Cast and Crew
Jamey Sheridan (Harry Sweeney)
JAMEY SHERIDAN first gained notice on Broadway, in his Tony Award-nominated performance as Chris Keller in the Tony Award winning Best Revival of Arthur Miller’s "All My Sons". The next year he returned as James Tyrone, Jr. in the great Jose Quintero's beloved production of "Long Day's Journey Into Night", with Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst. Soon he was acclaimed as the gambling-addicted attorney Jack Shannon in John Sayles' quirky NBC drama "Shannon's Deal", and later as the man-demon Randall Flagg in the mini-series "Stephen King's The Stand".
Perhaps his most recognizable movie role is the taciturn scientist Jim Carver in Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm" with Joan Allen. His recent films include "Life As A House", "Hamlet" as the king, "Syriana", "The Cradle Will Rock" opposite Emily Watson, and Bette Gordon's "Luminous Motion". Other memorable movies include: "Stanley & Iris", "A Stranger Among Us", "Talent For The Game", "Whispers In The Dark", "All I Want For Christmas", "Quick Change", "Distant Thunder" and "Wild America".
Most recently, Mr. Sheridan appeared on the New York stage as "Mazon" in the one-man play "Killer's Head" by Sam Shepherd and as Brutus in "Julius Ceasar" in Central Park.
Steve Buscemi (Tom Kelly)
Steve Buscemi has been acting in film and theatre since the early eighties, and has directed four films including TREES LOUNGE in 1996 and INTERVIEW in 2007. Recently he also appearsed in the THE MESSENGER, written and directed by Oren Moverman, staring Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson; Miguel Arteta's YOUTH IN REVOLT, starring Michael Cera.
He recently directed on 30 ROCK as well as episodes of Edie Falco's Showtime series NURSE JACKIE. He will soon star in Terence Winter's HBO drama pilot, BOARDWALK EMPIRE directed by Martin Scorsese.
Recently Buscemi and actor/director Stanley Tucci have teamed with veteran producer Wren Arthur (A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, GOSFORD PARK) and created Olive Productions, which has a variety of film and television projects in development and just signed a first look deal with Lionsgate Television.
Mariann Mayberry (Judy Rheems)
Mariann Mayberry has been an ensemble member of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 1993 where she has appeared in over twenty-five productions. Mariann originated the role of Karen Weston in the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning play August: Osage County. After it's recent London debut at the National Theatre of London she has now returned to Broadway reprising the same role. On TV: "Law & Order" (SVU, Criminal Intent and Trial By Jury), "The Dave Chappelle Show.” Her film credits include, The Company, Since You’ve Been Gone, and War of the Worlds. Other Broadway credits include One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest with Gary Sinise, and Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses.
Aidan Quinn (Professor Porter)
AIDAN QUINN first appeared on film in Reckless, followed by a breakthrough role in Desperately Seeking Susan as the character Dez. Quinn next starred in the controversial TV movie An Early Frost, about a young lawyer dying of AIDS co-starring such luminaries as Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara and Sylvia Sidney. He received his first Emmy Award nomination for the role, which allowed him to gain recognition in Hollywood.
During the 1990s Quinn's career grew immensely. He found work alongside such Hollywood stars as Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall, Johnny Depp in Benny & Joon, Robert Duvall in The Handmaid's Tale and Sir John Gielgud in Haunted. He followed it up with roles opposite Annette Bening in In Dreams and Meryl Streep in Wes Craven’s Music of the Heart.
In 2007, Quinn received his second Emmy nomination for the television movie Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.
John Savage (Peter Rheems)
While attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, JOHN SAVAGE helped organize a children's theatre troupe, giving non-profit performances at various housing projects. When next heard from, Savage had won a Drama Circle award for his starring performance in a Chicago-New York revival of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
During the late 80s through mid 90s, Savage threw his star power behind the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. It was here working alongside Nelson Mandela that he found himself back in his "Hollywood" roots working as the assistant production manager of Spike Lee's film Malcolm X.
Since his return back to Los Angeles, John's career remains split between both television and film projects. He was a series regular on James Cameron's Dark Angel, as well as the acclaimed HBO series Carnivale. His silver screen presence remained with roles in American Strays, The Thin Red Line, and Message in a Bottle. In 2009, John will have several projects being released, including Handsome Harry and The Thacker Case (opposite Eliza Dushku and Gabriel Macht).
Campbell Scott (David Kagan)
The son of actors George C. Scott and Colleen Dewhurst, CAMPBELL SCOTT has starred in many daring and impressive roles. One of these film assignments for the handsome, lithe Scott was as the plain and portly humorist Robert Benchley in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, a role which earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination.
