Due to the level of fanaticism the show inspired, actor Gregory Itzin received the most press of his highly prolific career from playing hissable President Charles Logan on Fox’s hit “24” (2001- ). Yet long before putting Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer in harm’s way, the recognizable actor had amassed an impressive list of credits on film, television and stage over the last three decades.
A self-described “Marine brat,” Itzin grew up on several military bases until the sixth grade, when his family settled in Burlington, WI, where his father was, at one time, the town mayor. Itzin credited his transitory childhood as catalyst for his interest in acting. After performing in school plays and then onstage with a local theater group, the green actor’s formal theatrical training came at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, where he was also a member. Over the course of his career, he appeared on Broadway in the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Kentucky Cycle” (for which he was nominated for Tony and Drama Desk awards). He would go on to earn three L.A. Drama Critic’s Circle Awards in 1996, 2000, and 2001.
Itzin’s earliest on-screen credit was as a bit player in an episode of “Mork and Mindy” (ABC, 1978-82), but his first big screen credit was as a “religious zealot” bothering a pre-boarding Robert Hayes in “Airplane!” (1980). Since that time, his film roles included parts in critical hits, “The Fabulous Baker Boys” (1989), “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998), “Igby Goes Down” (2002), and “Adaptation” (2002).
He found more of a home on episodic television and TV features. Past credits included roles on “Lou Grant” (CBS, 1977-1982), “Dallas” (CBS, 1978-91), “Hill Street Blues” (NBC, 1981-87), “Murphy Brown” (CBS, 1988-1998), “ER” (NBC, 1994- ), and multiple episodes of “Night Court” (NBC, 1984-1992), “Matlock” (ABC/NBC, 1986-1995), “Murder One” (ABC, 1995-97), “The Practice” (ABC, 1997-2004), “CSI” (CBS, 2000- ), and “Judging Amy” (CBS, 1999-2005). Much to the delight of sci-fi geeks everywhere, he also played roles on three “Star Trek” franchises – “Deep Space Nine, (syndicated, 1993-99); “Voyager,” (UPN, 1995-2001) and “Enterprise” (UPN, 2001-05).
Since 2005, Itzin portrayed the seemingly weak Vice President Charles Logan on “24,” who assumed the highest office in the land after President John Keeler (Geoff Pierson) was critically injured in a terrorist attack on Air Force One. The stress of dealing with such national crises as a terrorist launch of American nuclear missiles and the assassination of a Chinese consul, as well as the instability of his wife Martha (Jean Smart), appeared to have taken its toll on Logan. However, subsequent episodes revealed that the President was a much stronger and more devious person than was previously believed.