David Purdham
Encyclopedia
David Purdham is an American character actor
who stars in films and on television.
Purdham's first role was in the 1984 film Lily in Love
, later on, he appeared in the 1991 film Defending Your Life
, some of his other films include My Girl 2
(1994), Coronado (2003, and Fracture
(2007).
He has appeared on many television shows, his first TV role was in the soap opera
Ryan's Hope
as Father Emmerich. Purdham played the role of Fred Porter in the soap opera One Life to Live
from 1991-1992. His most recent soap opera appearance is in The Young and the Restless
as Dr. Campbell. He had a small recurring role in the 1990s hit science fiction
series Babylon 5
as Captain James, the captain of the EAS Agamemnon
, and appeared in the cult science fiction series Alien Nation
as Marc Guerin in the final episode of the series. Purdham reprised the role of Marc Guerin in the 1994 TV movie Alien Nation: Dark Horizon
. He also had a small recurring roll in JAG
as Capt. Ray Hubbard.
David has made many guest appearances on television shows, including Matlock
, ER
, NYPD Blue
, Seinfeld
, 7th Heaven
, Sliders
, and The X-Files
.
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
who stars in films and on television.
Purdham's first role was in the 1984 film Lily in Love
Lily in Love
Lily in Love is a 1984 Hungarian-American co-production in English language based on a play by Ferenc Molnár, starring Christopher Plummer, Maggie Smith and Elke Sommer...
, later on, he appeared in the 1991 film Defending Your Life
Defending Your Life
Defending Your Life is a 1991 romantic comedy/fantasy film about a man who must justify his lifelong fears and insecurities after he dies and arrives in the afterlife. The film was written, directed by, and stars Albert Brooks. It also stars Meryl Streep, Rip Torn and Lee Grant.The movie was filmed...
, some of his other films include My Girl 2
My Girl 2
My Girl 2 is a 1994 comedy-drama film starring Anna Chlumsky, Dan Aykroyd, Christine Ebersole, Jamie Lee Curtis, Richard Masur, Austin O'Brien, and Roland Thomson. This was a sequel to 1991's My Girl.-Plot:...
(1994), Coronado (2003, and Fracture
Fracture (2007 film)
Fracture is a 2007 legal/crime suspense film from New Line Cinema and Castle Rock Entertainment, directed by Gregory Hoblit, starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling...
(2007).
He has appeared on many television shows, his first TV role was in the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope is an American soap opera, revolving around 13 years of trials and tribulations within a large Irish American family in the Riverside district of New York City. It aired from July 7, 1975 to January 13, 1989 on ABC...
as Father Emmerich. Purdham played the role of Fred Porter in the soap opera One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
from 1991-1992. His most recent soap opera appearance is in The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
as Dr. Campbell. He had a small recurring role in the 1990s hit science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
series Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
as Captain James, the captain of the EAS Agamemnon
EAS Agamemnon
EAS Agamemnon is fictional starship in the science fiction series Babylon 5. The Agamemnon is an Earth Alliance Omega class destroyer...
, and appeared in the cult science fiction series Alien Nation
Alien Nation (TV series)
Alien Nation is a science fiction television series, loosely based on the movie of the same name. Gary Graham starred as Detective Matthew Sikes, a Los Angeles police officer reluctantly working with "Newcomer" alien George Francisco , played by Eric Pierpoint...
as Marc Guerin in the final episode of the series. Purdham reprised the role of Marc Guerin in the 1994 TV movie Alien Nation: Dark Horizon
Alien Nation: Dark Horizon
Alien Nation was a television show from the Fox Network which lasted a single season, ending in 1990 with a cliffhanger series finale. Dark Horizon was written to be the season opener for the second season, but when the series was unexpectedly canceled and looked like it might never return to...
. He also had a small recurring roll in JAG
JAG (TV series)
JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
as Capt. Ray Hubbard.
David has made many guest appearances on television shows, including Matlock
Matlock (TV series)
Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of attorney Ben Matlock. The show originally aired from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC, where it replaced The A-Team, then from November 5, 1992 until May 7, 1995 on ABC.The show's format was similar...
, ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
, Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, 7th Heaven
7th Heaven
7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from August 26, 1996 to May 13, 2007...
, Sliders
Sliders
Sliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
, and The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
.