Scott's career entered a new phase in 1996 when the actor began serving as a co-producer on various projects. Teaming up with old friend Stanley Tucci, Scott co-produced Greg Mottola's well-received independent comedy The Daytrippers, which starred Tucci — and then, in concert with his friend, he co-directed, co-produced, and starred in Big Night, which received enthusiastic reception at the Sundance Film Festival and widespread critical acclaim.
In 2002, he was awarded the Best Actor prize from the National Board of Review for his notable performance in Roger Dodger. Scott has also starred in Six Degrees on ABC networks. In 2007, Campbell Scott lent his voice for the narration of an eco-friendly Chevron Corporation television ad, as well as the critically-acclaimed Iraq War documentary film, No End in Sight.
Titus Welliver (Gephardt)
TITUS WELLIVER sailed to fame as a character player, largely via television roles. Though Welliver exhibited such an individualistic presence (and appearance) he also evinced such versatility with characterizations that series creators (and feature producers) were able to successfully cast him in a broad spectrum of roles
Regular roles included Officer Jack Lowery on Steven Bochco's short-lived police drama Brooklyn South and Silas Adams on the revisionist Western show Deadwood; he also had a recurring role as physician Dr. Mondzac on the seminal cop series NYPD Blue. Welliver's cinematic resumé includes parts in such features as The Doors (1991), Mulholland Falls (1996), Assault on Precinct 13 (2005), and Gone Baby Gone (2007). Titus has also pursued theater, appearing in productions of Riff Raff, American Buffalo, Naked at the Coast, and Shakespeare's Henry IV, Parts I and II.
Karen Young (Muriel)
KAREN YOUNG was born in Pequannock, New Jersey, and educated at Rutgers University. After college, she went to New York City to pursue a career in acting and has been a New Yorker ever since.
One of her first successes was in the original theatrical production of A Lie of the Mind, written and directed by Sam Shepard. She has consistently worked in film, most recently starring opposite Charlotte Rampling in the French production Heading South, which was directed by the esteemed Laurent Cantet in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. TV viewers can also see her as FBI Agent Robyn Sanseverino in the HBO series The Sopranos.
Bill Sage (Pauley)
A graduate of the State University of New York at Purchase, actor Bill Sage began his career in the early '90s, striking up a relationship with indie filmmaker Hal Hartley. Sage would appear in a number of Hartley's films. like Trust, Ambition, and lirt, andhe soon found a niche in independent film. He appeared in seeral acclaimed art films and the sleepetr hits over the years, such as I Shot Andy Warhole and High Art. Sage also landed recurring roles in episodes of TVs Third Watch, Cashmere Mafir, and NCIS, as well as starring alongside Mariah Carey in the 2008 film Tenessee. Most recently, he played the part of the teacher in the beginning of Lee Daniel's acclaimed film Precious, Based on the novel Push by Saphire.
Bette Gordon (Director)
A pioneer in the American Independent Film world, Gordon is best known for her bold explorations of themes related to sexuality. Her early short films, most notably Empty Suitcases, have won numerous awards and Festival acclaim worldwide, including showings at The Berlin International Film Festival, New York’s Museum of Modern Art and The Whitney Biennial, as well as prizes at The Chicago International Film Festival and Atlanta Festival of Film and Video. Variety (1984) marked her debut as a feature film director, particularly in light of the film’s invitational showing at The Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Director’s Fortnight.
Luminous Motion, Gordon’s next feature, opened to rave reviews in 2000. Based on the acclaimed novel History of Luminous Motion, it was produced by Ted Hope and Anthony Bregman of Good Machine. It was the only U.S. film selected for competition at the Locarno International Film Festival. It was also invited to the Toronto Festival, the Munich Film Festival in Germany and received a prize for Best Cinematography at the Florida Film Festival in Orlando.
Gordon is a Professor of Film at Columbia University's graduate film division in New York City and is the Supervisor of the directing program there. She is also a staff writer for the magazine BOMB, a journal of theatre, film, art and literature, where she has interviewed a variety of actors and directors, including David Cronenberg, Mike Figgis, Barbet Schroeder, Mike Leigh, Allison Anders and Al Pacino.
Jamin O’Brien (Producer)
Mr. O’Brien is the Head of Production and Co-Chair of Worldview Entertainment, a New York City-based motion picture production and financing company. He is the creative architect behind the development of the company’s slate and is responsible for overseeing all elements of film development and production. As the co-founder of John Doe Entertainment, Mr. O’Brien has been involved with the financing, development, and production of several television projects and feature films.
