Michael O’Keefe

Raymond Peter O’Keefe Jr. was born on April 24, 1955, in Mount Vernon, New York, the eldest of seven children in an Irish American family. He was raised in Larchmont, New York, and received his education from Mamaroneck High School, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and New York University. He also holds an MFA in creative writing from Bennington College. O’Keefe began his acting career in commercials, making his debut in a Colgate television commercial in 1970.

His acting career gained significant traction with his role as Danny Noonan in the 1980 comedy film “Caddyshack.” A year prior, in 1979, he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Ben Meechum in “The Great Santini.” O’Keefe continued to build a diverse filmography, starring as Darryl Palmer in the Neil Simon movie “The Slugger’s Wife” in 1985 and appearing alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the 1983 pirate adventure “Savage Islands.” He also worked with Jack Nicholson twice, in “Ironweed” and “The Pledge,” and with George Clooney in “Michael Clayton.”

Beyond film, O’Keefe played Fred, the husband of Jackie Harris, on the ABC sitcom “Roseanne” from 1993 to 1995. His television credits include “Against the Law” (1990-1991), “Life’s Work” (1996-1997), and recurring roles in series like “Homeland” (2014) and “Sneaky Pete” (2017). On Broadway, he has featured in productions such as “Fifth of July” (1980), “Mass Appeal” (1981), “Side Man” (1998), and “Reckless” (2004). He also participated in a national tour of “A Few Good Men” in 1992.