Jeff Daniels
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan. He has performed in a number of stage productions, both on and off Broadway. He has been nominated for the Tony Award as Best Actor for the Broadway play God of Carnage (2009), along with his other three cast-mates. He has had a thriving film career, from his debut in 1981 in Ragtime, through State of Play in 2009. For his film work, he has received three Golden Globe Award nominations, including as Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical for Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) (hence the name of his theatre company). He has also received nominations by the Screen Actors Guild, Satellite Awards, and several for his work in The Squid and the Whale (London Critics Circle Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Chlotrudis Awards and Gotham Awards).
Born: 19 February 1955
Played In
Movie
Aug 2026
The Brink of War
Ronald Reagan
TV Show
Nov 2025
The American Revolution
Thomas Jefferson (voice)
Movie
Jul 2025
Paddy Chayefsky: Collector of Words
Self
Movie
Sep 2024
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Self
TV Show
May 2024
A Man in Full
Charlie Croker
Movie
Nov 2023
Bye Bye Barry
Self
TV Show
Oct 2023
The American Buffalo
(voice)
Movie
Jun 2023
The Saint of Second Chances
Narrator (voice)
TV Show
Jan 2023
Shrinking
TV Show
Jan 2023
Shrinking
Randy
TV Show
Sep 2021
American Rust
Det. Del Harris
Movie
Aug 2021
9/11: Inside the President's War Room
Self - Narrator (voice)
Movie
Aug 2021
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
Self
TV Show
Apr 2021
Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway (voice)
TV Show
Sep 2020
The Comey Rule
James Comey
Movie
Jul 2020
Adam
Mickey
TV Show
May 2020
Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party
Himself
TV Show
Feb 2020
Washington
Self - Narrator
TV Show
Sep 2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
Movie
Feb 2019
Guest Artist
Joseph Harris
Movie
Nov 2018
The Emperor's Newest Clothes
The Emperor
Movie
Jun 2018
The Catcher Was a Spy
Bill Donovan
Movie
Apr 2018
The Russian Five
self
TV Show
Feb 2018
The Looming Tower
John O'Neill
TV Show
Nov 2017
Godless
Frank Griffin
TV Show
Nov 2017
Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge
Narrator
Movie
Mar 2016
Allegiant
David
Movie
Oct 2015
Steve Jobs
John Sculley
Movie
Sep 2015
The Martian
Theodore "Teddy" Sanders
TV Show
Sep 2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self
TV Show
Sep 2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Casting Reject
TV Show
Aug 2015
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
TV Show
Jun 2015
ARES: live
Teddy Sanders
Movie
Feb 2015
"That's Awesome!": The Story of 'Dumb and Dumber To'
Self
Movie
Feb 2015
Of Miracles and Men
Self - Narrator
TV Show
Dec 2014
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
Movie
Nov 2014
Dumb and Dumber To
Harry Dunne
TV Show
Feb 2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
TV Show
Feb 2014
Off Camera with Sam Jones
Self
Movie
Dec 2013
James Gandolfini: Tribute to a Friend
Self
Movie
Sep 2012
Looper
Abe
TV Show
Jun 2012
The Newsroom
Will McAvoy
TV Show
Dec 2011
Impractical Jokers
Self
Movie
Aug 2010
Howl
Professor David Kirk
Movie
Jun 2009
Paper Man
Richard Dunn
Movie
Jun 2009
Away We Go
Jerry Farlander
Movie
Apr 2009
State of Play
George Fergus
Movie
Jan 2009
The Answer Man
Arlen Faber
Movie
Aug 2008
Traitor
Carter
Movie
Jun 2008
Space Chimps
Zartog (voice)
Movie
Apr 2008
A Plumm Summer
Narrator
Movie
Apr 2008
Sweet Nothing in My Ear
Dan Miller
Movie
Dec 2007
Mama's Boy
Mert Rosenbloom
Movie
Mar 2007
The Lookout
Lewis
TV Show
Feb 2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self
Movie
Oct 2006
Infamous
Alvin Dewey
Movie
Aug 2006
Robin Williams: A Family Affair
Self
Movie
Aug 2006
RV Nation: The Culture of Road Warriors
Self
Movie
Aug 2006
Barry Sonnenfeld: The Kosher Cowboy
Self
Movie
Aug 2006
RV Nation: The Culture of Road Warriors
Self
Movie
Aug 2006
Robin Williams: A Family Affair
Self
Movie
Apr 2006
RV
Travis Gornicke
Movie
Jan 2006
Still Dumb After All These Years
Self
TV Show
Oct 2005
The Colbert Report
Self
Movie
Oct 2005
