Alec Baldwin

Infobox actor

---

imagesize = 250px
caption = Alec Baldwin at a PETA event in New York, June 2008
birthdate = birth date and age|1958|4|3
birthplace = Massapequa, New York, USA
birthname = Alexander Rae Baldwin III
spouse = Kim Basinger (1993 – 2002)
occupation = Film, stage, television actor
website = http://www.alecbaldwin.com/
geminiawards = Best Dramatic Mini-Series
2001 "Nuremberg"
emmyawards = Outstanding Lead Actor - Comedy Series
2008 "30 Rock"
goldenglobeawards = Best Actor - Musical or Comedy Series
2007 "30 Rock"
sagawards = Outstanding Actor - Comedy Series
2006 "30 Rock"
2007 "30 Rock"
awards = NBR Award for Best Cast
2000 "State and Main"
2006 "The Departed"
NBR Award for Best Supporting Actor
2003 "The Cooler"

Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated, and Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning, American actor. He is the oldest and most famous of the Baldwin brothers, and has starred in many movies and TV shows. He is also noted for having hosted "Saturday Night Live" multiple times. He is currently playing television executive Jack Donaghy in the NBC situation-comedy "30 Rock".

Biography

Early life

Baldwin was born in Massapequa, New York, USA, the son of Carolyn Newcomb (née Martineau) and Alexander Rae Baldwin, Jr., a high school history/social studies teacher and football coach. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/97/Alec-Baldwin.html Alec Baldwin Biography (1958-)] , filmreference.com] Baldwin was raised in a Catholic family of Irish and French descent. [ [http://www.helenheart.com/alec/article/interview89.html Helen's Alec Baldwin site-Interview, 1989 ] ] [ [http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-hometown_alec,0,6869261.story?coll=ny-lihistory-navigation Newsday] ] He attended Alfred G. Berner High School in Massapequa, Long Island, and played football there under Coach Bob Reifsnyder, who is in the College Football Hall of Fame. Baldwin worked as a busboy at the famous New York City disco Studio 54. He attended George Washington University from 1976 to 1979, where he was known as "Alex." After losing a student body president election, he transferred to New York University to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute under Elaine Aiken and Geoffrey Horne. He returned to NYU in 1994 and graduated with a BFA that year.

The other Baldwin brothers, Daniel (""), William ("Backdraft"), and Stephen ("The Usual Suspects") all followed him in becoming actors.

Film and television work

Baldwin's first major role was as Billy Aldrich on the daytime soap opera "The Doctors" from 1980 to its cancellation in 1982. In the fall of 1983, he starred in the short lived series "Cutter to Houston". He then shot to stardom co-starring on "Knots Landing" from 1984-86.

In 1986 Alec stared in a 4 hour mini-series, "Dress Gray"-- his first true venture into a feature role. Baldwin starred in this 4-hour miniseries as an honest cadet sergeant who tries to solve the mystery of a murdered homosexual classmate. The film, adapted by Gore Vidal from Lucian K. Truscott's novel. Set in a fictional academy during the Vietnam War, this thriller begins with the suspicious death of a cadet. A military doctor learns the incident was a homicide, but his superiors close ranks and order the doctor to rule the death a "drowning." The doctor describes the true circumstances surrounding the classmate's demise to a cadet sergeant, who sets out to find the killer. But because of his disagreements with the deceased and his former relationship with the dead man's sister, the cadet becomes the prime suspect in the case.

In 1986, he made his film debut with a minor role in "She's Having a Baby". In 1988, he appeared in "Beetlejuice" and "Working Girl". Both of these films were box office successes that raised his profile. His film career was then firmly established with his role as Jack Ryan in "The Hunt for Red October" (1990).

In 1991, Baldwin met his future wife Kim Basinger on the set of the critically panned "The Marrying Man". He appeared with Basinger again in "The Getaway", a 1994 remake of the 1972 Steve McQueen film of the same name.

In a brief but memorable role, Baldwin played a ferocious sales executive in 1992's "Glengarry Glen Ross", a part added to the film version of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play. He then chose to star in 1992's "Prelude to a Kiss" with Meg Ryan, based on the Broadway play, rather than reprise his role as CIA analyst Ryan in another Tom Clancy thriller, "Patriot Games". His film was a commercial flop, while Harrison Ford scored back-to-back hits as Ryan.

Baldwin played the title character in another film that failed at the box office, 1994's "The Shadow". His late '90s roles also had a lukewarm reception. They included several thrillers, such as "The Edge" (with Anthony Hopkins), "The Juror" (with Demi Moore) and "Heaven's Prisoners" (with Teri Hatcher).

Baldwin then shifted more toward being a character actor, including his Academy Award nominated turn in 2003's gambling drama "The Cooler" and in working with director Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Aviator" and "The Departed".

