Michael O'Keefe is an American film and television actor, widely known for his role as Danny Noonan in Caddyshack and his role as Ben Meechum in The Great Santini — for which he received Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year as well as a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Background
O'Keefe was born Raymond Peter O'Keefe, Jr. in Mount Vernon, New York, the oldest of seven children in a devoutly Roman Catholic Irish American family. He is the son of Stephanie (née Fitzpatrick) and Raymond Peter O'Keefe, who was a law professor at Fordham University, and also taught at St. Thomas University. O'Keefe grew up in Larchmont, New York and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and New York University, and made his acting debut in a 1970 Colgate television commercial.
Education
New York University; Bennington College. American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Career
He is a cousin of playwright Will Eno. O'Keefe's widely known film role is Danny Noonan in the comedy film Caddyshack. He has also appeared in the thriller film The Glass House, and starred with Tommy Lee Jones in the 1983 pirate adventure Nate and Hayes (also known as Savage Islands).
More recently, O'Keefe appeared opposite George Clooney in Michael Clayton. His film Frozen River was in the competition at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008. He also plays the powerful District Attorney Calvin Beckett in the film American Violet.
O'Keefe's Broadway theatre credits include Side Man, Mass Appeal, Fifth of July, and Reckless with Mary-Louise Parker. O'Keefe's highest profile television role to date has been his portrayal of Fred, the husband of Jackie Harris (Laurie Metcalf) on the ABC series Roseanne. O'Keefe appeared on the show from 1993 to 1995.
After leaving the series, O'Keefe played the husband in the series Life's Work, which aired after Roseanne in its final season. Additional television credits include the lead role of Simon MacHeath in the short lived Boston-based series Against the Law, which aired on Fox during the 1990–91 season, and the role of Ron Steffey in the short-lived 1992 CBS drama Middle Ages. He can be seen currently in Homeland as CIA agent and former interim station chief John Redmond.
Academy Award.