The Squid and the Whale
Bernard Berkman
Movie
Sep 2005
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Sig Mickelson
Movie
Feb 2005
Because of Winn-Dixie
Preacher
TV Show
Jan 2005
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self
Movie
Dec 2004
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
Blue Man
Movie
Nov 2004
Remembering Ragtime
P. C. O'Donnell (archive footage)
Movie
Sep 2004
Imaginary Heroes
Ben Travis
Movie
Jan 2004
The Goodbye Girl
Elliot Garfield
Movie
Jan 2004
Dumb and Dumber - Making Of
Self
Movie
Oct 2003
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Farley
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
TV Show
Sep 2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
Movie
Apr 2003
I Witness
James Rhodes
Movie
Feb 2003
Gods and Generals
Lt. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
TV Show
Jan 2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
Movie
Dec 2002
The Hours
Louis Waters
Movie
Aug 2002
Blood Work
Jasper 'Buddy' Noone
Movie
Feb 2002
Super Sucker
Fred Barlow
Movie
May 2001
Chasing Sleep
Ed Saxon
Movie
Jan 2001
Escanaba in da Moonlight
Rueben Soady
Movie
May 2000
Cheaters
Dr. Gerard Plecki
Movie
Jan 2000
The Crossing
Gen. George Washington
Movie
Sep 1999
All the Rage
Warren Harding
Movie
Feb 1999
My Favorite Martian
Tim O'Hara
TV Show
Jan 1999
Family Guy
Jeff Daniels (voice)
Movie
Sep 1998
Pleasantville
Mr. Johnson
Movie
Jan 1998
Saturday Night Live: A Tribute to Chris Farley
Self
TV Show
Aug 1997
The View
Self
Movie
May 1997
Trial and Error
Charles Tuttle
Movie
Feb 1997
Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary Party
Self
Movie
Nov 1996
101 Dalmatians
Roger
Movie
Sep 1996
Fly Away Home
Thomas Alden
Movie
Sep 1996
2 Days in the Valley
Alvin Strayer
TV Show
Jul 1996
The Daily Show
Self
Movie
Apr 1995
Redwood Curtain
Lyman Fellers
Movie
Dec 1994
Dumb and Dumber
Harry Dunne
Movie
Jun 1994
Speed
Harry
Movie
Oct 1993
Gettysburg
Col. Joshua Chamberlain
TV Show
Sep 1993
Frasier
Doug (voice)
TV Show
Sep 1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
TV Show
Aug 1993
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest
Movie
Feb 1993
Rain Without Thunder
Jonathan Garson
Movie
Oct 1992
There Goes the Neighborhood
Willis Embry
Movie
Sep 1992
Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story
Tom Noonan
TV Show
Jun 1992
HBO First Look
TV Show
May 1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Movie
Jan 1992
Timescape
Ben Wilson
Movie
Oct 1991
America's Classic Ballparks
Narrator
Movie
Oct 1991
The Butcher's Wife
Dr. Alex Tremor
TV Show
Jan 1991
Breakfast with the Arts
Movie
Oct 1990
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
Denton Webb
Movie
Jul 1990
Arachnophobia
Ross Jennings
Movie
Apr 1990
Love Hurts
Paul Weaver
Movie
Dec 1989
No Place Like Home
Mike Cooper
Movie
Oct 1988
Checking Out
Ray Macklin
Movie
Sep 1988
Sweet Hearts Dance
Sam Manners
TV Show
Sep 1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Movie
May 1988
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Lt. Steve Maryk
Movie
Mar 1988
The House on Carroll Street
Cochran
TV Show
Oct 1987
Trying Times
Jim
Movie
Jan 1987
Radio Days
Biff Baxter
Movie
Nov 1986
Something Wild
Charles Driggs
Movie
Jul 1986
Heartburn
Richard
Movie
Sep 1985
Marie: A True Story
Eddie Sisk
Movie
Mar 1985
The Purple Rose of Cairo
Tom Baxter / Gil Shepherd
TV Show
Sep 1984
MTV Video Music Awards
Self - Presenter
Movie
Nov 1983
Terms of Endearment
Flap Horton
Movie
Jan 1983
An Invasion of Privacy
Francis Ryan
Movie
Oct 1982
Fifth of July
Jed Jenkins
Movie
Nov 1981
Ragtime
P.C. O'Donnell
TV Show
Sep 1980
A Rumor of War
Chaplain
TV Show
Jan 1979
CBS News Sunday Morning
Self
TV Show
Oct 1975
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
TV Show
Oct 1975
Saturday Night Live
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
TV Show
Sep 1968
Hawaii Five-O
Neal Forrester
TV Show
Dec 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Lyman Fellers
Movie
Broadway: The Next Generation
Self
Movie
Gerald R. Ford: A Test of Character
Narrator
Movie
Blind Logic: The Ralph R. Teetor Story
Ralph Teetor (voice)
Movie
2034
Movie
Starman
Ed Watkins