Daniel Baldwin

The self-described "black sheep" of the famous Long Island acting clan, darkly handsome, slightly chunky Daniel Baldwin was the last of the siblings to enter the business, working as a sports handicapper until deciding the money was just too good not to pursue. With the help of his more high-profile brothers Alec, William and Stephen, he quickly established himself and compiled a respectable resume after debuting in the NBC TV-movie "Too Good to Be True" (1988), including feature roles in "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989), "Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man" (1991) and "Hero" (1992), His first big break, however, came through television with the short-lived CBS sitcom "Sydney" (1990), in which he played Cheezy, an over-sexed associate of star Valerie Bertinelli. Although he had the title role in "Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life" (CBS, 1992) he was not in the subsequent, short-lived 1993 series ("Ned Blessing: The Story of My Life and Times") because he had already landed the part for which he is still best-known.

NBC's gritty Baltimore-based cop show "Homicide: Life on the Street" cast Baldwin as wise guy Detective Beau Felton. Although he gained good reviews, he left the show after two seasons (1993-95) and his character was eventually a murder victim in a powerful two-part episode in 1997. TV-movies like HBO's "The Attack of the 50-Foot Woman" (as Daryl Hannah's loutish husband) CBS' "Family of Cops" (1995, playing Charles Bronson's son) and NBC's "Twisted Desire" (1996, opposite significant other Isabella Hofmann) continued to show him in a good light, but his big-screen career failed to ignite, despite nice contributions to Lee Tamahori's "Mulholland Falls" and Steve Buscemi's "Trees Lounge" (both 1996). A string of direct-to-video releases followed before better roles began coming his way. Unfortunately, while in NYC in early 1998 to film the romantic comedy "It Had to Be You", the recovering substance abuser fell off the wagon with an alarming thud, and the tabloid embarrassment that ensued put the actor's career in serious jeopardy. (He was arrested and immediately replaced in the film by Michael Rispoli). Ironically, "John Carpenter's Vampires" (1998, filmed before the incident) was released while Baldwin was undergoing treatment in a rehab center and contained perhaps his best feature work to date. As James Woods' partner in tracking and killing the undead who becomes involved with a victim of a vampire's bite, he displayed not only a tough guy persona but also a more tender side. Nevertheless, he has an uphill battle to dispel people's image of him as "that crazy Baldwin who went nuts at the Plaza Hotel."

• Also Credited As:
  Daniel Leroy Baldwin, Danny Baldwin
• Born:
  Daniel Leroy Baldwin on October 5, 1960 in Massapequa, New York, USA
• Job Titles:
  Actor, Sports handicapper

Family

• Brother: Alec Baldwin. Born in 1958; was previously married to actress Kim Basinger; best known for starring in Beetlejuice (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Cooler (2003) and the TV show, 30 Rock (NBC)
• Brother: Stephen Baldwin. Born in 1967; married to graphics designer Kennya Deodato Baldwin; known for The Usual Suspects (1995) and Bio-Dome ; became a born-again Christian in the Evangelical church shortly after the September 11 attacks
• Brother: William Baldwin. Born in 1963; married to singer-actress Chynna Phillips; best known for starring in Backdraft (1991), Sliver (1993) and ABC s Dirty Sexy Money
• Daughter: Alexandra Baldwin. Born in 1994; mother, Elizabeth Baldwin
• Daughter: Avis Ann Baldwin. Born Jan. 17, 2008; mother, Joanne Smith-Baldwin
• Daughter: Finley Rae Martineau Baldwin. Born Aug. 7, 2009; mother, Joanne Smith-Baldwin
• Daughter: Kahlea Baldwin. Born in 1983; mother, Cheryl Baldwin
• Father: Alexander Baldwin Jr. Taught history in high school in Massapequa, NY; also coached football; died of lung cancer in 1983
• Mother: Carol Baldwin. Born in 1930; breast cancer survivor and formidable figure in the national drive to raise funds for breast cancer research
• Sister: Elizabeth Baldwin. Born in 1955; non-acting mother of six and head of Stephen Baldwin s fan club
• Sister: Jane Baldwin. Born c. 1965
• Son: Atticus Baldwin. Born prematurely on July 13, 1996; mother, Isabella Hofmann

Significant Others

• Wife: Cheryl Baldwin. Divorced
• Wife: Joanne Smith-Baldwin. British
• Companion: Isabella Hofmann. born c. 1960; met on the series Homicide: Life on the Street

Education

• Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY
• Massapequa High School, Massapequa, NY

Milestones

• 1988 TV debut in NBC movie Too Good to be True
• 1989 Feature debut in Born on the Fourth of July
• 1990 TV series debut as regular in CBS sitcom Sydney
• 1991 First sizeable film role in Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
• 1992 Had small role in Stephen Frears Hero starring Dustin Hoffman
• 1992 Played title role in Ned Blessing: The True Story of My Life (CBS); not cast in the short-lived 1993 series ( Ned Blessing: The Story of My Life and Times ) that followed
• 1993 Had regular role of Detective Beau Felton on NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street
• 1993 Starred opposite Daryl Hannah in HBO remake of Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman
• 1994 Returned to the Ned Blessing role for the feature Lone Justice
• 1995 Portrayed Charles Bronson s son in CBS movie A Family of Cops ; replaced by Joe Penny in sequels
• 1996 Acted opposite significant other Isabella Hofmann in NBC movie Twisted Desire
• 1996 Appeared in two features, Lee Tamahori s Mulholland Falls and Steve Buscemi s feature directing debut, Trees Lounge
• 1998 Delivered arguably his best feature work to date in John Carpenter s Vampires as James Woods vampire-hunting partner (filmed before hotel incident)
• 1998 Replaced by Michael Rispoli in It Had to Be You after much-publicized cocaine overdose at NYC s Plaza Hotel
• 2001 Feature directorial debut, Fall ; also co-starred with Michael Madsen and Chad McQueen; released direct-to-video
• 2004 Starred in Paparazzi about a celebrity who turns the tables on a persistent photographer; produced by Mel Gibson
• 2005 Cast in Showtime s Our Fathers, an adaptation of David France s epic book about the sex scandals in the Roman Catholic Church
• 2007 Cast in a recurring role in the final episodes of HBO s Emmy-winning mob drama The Sopranos
• Will portray Julius Krug, the former secretary of the interior in HBO Films Grey Gardens (lensed 2007)