John M. Slattery Jr. (born August 13, 1962)[1] is an American actor and director. He is known for his role as Roger Sterling in the AMC drama series Mad Men (2007–15), for which he was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. For his role he won two Critics' Choice Television Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.[2]

John Slattery
Slattery in 2024
Born
John M. Slattery Jr.

(1962-08-13) August 13, 1962 (age 61)
EducationCatholic University (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active1988–present
Spouse
(m. 1998)
Children1

He is also known for his film roles including for his portrayal of Ben Bradlee, Jr., in the Best Picture-winning film Spotlight (2015), and the role of Howard Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Iron Man 2 (2010), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). He has also acted in Flags of Our Fathers (2006), Reservation Road (2007), Charlie Wilson's War (2007), The Adjustment Bureau (2011), Churchill (2017), and Confess, Fletch (2022). Slattery made his directorial film debut with God's Pocket (2014).

Slattery's lead television roles include Homefront (1991–1993), Maggie (1998–1999), Jack & Bobby (2004–2005), and neXt (2020). He has also had recurring roles in shows such as Desperate Housewives (2004–2007), 30 Rock (2010), Arrested Development (2013), Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (2015), Veep (2016), Modern Love (2019), Mrs. America (2020), and The Good Fight (2022).

Early life and education edit

Slattery was born in Boston, to Joan (née Mulhern), a retired accountant, and John "Jack" Slattery, a leather merchant.[3][4] He is one of six children.[5] As a young boy, he dreamed of being a baseball player.[6]

Slattery is of Irish descent and was raised Catholic.[7] He attended high school at Saint Sebastian's School in Newton, Massachusetts (since relocated to Needham, Massachusetts), and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Catholic University of America in 1984.[8]

Career edit

Apart from his role on Mad Men, Slattery has had roles such as union organizer Al Kahn on Homefront; Senator Walter Mondale in the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon; as political adviser Tommy Flannigan in the HBO series K Street; guest appearances as Will Truman's brother Sam on Will & Grace; as Michael Cassidy, Amy's estranged husband, on Judging Amy; politician Bill Kelley on Sex and the City; principal Dennis Martino on Ed; and college president Peter Benedict on Jack and Bobby. In March 2007, he began a series of appearances on Desperate Housewives portraying Victor Lang, Gabrielle Solis's (Eva Longoria) second husband, until his character's death in Season 4. In December 2009, Slattery appeared on The Colbert Report in a faux commercial advertising gold.[9]

Slattery played Paul Moore, boyfriend of Katherine Watson (portrayed by Julia Roberts) in the film Mona Lisa Smile, and he portrayed Howie in David Lindsay-Abaire's play, Rabbit Hole. He had a small part as a teacher in the film Sleepers. He also appeared as a government promoter in the Clint Eastwood feature Flags of our Fathers and as CIA official Henry Cravely in Charlie Wilson's War. He was cast as Bert Miller, father of the leading female character, in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, and in The Adjustment Bureau played Richardson, a mid-level agent in the mysterious paranormal agency called the Bureau. Slattery narrates the audiobook versions of Don DeLillo's 2007 novel Falling Man, Stephen King's 2008 psychological horror novel Duma Key, and Ernest Hemingway's 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms.

In 2013, Slattery directed his first feature film, God's Pocket (2014), which he co-wrote with Alex Metcalf. The film, based on a 1983 novel of the same name by Pete Dexter, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was picked up for distribution by IFC Films.[10]

In 2015, Slattery portrayed journalist Ben Bradlee Jr. in the Academy Award-winning, Golden Globe-nominated drama film Spotlight, and also appeared in the Netflix comedy series Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, for which he earned a nomination for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series.

