Gregory Itzin

Gregory Martin Itzin was born on April 20, 1948 in Washington, D.C., the son of Evelyn Loretta Smith and Martin Joseph Itzin, who later served as mayor of Burlington, Wisconsin, where the family moved while he was in sixth grade. From an early age he was drawn to the stage, and he pursued formal training at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, launching a career that would span more than four decades across Broadway, regional theatres, and award‑winning productions. He earned critical acclaim for his work in the Pulitzer‑winning The Kentucky Cycle, which brought him both a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk nomination, and he collected multiple L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards for performances in classics such as Waiting for Godot and The Homecoming. On screen, Itzin became a familiar face in both television and film, best remembered for his chilling portrayal of President Charles Logan on the hit series 24, a role that earned him two Emmy nominations—one for Supporting Actor and another for Guest Actor. His résumé includes guest spots on MacGyver, Friends, The Mentalist, and several Star Trek series, where he displayed remarkable versatility by playing five distinct characters. Film credits range from a memorable cameo as a religious zealot in the cult classic Airplane! to supporting roles in Law Abiding Citizen and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Beyond acting, he contributed to comedy sketches at ACME Comedy Theatre and narrated radio plays for L.A. Theatre Works. Married to Judie since 1979, the couple raised two children. Despite suffering a major heart attack in 2015, Itzin continued to work until his final on‑screen appearance as an ornithologist in the documentary The Other Fellow shortly before his death on July 8, 2022, following complications from emergency surgery.