Tom Cavanagh Biography

An actor once christened by the media as the "Breakout Performer of 2000," Tom Cavanagh earned that title largely thanks to his assignment headlining the popular prime-time series Ed (2000). In that seriocomedy, Cavanagh starred as Ed Stevens, an attorney who moves back to his hometown of Stuckeyville, OH, where he sets up practice in a bowling alley and strikes up a romance with a girl from high school ( Julie Bowen). The series lasted four seasons; in its wake, Cavanagh branched out into movies, with leads in the teen-oriented drama Bang, Bang, You're Dead (2002) and the romantic comedy Gray Matters (2006), as well as a small supporting role in the family-oriented laugher How to Eat Fried Worms (2006). During that time, he'd also taken on a recurring role on the medical comedy series Scrubs, playing Dan Dorian, the brother of lead character J.D. ( Zach Braff), thanks in large part to the two actors' resemblance to each other.
Cavanagh returned to regular television work with the 2006 prime-time drama Love Monkey -- headlining that program as a record-company executive who grows disillusioned with the ethos of his corporation and sets up shop with a smaller independent label. He rebounded from the hasty cancellation of that program with more feautures, including a starring role in Laurie Lynd's drama Breakfast With Scot (2007), playing a closeted gay sportscaster whose romantic relationship with a hockey player threatens to be undone by the arrival of the latter's nephew. Cavanagh could soon be seen on the small screen again when he guest-starred on the comedy drama Eli Stone as the titular character's deceased father. - Nathan Southern, Rovi

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