Personal life edit

Slattery married actress Talia Balsam in 1998 (who also played his screen wife, Mona, in Mad Men); they have one son together.[11] They live in SoHo, Manhattan.[12]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1996 City Hall Detective George
Eraser FBI Agent Corman
Sleepers Rob Carlson
1997 My Brother's War Devlin
Red Meat Stefan
1998 Harvest Sheriff Johnson
The Naked Man Ferris
Where's Marlowe? Kevin Murphy
2000 Traffic ADA Dan Collier
2001 Sam the Man Maxwell Slade
2002 Bad Company Roland Yates
2003 The Station Agent David
Mona Lisa Smile Paul Moore
2004 Noise Detective Rutherford
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights Bert Miller
2006 The Situation Colonel Carrick
Flags of our Fathers Bud Gerber
2007 Underdog Mayor
Reservation Road Steve Cutter
Charlie Wilson's War CIA Director Henry Cravely
2010 Iron Man 2 Howard Stark
2011 The Adjustment Bureau Richardson
Return Bud
2012 In Our Nature Gil
2013 Bluebird Richard
2015 Ted 2 Shep Wild
Ant-Man Howard Stark Cameo
Spotlight Ben Bradlee Jr.
2016 Captain America: Civil War Howard Stark
2017 Churchill Dwight D. Eisenhower
2019 Avengers: Endgame Howard Stark
2022 Confess, Fletch Frank Jaffe
2024 Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story TBA
TBA Nuremberg Col. Burton C. Andrus Filming

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Dirty Dozen: The Series Pvt. Dylan Leeds 7 episodes
1989 Father Dowling Mysteries Doug Episode: "The Man Who Came to Dinner Mystery"
1991 Under Cover Graham Parker 13 episodes
Under Cover Television movie
Before the Storm
China Beach Dr. Bob Episode: "Hello Goodbye"
1991–93 Homefront Al Kahn Main role, 38 episodes
1995 A Woman of Independent Means Dwight Miniseries; uncredited
Ned and Stacey Sam Episode: "Threesome"
1996 Lily Dale Will Kidder Television movie
1997 Feds Michael Mancini Episode: "Smoking Gun"
1998 From the Earth to the Moon Walter Mondale Episode: "Apollo One"
Party of Five Jay Mott 2 episodes
Becker Peter Episode: "Man Plans, God Laughs"
1998–99 Maggie Dr. Richard Meyers Main role, 11 episodes
1998 Law & Order Arlen Levitt Episode: "Tabloid"
1999 Will & Grace Sam Truman 2 episodes
1999–2000 Judging Amy Michael Cassidy 3 episodes
2000 Sex and the City Bill Kelley 2 episodes
Law & Order Dr. Richard Shipman Episode: "Stiff"
2001–02 Ed Dennis Martino Recurring role, 17 episodes
2002 A Death in the Family Jay Follett Television movie
2003 K Street Tommy Flannegan 10 episodes
2004 The Brooke Ellison Story Ed Ellison Television movie
2004–05 Jack & Bobby Peter Benedict Main role, 21 episodes
2007 Desperate Housewives Victor Lang Recurring role, 14 episodes
2007–15 Mad Men Roger Sterling Main role, 85 episodes
2009 The Colbert Report John Slattery Episode: "Alicia Keys"
2010 30 Rock Steven Austin Episode: "Brooklyn Without Limits"
2011 The Simpsons Robert Marlowe (voice) Episode: "The Man in the Blue Flannel Pants"
2011–12 The Cleveland Show Mayor Larry Box (voice) 4 episodes
2013 Arrested Development Dr. Norman 2 episodes
2015 Wet Hot American Summer:
First Day of Camp
Claude Dumet 6 episodes
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Sandwich Man Episode: Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Documentary Now! William H. Sebastian Episode: "Kunuk Uncovered"
2016 Veep Charlie Baird 6 episodes
2018 The Romanoffs Daniel Reese 2 episodes
2019 Modern Love Dennis
2020 Mrs. America Fred Schlafly Miniseries; 7 episodes
neXt Paul LeBlanc Main role
2021 Girls5eva Himself Episode: "Alf Musik"
Santa Inc. Larson (voice) 3 episodes
2022 The Good Fight Dr. Lyle Bettencourt 9 episodes
2023 What We Do in the Shadows Himself Episode: Urgent Care
What If...? Howard Stark (voice) Episode: "What If... Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes?"