He produced the wildly successful self-distributed film BOYNTON BEACH CLUB, by director Susan Seidelman (Desperately Seeking Susan, and She-Devil) He most recently Produced JUST LIKE THE SON, written and directed by festival darling Morgan J. Freeman, and Executive Produced WEST 32ND Michael Kang’s sophomore effort, and co-Produced LYMELIFE a Sundance Lab Project.
Marilyn Haft (Producer / Legal Counsel)
Marilyn Haft chairs the firm, Entertainment and Digital Media Practice Group. She specializes in the business and legal affairs of the multimedia and communication industries, including the film, television, digital and publishing sectors, representing companies as well as individuals in those businesses.
Ms. Haft is also an award-winning independent film producer and has worked at NBC News and ABC News as a producer on Peter Jennings’ specials. She Executive Produced an Emmy award-winning documentary on Preston Sturges for “American Masters” on National Public Television, and co-produced GRACE IS GONE, the John Cusack movie that won the Audience Award at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. She also co-produced two 2008 Sundance films, DIMINISHED CAPACITY, starring Matthew Broderick, Virginia Madsen and Alan Alda, and BIRDS OF AMERICA, starring and co-produced by Hillary Swank.
Ms. Haft served the Carter Administration as Associate Director of the Office of Public Liaison in the White House, Deputy Counsel to Vice President Walter Mondale in the White House and as a U.S. Representative to the United Nations.
Fred Berner (Executive Producer)
Fred Berner Films has produced both Hollywood and independent films, with many varied and distinguished movies to its credit. Fred’s most recent feature film 3 BACKYARDS written and directed by Eric Mendelsohn and starring Edie Falco, premiered in competition at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and garnered this years Directors Award. Fred produced the highly acclaimed film POLLOCK (Sony Pictures Classics), the story of pioneer abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock, directed by Ed Harris.
Fred is currently in his third year as Executive Producer of LAW&ORDER (Wolf Films/NBC Universal) in its 20th season on NBC. Before that Fred spent five seasons as the Executive Producer of LAW&ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Wolf Films/NBC Universal). While at Criminal Intent, Fred also produced SPEAK starring Kristen Stewart, which premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and enjoyed a precedent setting simulcast on the Showtime and Lifetime networks. Previously for television Fred was the Executive Producer of ABOUT US: THE DIGNITY OF CHILDREN (ABC 1997), hosted by Oprah Winfrey, which garnered an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Children’s Program.
Elizabeth Kling (Executive Producer)
Elizabeth Kling is an editor and producer working in the film and television industry in New York and Los Angeles for over 20 years. She began her editing career in New York working with Robert Altman on OC and STIGGS, and went on to edit many feature films such as ZEBRAHEAD directed by Anythony Drazan (Columbia Tri-Star), GEORGIA directed by Ulu Grosbard (Miramax), and ADDICTED TO LOVE and PRACTICAL MAGIC (Warner Bros.) for Griffin Dunne. She was Producer on EL SISTEMA directed by Ellen Spiro, and Associate Producer and Editor on David Milch's reknowned series “Deadwood” for HBO, and most recently on Lionsgate “Crash “TV series produced by Paul Haggis. She and Bette Gordon met in 1987 and worked together on The Seven Deadly Sins: Greed for German Televion ZDF. Elizabeth has also taught at Columbia University and at the Sundance Film Lab.
Nicholas T. Proferes (Writer)
Nicholas T. Proferes has worked extensively in the film industry as a film editor, cameraman, documentary director, producer, and screenwriter. Free At Last, a chronicle of the last days of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on which he served as director/cameraman/editor, won Best Television Documentary at the Venice Film Festival in 1969. He teamed up as cameraman and editor with the actress/writer/director Barbara Loden on Wanda, winner of the Critic’s Award, Venice, 1971. In 2008 his screenplay, Romeros, Julieta, & The General, won Best Screenplay at the Los Angeles, Greek Film Festival, and is now in development with Phedon Papamichaels scheduled to direct.
Mr. Proferes has taught screenplay writing at the Mediterranean Film Institute and currently teaches film directing in the Graduate Film Program in The School of he Arts, Columbia University where he has been for 25 years. The third edition of his textbook, “Film Directing Fundamental’s; See Your Film Before Shooting”, was published in 2008. Handsome Harry is his first produced screenplay.
Nigel Bluck (Director of Photography)
Nigel Bluck studied film in New Zealand, joined the industry as a camera assistant and went on to earn a degree in Cinematography from the prestigious Australian Film Television and Radio School. Upon graduation, Mr. Bluck became one of the top DPs in the commercial world and his feature career soon began as additional photographer on the critically acclaimed and award winning trilogy, THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Other feature credits include HALF MOON, for which he won Best Cinematography at the San Sebastian Film Festival. Nigel also received recognition for his work on THE HOME SONG STORIES, directed by Tony Ayres, winning the AFI award from Australian Film Institute, The Film Critics Circle of Australia Award and the Inside Film Awards, all for best cinematography in a feature film.