He is also a voice actor, working in the films "" and "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends". Baldwin has hosted "Saturday Night Live" 13 times as of November 11, 2006. He performed as the narrator in the hit RTS video game "World in Conflict".

Baldwin has been nominated for an Emmy Award seven times (see below):
* 1996: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Special, for Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire"
* 2001: Outstanding Miniseries, for "Nuremberg" (as producer)
* 2002: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special, for "Path to War" (as Robert McNamara)
* 2005: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, for "Will & Grace"
* 2006: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, for "Will & Grace"
* 2007: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, for "30 Rock"
* 2008: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, for "30 Rock"

Baldwin wrote an episode of "Law & Order" entitled "Tabloid", which aired in 1998. He played the role of Dr. Barrett Moore, a retired plastic surgeon, in the series "Nip/Tuck". In 2001, Baldwin directed and starred in an all-star version of "The Devil and Daniel Webster" with Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Dan Aykroyd. This film has yet to be released, however. The film became an asset of a federal bank fraud trial in 2003, where financial investor Jed Barron, of Las Vegas, was convicted of bank fraud while financing the movie. The film's producer, David Glasser, was also under investigation. The film eventually was acquired by producer Bob Yari and his company.

In 2002, he appeared on two episodes of "Friends" as Phoebe Buffay's overly enthusiastic love interest, Parker. In the episode entitled "The One in Massapequa", Parker, seemingly clueless and curious about its history, comments that Massapequa sounds like a "magical place". In reality, Baldwin was born and raised in Massapequa.

In 2006, he starred in the film "Mini's First Time", alongside Nikki Reed and Luke Wilson. In 2007, the Yari Film Group announced it would give the film, now titled "Shortcut to Happiness" a theatrical release in the spring. Starz! also announced they had acquired pay TV rights for the film. Baldwin also recently performed opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in a romantic comedy, "Suburban Girl".

On July 7, 2007, Baldwin presented at the American leg of Live Earth. He also recorded two nationally distributed public service radio announcements on behalf of the Save the Manatee Club.

"30 Rock"

Baldwin stars in the Emmy Award-winning NBC sitcom "30 Rock", which won the 2007 and 2008 Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Baldwin had met series creator Tina Fey and one of his co-stars, Tracy Morgan, during several tapings of "Saturday Night Live". He has received numerous honors for his work as TV exec Jack Donaghy, including a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award. He was again nominated for the Emmy for Best Actor in a Television Comedy or Musical in 2007, for the role but lost to Ricky Gervais.Cite web|url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/news/id/81|title=Hollywood Foreign Press Association 2008 Golden Globe Awards For The Year Ended December 31, 2007|accessdate=2007-12-13|publisher=HFPA|year=2007] He received his second Emmy nomination for his role as Jack Donaghy on July 17, 2008, marking his seventh Primetime Emmy nomination and won the Emmy award and his first victory.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

On November 12, 2000, Baldwin appeared in a celebrity edition of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" with Jon Stewart, Charlie Sheen, Vivica A. Fox and Norm Macdonald. He won $250,000 for PAWS, and used Kim Basinger as a phone a friend.

tage career

Baldwin made his Broadway debut in 1986, in a revival of Joe Orton's "Loot" alongside theatre veterans Zoe Wanamaker, Zeljko Ivanek, Joseph Maher and Charles Keating. This production closed after three months.

His other Broadway credits include Caryl Churchill's "Serious Money" with Kate Nelligan and a highly acclaimed revival of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire"; his performance as Stanley Kowalski garnered him a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor. This production also featured Jessica Lange, Amy Madigan, Timothy Carhart, James Gandolfini, and Aida Turturro. Baldwin would receive an Emmy nomination for the television version of the production, in which both he and Lange reprise their roles. That version featured John Goodman and Diane Lane.

In 1998 Baldwin played the title role in "Macbeth" at the Public theater alongside Angela Bassett and Liev Schreiber. The production was directed by George C. Wolfe. In 2004, Baldwin starred in a revival of "Twentieth Century" with Anne Heche.

On June 9, 2005, he appeared in a concert version of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific" at Carnegie Hall. He starred as Luther Billis, alongside Reba McEntire as Nellie and Brian Stokes Mitchell as Emile. The production was taped and telecast by PBS on April 26, 2006. In 2006, Baldwin made theatre news in Roundabout Theatre Company's Off-Broadway revival of Joe Orton's "Entertaining Mr. Sloane".

