Jay Patterson

Jay Patterson (born August 22, 1954, in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American actor recognized for his extensive work across theater, film, and television, spanning over four decades.^[1][2] Patterson began his professional career on Broadway with the role of Harold in K2 (1983), earning an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for his performance in the play.^[2] His subsequent Broadway credits include roles in Inherit the Wind (2007) as Dunlap and Townsperson, and understudy positions in productions such as Glengarry Glen Ross (2005) and August: Osage County (2007).^[3] Off-Broadway, he has appeared with prominent theaters including Roundabout Theatre Company, McGinn/Cazale Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, Classic Stage Company, The Mint, and Ensemble Studio Theatre.^[2] Regionally, his performances have been featured at institutions like the Guthrie Theater, Arena Stage, McCarter Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, and the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.^[2] In film, Patterson has appeared in more than 60 films, with notable roles including Jocko in Nobody's Fool (1994), directed by Robert Benton, and Amos Chertoff in Norman (2016), alongside Joseph Cedar's direction.^[2][4] Other significant films include Places in the Heart (1984), Ted 2 (2015) as Karl Jackson, and Nine Lives (2016) as Benson.^[2][1] On television, he has made multiple appearances in the Law & Order franchise, including the original series, Criminal Intent, and Special Victims Unit, as well as in series such as BrainDead (2016), Crisis in Six Scenes (2016), Blue Bloods (2012), Leverage: Redemption (2022), and his debut in Miami Vice (1984) as Billy Joe Higgins.^[2][5] As a member of SAG-AFTRA, Patterson continues to contribute to both stage and screen, emphasizing character-driven supporting roles.^[1]

Early life and education

Upbringing

Jay Patterson was born on August 22, 1954, in Cincinnati, Ohio.^[6] He is the son of James Frank Patterson, a construction foreman, and Margaret Patterson (née Jones), a secretary.^[6] Patterson grew up in Cincinnati.^[6] During his teenage years, Patterson attended Princeton High School in Sharonville, Ohio, a suburb north of Cincinnati.^[7] After high school, Patterson enrolled in theater studies at Ohio University.^[8]

Education

Patterson studied theater at Ohio University, where he majored in the subject.^[1][8] After completing his studies there, he relocated to New York City in 1980 to pursue acting professionally and trained at the Terry Schreiber Studio.^[9][10] This post-college program focused on practical acting techniques essential for stage and screen work, building on his foundational university education.^[8]

Career

Theater

Jay Patterson began his professional theater career in the late 1970s with regional productions, including the role of Lonnie in Ed Bullins's The Taking of Miss Janie at the Penumbra Theatre in Minneapolis around 1977.^[6] He also performed in Shakespearean works during this period, such as Twelfth Night at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park circa 1979, and later as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream during his residency with the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis from 1985 to 1986.^[6][11] These early roles in modern plays like Sam Shepard's Buried Child (circa 1980, also at Cincinnati Playhouse) and Shakespeare established his foundation in ensemble and character-driven theater at Midwestern regional venues.^[6] Patterson transitioned to New York stages in the early 1980s, making his Broadway debut as Harold in K2 in 1983, a role that earned him an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for best Broadway debut.^[12] Subsequent Broadway credits included supporting roles such as Dunlap and a townsperson in the 2007 revival of Inherit the Wind, as well as understudy positions in productions like the 2005 revival of Glengarry Glen Ross (covering Dave Moss, Baylen, and James Lingk) and August: Osage County (2007–2009, understudying multiple characters including Steve Heidebrecht and Bill Fordham).^[13][14][15] His Off-Broadway work further highlighted his versatility, with notable performances as Lennie in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men at the Roundabout Theatre Company's Union Square Theatre in 1987, James in God Said This at Primary Stages in 2019, and a role in the Mint Theater's 2012 revival of Love Goes to Press.^[6][16] He has collaborated extensively with prominent New York institutions, including the Roundabout Theatre Company, McGinn/Cazale Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW), Classic Stage Company (CSC), the Mint Theater, and Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST), where he has been a member since 1995.^[2][17] Throughout his career, Patterson's theater work reflects a progression from regional ensembles in the Midwest to sustained prominence on New York stages, emphasizing dramatic intensity and ensemble collaboration as a member of Actors' Equity Association.^[6] His training at the Terry Schreiber Studio in New York prepared him for these demanding roles, bridging his early regional experience with the rigor of professional stage work.^[6]

Film

Television

Video games

Patterson has provided voice work for several prominent Rockstar Games titles, extending his screen acting experience into interactive media.^[26] His video game credits include:

• Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (2009, Rockstar Games, Xbox 360/PS3/PC) as David "Dave" Grossman, a lawyer for the Goldberg, Ligner & Shyster firm.^[27]
• Red Dead Redemption (2010, Rockstar Games, Xbox 360/PS3) as additional voices for the local population.
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018, Rockstar Games, PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC) as additional voices for the local population.^[28]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Patterson has provided voice work for several prominent Rockstar Games titles, extending his screen acting experience into interactive media.^[26] His video game credits include:

• Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (2009, Rockstar Games, Xbox 360/PS3/PC) as David "Dave" Grossman, a lawyer for the Goldberg, Ligner & Shyster firm.^[27]
• Red Dead Redemption (2010, Rockstar Games, Xbox 360/PS3) as additional voices for the local population.
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018, Rockstar Games, PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC) as additional voices for the local population.^[28]