Keiko Deguchi (Editor)
Keiko Deguchi has edited over 30 films, including both narrative and documentary features. HANDSOME HARRY is her second collaboration with the director, Bette Gordon, following LUMINOUS MOTION. Her narrative film credits include Patrick Stettner's THE BUSINESS OF STRANGERS, Susan Seidelman’s THE BOYNTON BEACH CLUB, Steven Shainberg’s FUR:AN IMAGINARY PORTRAIT OF DIANE ARBUS, and Jonathan Parker's (UNTITLED). Her documentary film credits include award winning documentary films such as Jeremiah Zagar’s IN A DREAM, Linda Hattendorf’s THE CATS OF MIRIKITANI, John Valadez and Cristina Ibarra’s THE LAST CONQUISTADOR, Gayle Ferraro’s ANONYMOUSLY YOURS and GANGES: RIVER TO HEAVEN. Her most recent work TO CATCH A DOLLAR: MUHAMMAD YUNUS BANKS ON AMERICA was premiered at 2010 Sundance Film Festival. She is the recipient of James Lyons Editing Award at Woodstock Film Festival, 2008.
Anton Sanko (Composer)
Anton Sanko was born and raised in New York City. He attended NYU, where, majoring in music theory and composition, he studied Stockhausen by day and played in downtown Manhattan's new wave clubs by night. In addition, he also found time to study guitar and composition with jazz legend Ralph Towner. It was also during this time that he played with the avant-garde acts Shox Lumania and Our Daughter's Wedding. Sanko continued to produce, play and write with other artists including Anna Domino, Jim Carroll, Lucy Kaplansky, Percy Jones, Kashif, and Sonny Okosun.
Anton’s score credits include cult films like PARTY GIRL, RIPE, and AN OCCASIONAL HELL, as well as SCOTLAND, PA and NYACK JUMPERS. Sanko scored the Sony Classics release SAVING FACE, Alex Steyermark’s ONE LAST THING, and Tom DeCillo’s upcoming release DELIRIOUs, starring Steve Buscemi. The Hollywood reporter had this to say about his score to Delirious: “DiCillo and his composer, Anton Sanko, make terrific use of music to drive and cut between scenes. The score rocks the movie.”
Sanko recently relocated to Los Angeles where he is currently wrapping his first season on the highly acclaimed HBO television series BIG LOVE. His new approaches have won wide critical praise and have contributed greatly to a heightened awareness and increased ratings for the show in its third season.
Jumaane Smith (Jazz Cues)
Jumaane Smith has established himself as a strong leader and inspired colleague of some of the most highly acclaimed musicians in the United States and abroad. He has performed and recorded with artists such as; Rashied Ali, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Michael Buble, Boys II Men, The Jonas Brothers, Brian Mc Knight, Bobby Brown, Reggie Workman, Benny Golson, Wynton Marsalis, Ravi Coltrane, Wycliffe Gordon and Jon Faddis, In 2001 Smith was accepted into The Juilliard School of Music with a full scholarship to participate in the inaugural class of jazz studies at the Juilliard School.
Jumaane has performed on a variety of television shows including the 2009 Grammy Awards with Stevie Wonder and the Jonas Brothers, The Tonight show with Jay Leno, The David Letterman Show, Oprah Winfrey Show, and The Today Show, Jumaane has toured with a variety of ensembles all over the world including a variety of legendary venues, among them Madison Square Garden, Royal Albert hall, The Sydney Opera House, Birdland, Blue Note, Iridum, Jazz Standard, Café Carlyle, Knitting Factory, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and The Village Vanguard. In 2002 he was selected to attend and perform at the International Academy of Achievement Summit in Dublin, Ireland as a “Marsalis Scholar” and was recognized as one of the first musicians ever selected to attend the event.
Skip Lievsay (Sound Mixer)
Skip Lievsay is one of the leading sound designers in the industry, with an outstanding history of collaborating with major American filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, the Coen Brothers, and John Sayles. Lievsay served as sound editor for all of the Coens’ movies, from Blood Simple (1984), to No Country For Old Men (2007) for which he received two Academy Award nominations. He worked on several films for John Sayles including Matewan (1987) and City of Hope (1991). He designed sound for Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs (1992).
Lievsay has also worked as Sound Supervisor and/or Re-recording Mixer for many directors including Robert Altman, Arthur Penn, Tim Burton, Alfonso Cuaron, Ang Lee, John Singleton, Danny DeVito, Cameron Crowe, Ralph Backshi and John Waters.