worker and weaver, and Alfred Stewart, who was in the army. He was a member of various local drama groups from about age 12. He left school at age 15 to work as a junior reporter on a local paper; he ...
OUT OF 4 CAPTAINS HE 2ND
27. Scott Bakula
Actor | Quantum Leap
Scott Stewart Bakula was born on October 9, 1954 in St. Louis, Missouri, to Sally (Zumwinkel) and J. Stewart Bakula, a lawyer. He is of German, as well as Czech, Austrian, Scottish and English ancestry. He comes from a musical family. In the fourth grade, he started a rock band and wrote songs for ...
3RD BEST CAPTAIN Jonathan Archer
28. Jonathan Frakes
Actor | Star Trek: First Contact
Jonathan Scott Frakes was born in Bellefonte, central Pennsylvania. He is the son of Doris J. (Yingling) and Dr. James R. Frakes, a professor. His parents moved with Jonathan and his younger brother Daniel to Bethlehem in eastern Pennsylvania. There, his father taught English at Lehigh University, ...
29. LeVar Burton
Actor | Star Trek: Generations
LeVar Burton was born on February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He is an actor and director, known for Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). He has been married to Stephanie Cozart Burton since October 3, 1992. ...
30. Marina Sirtis
Actress | Star Trek: The Next Generation
Marina Sirtis was born in London, England, to Greek parents, Despina (Yianniri), a tailor's assistant, and John Sirtis. Her parents did not want her to become an actress. As soon as Marina completed high school, she secretly applied to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After her graduation, ...
31. Brent Spiner
Actor | Star Trek: First Contact
Brent Spiner, whose primary claim to fame is his portrayal of the beloved android Data on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), was born and raised in Houston, Texas. His parents, Sylvia (Schwartz) and Jack Spiner, owned and operated a furniture store, and were both from ...
32. Patrick Duffy
Actor | Dallas
Youngest of 2 children, and only son born to Terrence and Marie Duffy. Patrick was born in Montana, where his parents owned local taverns, and raised in Everett, Washington, since age 12. He wanted to become a professional athlete, and became a certified scuba diver while in his teens. However, his...
SWIMS WELL
33. Joel Grey
Actor | Cabaret
Joel Grey's father, Mickey Katz, created "Borscht Capades" in the early 1950s. Mickey Katz was a musician -- a clarinetist and a saxophone player -- in bands around the east. Mickey was performing, playing in a band in Cleveland, Ohio, which is where Joel Grey was born. Musician and bandleader ...
BEST FAMOUS DAD
34. Barbara Rhoades
Actress | The Goodbye Girl
Barbara Rhoades was born on March 23, 1946 in Poughkeepsie, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for The Goodbye Girl (1977), Harry and Tonto (1974) and Busting Loose (1977). She has been married to Bernie Orenstein since February 18, 1979. They have one child.
35. Jack Scalia
Actor | Lady Boss
1980's TV heartthrob Jack Scalia, a Brooklyn native of Italian descent, was born Giacomo Tomaso Tedesco on November 10, 1950. The son of former Brooklyn Dodger Rocky Teseco, Jack's name was changed to his stepfather's surname after his mother remarried. Raised in Brentwood, NY, he was considered an...
36. Luis Avalos
Actor | The Ringer
Luis Avalos was born on September 2, 1946 in Havana, Cuba. He was an actor and director, known for The Ringer (2005), Hollywood Homicide (2003) and Resurrection Blvd. (2000). He died on January 22, 2014 in Burbank, California, USA.
WORKED WITH MY GUARDIAN ANGEL
37. Morgan Freeman
Actor | Driving Miss Daisy
With an authoritative voice and calm demeanor, this ever popular American actor has grown into one of the most respected figures in modern US cinema. Morgan was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee, to Mayme Edna (Revere), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman, a barber. The young Freeman...
WORKED WITH MY GUARDIAN ANGEL & BEST SUPERHERO HELPER 2
38. Hattie Winston
Actress | Beverly Hills Cop III
Hattie Winston was born on March 3, 1945 in Lexington, Mississippi, USA. She is an actress, known for Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), Jackie Brown (1997) and Becker (1998). She has been married to Harold Wheeler since December 16, 1978. They have one child.
WORKED WITH MY GUARDIAN ANGEL
39. Sean Connery
Actor | The Rock
The tall, handsome and muscular Scottish actor Sean Connery is best known as the original actor to portray James Bond in the hugely successful movie franchise, starring in seven films between 1962 and 1983. Some believed that such a career-defining role might leave him unable to escape it, but he ...
40. Honor Blackman
Actress | Goldfinger
One of four children, Blackman was born in London's East End, to Edith Eliza (Stokes), a homemaker, and Frederick Thomas Blackman, a statistician employed with the Civil Service. She received elocution lessons for her 16th birthday (at her own request), and later attended the Guildhall School of ...
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