Politics

Baldwin has always had an active interest in politics. He recently revealed in a British magazine interview that he plans to leave acting in a few years to pursue a career in politics. When interviewed by the "New York Times", Baldwin was asked what public office he would consider running for, he replied:"If I ever ran for anything, the thing I would like to be is governor of New York." When asked if he was qualified, Baldwin answered: "That's what I hate about Arnold Schwarzenegger. His only credentials are that he ran a fitness program under some bygone president...I'm Tocqueville compared to Schwarzenegger." When asked why not be governor of California, Baldwin replied: "Then I would have to live in California. And who wants to live in California?" [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/29/magazine/29wwln_q4.html?_r=1&oref=slogin Getting In on the Sitcom Act - New York Times ] ]

During his appearance on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" on December 11, 1998, eight days before President Bill Clinton was to be impeached, Baldwin said "if we were in another country... we would stone Henry Hyde to death and we would go to their homes and kill their wives and their children. We would kill their families, for what they're doing to this country." [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18291856/ "'Scarborough Country' for April 23"] , "MSNBC", April 23, 2007.] Baldwin later apologized to Hyde for his remarks and NBC has promised never to re-air the show.Fact|date=December 2007

In 2000, an interview with Basinger appeared in the German magazine "Focus", in which the actress said that Baldwin promised to leave the United States if George W. Bush beat Al Gore for the presidency. This statement provoked a great deal of controversy for both Baldwin and Basinger. He was criticized by Florida governor Jeb Bush and temporarily shut down his website after receiving what he described as hundreds of "hideous and graphic" writings from "political extremists whose only goal is to harass and disrupt." Baldwin claimed he never heard of "Focus" and that Basinger was never interviewed, although subsequently he did admit the interview took place. He has stated that he never threatened to leave the United States and believed he might be confused with director Robert Altman, who did indeed make a vow to leave the United States if Bush was re-elected. As Snopes.com has shown, no actual quote has ever been published showing that Baldwin in fact made the controversial promise. [http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/leave.htm] Baldwin said, "I think my exact comment was that if Bush won it would be a good time to leave the United States. I'm not necessarily going to leave the United States."

Baldwin has called Vice President Dick Cheney a terrorist, and claimed that "he terrorizes our enemies abroad and innocent citizens here at home indiscriminately." [ [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alec-baldwin/will-they-go-to-court_b_15875.html Will They Go to Court?] ] He later recanted this statement, saying that Cheney was not a terrorist but rather "a lying, thieving oil whore and a murderer of the U.S. Constitution". [ [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alec-baldwin/republicans-married-into-_b_16131.html Republicans Married into the Wrong Family] ] Baldwin has continued to level strong criticisms at the Bush Administration on his blog labeling Bush a "trust fund puppet" and Cheney a "constitution-hating sociopath" and a "hate-filled maniac". [ [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alec-baldwin/delay-is-the-new-republic_b_18785.html Alec Baldwin: DeLay Is the New Republican - The Huffington Post ] ]

In 2002, conservative blogger Matt Drudge threatened to sue Baldwin for his appearance on the Howard Stern show, during which Baldwin claimed that Drudge was gay and had tried to hit on him in the hallway at ABC studios in Los Angeles when he was doing the Gloria Allred show.Cite web|url=http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2002/aug02/aug05/2_tues/news7tuesday.html|title=Baldwin-Drudge spat may lead to lawsuit|accessdate=2007-08-26|publisher=Media Life Magazine|year=2002|format=html] Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2002-08-07#celeb6|title=Drudge Threatens Baldwin Over Gay Slur|accessdate=2007-07-27|publisher=IMDB|year=2002|format=html] Cite web|url=http://www.marksfriggin.com/news02/8-5.htm|title=Howard Stern Show Archives|accessdate=2007-08-26|publisher=MarksFriggin.com|year=2002-08-05|format=html] No other action was taken by Drudge.

On March 26, 2006, Baldwin guest-hosted Brian Whitman's talk show on WABC radio in New York. During the show, conservative talk show hosts Sean Hannity and Mark Levin called the show to confront Baldwin about his political comments over the years. Hannity also claimed that Baldwin had been scheduled to appear on his show first, but Baldwin asserted that he never had such a deal, and that he'd never have agreed to go on Hannity's show. The back-and-forth continued for about 10 minutes until Levin asked, "why is your wife so mad at you anyway," at which point Baldwin said, "we're done," and walked out of the studio. Baldwin later wrote in his blog at the Huffington Post that WABC President and General Manager Tim McCarthy phoned him on March 28 to "apologize for Sean's attacks." In the same entry, Baldwin also noted that "Levin made a comment connected to my divorce proceedings... I thought that Levin, whoever he may be and whatever code he does or does not operate by, had crossed a line and I was under no obligation to continue in that vein." [ [http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/26/221245.shtml Alec Baldwin v. Sean Hannity in Radio Donnybrook] ]

