Gordon Clapp (born September 24, 1948) is an American actor best known for playing Det. Greg Medavoy for all 12 seasons of the television series NYPD Blue, winning an Emmy Award in 1998.

Early life and education Clapp was born in North Conway, New Hampshire. He graduated from Williams College in 1971. At Williams College, he met frequent collaborators David Strathairn and John Sayles. Clapp also studied at The National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center (fall 1970).

Career Clapp has appeared in numerous TV shows such as Check it Out! and Night Court as well as numerous stage plays. His film credits include Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980), Running (1979), Matewan (1987), Eight Men Out (1988, as Chicago White Sox catcher Ray Schalk), Termini Station (1989), The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999), Rules of Engagement (2000), Sunshine State (2002), and Flags of Our Fathers (2006) as United States Marine Corps Gen. Holland Smith. He appeared in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Vortex." From 1993 to 2005, Clapp played Detective Greg Medavoy on NYPD Blue. He won an Emmy for the role.

In 2007, he appeared as Coach Mad Maddox in The Game Plan. On Broadway, he appeared in the 2005 revival of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross, where he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play. He also played Alan Silver in episode Holiday Spirit in Ghost Whisperer (3x10).

In 1995, he played Father Paul in Her Hidden Truth. In 2007, Clapp voiced Horny the Clown in the horror film Drive-Thru. Later that year, Clapp also appeared as Det Dick Walenski in "In Name and Blood," season 3 episode 2 of Criminal Minds. Clapp portrayed a corrupt police officer in a 2008 episode of Cold Case. He played the main antagonist Gen. Peter Randall in the Prototype video game. Clapp plays the father of Ellen (Rose Byrne) in the F/X show Damages.

In 2014, Clapp began playing a recurring role as Chaplain Orlovsky in Chicago Fire.

In 2021, Clapp had a modest but critical role in the acclaimed HBO series Mare of Easttown, playing key witness Pat Ross.

Personal life Clapp was previously married to actress Deborah Taylor from 1986 to 1999. He married Elisabeth Gordon, whom he met through a mutual friend, on November 5, 2016.

Filmography

Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1979RunningKenny1980Return of the Secaucus 7Chip1987MatewanTom Griggs1988Eight Men OutRay Schalk1989Termini StationHarvey Dunshane1989Gross AnatomyDoctor1994April OneGordon Davies1999The Rage: Carrie 2Eric's Father2000Rules of EngagementHarris2001Skeletons in the ClosetDan2002Sunshine StateEarl Pinkney2002Moonlight MileTanner2004The Sure Hand of GodJefferson T. Stevens2006Flags of Our FathersHolland Smith2007Drive-ThruHorny the ClownVoice2007The Game PlanCoach Mark Maddox2009Falling UpColin O'Shea2009The Funk ParlorDetective Joseph Angeli2010The GrindGalt2015Peter and JohnCharles Roland2015The Perfect GuyBill Forsythe2016Dead BillyLucien2021Blood Brothers: Civil WarMr. Roland2027The Phone BoothMr. StewardIn Production

Television YearTitleRoleNotes1984The Other KingdomGeorgeTelevision film1985Hangin' InMr. HepburnEpisode: "Dead Dogs Wag No Tails"1985EvergreenPalm Court WaiterEpisode #1.11985Letting GoWalterTelevision film1985ABC Weekend SpecialCopEpisode: "Pippi Longstocking"1985–1988Check It Out!Various roles49 episodes1986The Right of the PeopleChris' FriendTelevision film1987Hands of a StrangerSgt. Markey1988Katts and DogWayneEpisode: "Birds of a Feather"1988Breaking All the RulesJohn HaneyTelevision film1989KnightwatchDaniels2 episodes1989Small SacrificesDetective Doug WelchTelevision film1989The Private CapitalDarcy1990Dear JohnDave TravisEpisode: "John's Friend"1990Family of SpiesCapt. Burnett2 episodes1990Blind FaithDet. O'Brien1990Night CourtRalph ShannonEpisode: "I Said Dance!"1990Top CopsDennis DutraEpisode: "Dennis Dutra"1990Cop RockPhilip BeamerEpisode: "A Three-Corpse Meal"1990The Secret Life of Archie's WifeStubbsTelevision film1990, 1993E.N.G.Various roles2 episodes1991FeverMeeksTelevision film1991Mission of the SharkElias1992The Wonder YearsBruce LeegeeEpisode: "Politics as Usual"1992Street LegalJames Brackit2 episodes1993Bonds of LoveEvaluatorTelevision film1993Kiss of a KillerSullivan1993Civil WarsAl BlynnEpisode: "Alien Aided Affection"1993Family of StrangersDelTelevision film1993CheersShinerEpisode: "Look Before You Sleep"1993Star Trek: Deep Space NineHadranEpisode: "Vortex"1993FBI: The Untold StoriesGavinEpisode: "The Sting"1993In the Line of Duty: Ambush in WacoGlennTelevision film1993WingsPhilEpisode: "Bye-Bye, Bunny"1993–2005NYPD BlueGreg Medavoy256 episodes1995Abandoned and DeceivedDonald QuinnTelevision film1995The Outer LimitsDr. Randall StrongEpisode: "The Voice of Reason"1995Her Hidden TruthFather PaulTelevision film1996The Morrison Murders: Based on a True StorySheriff Byron Calhoun1997Badge of BetrayalThatcher1997Dead Man's GunRaymond Walter JakesEpisode: "The Bounty Hunter"2003Less than PerfectDetective MartinEpisode: "It Takes a Pillage"2005Without a TraceBill ShieldsEpisode: "The Innocents"2005, 2006DeadwoodGustave2 episodes2006Law & Order: Special Victims UnitTed CarthageEpisode: "Infected"2006MonkFrancis MerriganEpisode: "Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink"2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationSalvatore HeinzEpisode: "Meet Market"2007Halfway HomeSandyEpisode: "Halfway New Guy"2007Criminal MindsDet. Vic WolynskiEpisode: "In Name and Blood"2007Private PracticeCoach MikeEpisode: "In Which Addison Finds a Showerhead"2007Ghost WhispererAlan SilverEpisode: "Holiday Spirit"2007–2012DamagesGary Parsons3 episodes2008Cold CaseDaniel O'LearyEpisode: "Bad Reputation"2009Taking ChanceTom GarrettTelevision film2011In Plain SightBen KulpakEpisode: "I'm a Liver Not a Fighter"2013PerceptionAlan KendricksEpisode: "Ch-Ch-Changes"2013Grey's AnatomyVictor KaufmanEpisode: "Somebody That I Used to Know"2013Mob CityCarl Steckler4 episodes2014–2018Chicago FireChaplain Orlovsky11 episodes2016ElementaryDeputy Chief ProskyEpisode: "Henny Penny the Sky Is Falling"2021Mare of EasttownPat RossEpisode: "Sore Must Be the Storm"2021American RustMr. Gelsey4 episodes2025Poker FaceDivision Chief WhartonEpisode: "The End of the Road"

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