Theater edit

Year Title Role Venue Ref.
1989 The Lisbon Traviata Paul Off-Broadway
1990 Mi Vida Loca Paco
1992 The Extra Man Daniel
1993 Laughter on the 23rd Floor Kenny Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway [13]
1995 Night and Her Stars Charles Van Doren The American Place Theatre, Off-Broadway [14]
1997 Three Days of Rain Walker/Ned New York City Center, Off-Broadway [15]
2000 Betrayal Robert American Airlines Theatre, Broadway [16]
2006 Rabbit Hole Howie Biltmore Theatre, Broadway [17]
2016 The Front Page Hildy Johnson Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway [18]

Video game edit

Year Title Voice role Notes
2012 Dishonored Admiral Havelock

Music videos edit

Year Title Notes
2010 The National – "Conversation 16"

As director edit

Year Title Notes
2010–2013 Mad Men 5 episodes
2014 God's Pocket Feature film
2016–2017 Love 3 episodes
2023 Maggie Moore(s) Feature film

Awards and nominations edit

Year Award Category Work Result
2008 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Desperate Housewives Nominated
Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Mad Men Nominated
2008 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
2009 Nominated
2009 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Won
2010 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
2011 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Won
2011 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
2011 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
2011 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2012 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
2013 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2015 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Spotlight Won
2015 Independent Spirit Award Robert Altman Award Won
2015 Gotham Independent Film Award Ensemble Performance Won
2015 Satellite Award Best Cast in a Motion Picture Won
2016 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series Wet Hot American Summer:
First Day of Camp
Nominated
2017 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Veep Nominated

References edit

  1. ^ "Celebrity birthdays on Aug. 13". The Miami Herald. August 13, 2009. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  2. ^ "Emmys.com". Emmys.com. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  3. ^ Patrick Pacheco (May–June 2012). "John Slattery: A Boston Man Gone Mad". Boston Common Magazine. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  4. ^ Stephanie M. Peters (September 23, 2007). "John Mulhern, 80; lawyer triumphed on ice, in politics". The Globe. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  5. ^ "Mad Men's' John Slattery: Rise of the silver fox". The Daily News. August 15, 2009. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  6. ^ Doyle, Stacey (May 4, 2012). "John Slattery Talks to Boston Common Magazine About 'Mad Men' and More". Boston Common Magazine. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  7. ^ Handy, Bruce (August 13, 2009). "Mad Men Q&A: John Slattery". Vanity Fair. Retrieved August 15, 2010. I grew up Irish Catholic in Boston...
  8. ^ "Alumni". The Catholic University of America Office of Admissions. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  9. ^ "Prescott Financial – Gold, Women & Sheep". The Colbert Report. December 15, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  10. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (January 22, 2014). "Sundance: IFC Films Acquires U.S. Rights to John Slattery's 'God's Pocket'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  11. ^ de Bertodano, Helena (April 8, 2013). "John Slattery on ageing, drinking, and how he'd like Mad Men to end". The Telegraph. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  12. ^ Krum, Sharon (May 6, 2015). "Mad Men star John Slattery is back in the Big Apple — where he belongs". Brick Underground. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  13. ^ "Laughter on the 23rd Floor". Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  14. ^ "THEATER REVIEW: NIGHT AND HER STARS; A Different Take On Quiz Scandals". The New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  15. ^ "THEATER REVIEW; Parents' Secrets Cry Out, But Children Don't Hear". The New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  16. ^ "PHOTO CALL: Betrayal's Other Betrayers: Juliette Binoche and John Slattery". Playbill. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  17. ^ "Cynthia Nixon and John Slattery Tumble Into Rabbit Hole, a Broadway World Premiere". Playbill. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  18. ^ "Mad Men's Slattery to Join Nathan Lane in Starry Broadway The Front Page". Playbill. Retrieved February 12, 2024.

External links edit