Baldwin once compared the 2000 presidential election to the September 11, 2001 attacks: "I know that's a harsh thing to say, perhaps, but I believe that what happened in 2000 did as much damage to the pillars of democracy as terrorists did to the pillars of commerce in New York City." [ [http://www.artistsnetwork.org/news3/news138.html Alec Baldwin says disputed vote damaged democracy] ]

Baldwin and commentator Bill O'Reilly have been in a number of conflicts. Despite their political differences, however, Baldwin stated on his blog after an interview with O'Reilly, that he "was aggressive, but was a gentleman throughout", and also called O'Reilly a "talented broadcaster." [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alec-baldwin/hannity-makes-political-p_b_18009.html Hannity Makes Political Pornography] ] Baldwin, however, also referred to O'Reilly's employer, Fox News Channel, in the same blog post as "Roger Ailes' Luftwaffe/Looney Bin news operation."

Baldwin serves on the board of People for the American Way.

Personal life

Baldwin's marriage to Kim Basinger came to an end in 2000 when they officially separated. A year later, Basinger filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court. In March 2004, Baldwin and Basinger agreed to share custody of their daughter, Ireland Eliesse (born October 23, 1995). The judge presiding over the case issued a gag order, requiring Baldwin and Basinger to avoid commenting publicly about the case.

On April 11, 2007, Ireland (then age 11) failed to answer a pre-arranged phone call from her father, and Baldwin left an angry voicemail message for her, calling her a "rude, thoughtless little pig". The child's private message was then leaked to the celebrity website TMZ.com on April 19, 2007.Cite web|url=http://www.tmz.com/2007/04/19/alec-baldwins-threatening-message-to-daughter|title=Alec Baldwin's Threatening Message to Daughter|accessdate=2007-08-09|publisher=TMZ.com|year=2007|format=html] Baldwin's lawyers filed court papers accusing Basinger and her lawyer, Neal Hersh, of giving the tape to the website TMZ.com, run by Harvey Levin, in violation of a court order protecting the child's privacy. Basinger, who is already facing charges for a previous violation of court orders concerning Baldwin's visitations rights,Cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/04/AR2006100401932.html|title=Kim Basinger Faces Trial in Custody Case|accessdate=2007-12-09|publisher=Washington Post|year=2006-10-04] denied that she leaked the tape to the press. [ [http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20036514,00.html "Basinger Calls Baldwin 'Unstable and Irrational'"] , "People"] . Baldwin subsequently apologized for losing his temper, stating, "I have been driven to the edge by parental alienation for many years." [ [http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2007/04/21/2007-04-21_alec_oops_my_kids_no_pig_.html Baldwin sez sorry for ripping his 11-year-old daughter, but Basinger has driven me 'to the edge'] ] Baldwin discussed his outburst in the media, including an appearance on "The View". Baldwin stated that he is writing a book about the issue of messy divorce. He said that once his book is published, "I'm sure more people will understand the incredible strains created by parental alienation".Cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2007/04/21/2007-04-21_alec_oops_my_kids_no_pig_.html|title=Alec oops! My kid's no pig|accessdate=2007-08-12|publisher=New York Daily News|year=2007-02-21|author=Michelle Caruso|format=html] Baldwin's promotion of the book and criticisms of the family law system have resulted in two appearances to discuss these issues at Harvard Law School. [ [http://www.hlrecord.org/news/2008/10/02/News/Alec-Baldwin.Takes.On.Family.Law-3465467.shtml Alec Baldwin takes on family law at Harvard] in the "Harvard Law Record"]

Baldwin is an animal rights activist and follows a mostly vegetarian diet. He is a strong supporter of PETA and has done work for the organization including narrating the video entitled 'Meet your Meat'. [cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-08-22-baldwin-award_x.htm |title=USA Today: Alec Baldwin to receive award at PETA gala]

Filmography

Features

hort subjects

*"Scout's Honor" (1999)
*"Brighter Days" (2003)will and grace (2001)

References

External links

* [http://www.alecbaldwin.com/ Official Site]
*imdb name|id=0000285
*amg name|2:3515
*voice actor|id=2575
* [http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Alec_Baldwin.php Political contributions of Alec Baldwin]
* [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alec-baldwin/ Alec Baldwin's Blog at Huffington Post]
* [http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=cheaptricks Alec Baldwin speaks out about travelling animal acts.]
* [http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=animals_in_ent_pk Alec Baldwin circus ad]
* [http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/getvideo.asp?video=alec_presser Alec Baldwin addresses Congress]
* [http://meat.org/ Alec Baldwin narrates the meat.org video]
* [http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/273-alec-baldwin Alec Baldwin's Charity Work]

Persondata
NAME = Baldwin, Alexander Rae
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = American actor
DATE OF BIRTH = April 3, 1958
PLACE OF BIRTH = Massapequa, New York United States
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =