Scott Patterson

Scott Patterson (born September 11, 1958) is an American actor and former baseball player. After making his film debut in Intent to Kill, Patterson had his breakout with a main role as Luke Danes on the WB comedy-drama television series Gilmore Girls (2000–2007). He reprised his role on the Netflix miniseries Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016).

After Gilmore Girls, Patterson had a main role as Gary Tolchuck on the CW sitcom Aliens in America (2007–2008) and had a starring role as Agent Peter Strahm in the horror films Saw IV (2007) and Saw V (2008).

In the 2010s, Patterson had a main role as Michael Buchanan on the NBC television series The Event (2010–2011) and voiced James Gordon and Jack the Ripper in the animated superhero film Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018). Since 2023, he has had a main role as Harry "Sully" Sullivan on the CTV television series Sullivan's Crossing.

Early life Patterson was born on September 11, 1958, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Haddonfield, New Jersey. He attended Haddonfield Memorial High School, graduating in 1977, before attending Rutgers University, where he pursued a degree in comparative literature, eventually leaving college to play baseball. He was exposed to the teachings of Paul Newman, Arthur Penn, and Frank Corsaro at the Actors Studio, where he also participated in the Producer's Unit Penn chaired.

Baseball career

Patterson spent seven years, from to , as a professional pitcher in minor league baseball, topping out at the Triple-A level, the highest before the major leagues. He played in two major-league farm systems for seven different minor-league teams and was selected to four all-star teams (two with Atlanta and two with the New York Yankees). Patterson was initially selected by the Atlanta Braves in the first round (12th overall) of the 1980 Major League Baseball secondary draft (an event distinct from the amateur draft). He played his first pro season with their Class A Anderson Braves in 1980. In 1981 Patterson won 13 consecutive games as a starting pitcher between Class A Durham and Double-A Savannah to set a Braves record for most consecutive wins to start a season. He was named the Braves Minor League Pitcher of the Month twice.

Patterson was traded from the Braves to the New York Yankees for Bob Watson on April 23, 1982, and was placed on the Yankees Major League roster in 1983. Patterson was named as an All-Star both with the Yankees' Double-A Albany-Colonie Yankees and Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 1986. In 1985 he was selected by the Texas Rangers in the Rule 5 draft but subsequently returned to the Yankees. While in the Yankees organization Patterson was named their minor league Pitcher of the Month once, and Pitcher of the Week three times. Patterson also pitched in the Puerto Rican Winter League with the Lobos de Arecibo in 1984–85, and the Dominican Professional Baseball League with Santo Domingo in 1985–86. Patterson signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate, the Albuquerque Dukes, in late 1986 but never played at the major league level.

Acting career Patterson completed filming the leading role in the feature film Her Best Move, directed by Norm Hunter and co-starring Lisa Darr. He also appeared on the big screen in Little Big League, with Jason Robards, and in Three Wishes, with Patrick Swayze and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. He also appeared in Boys of Abu Ghraib and Other People's Children.

On television, he has landed romantic roles; his most notable role, which he played for seven years on the television show Gilmore Girls, is Luke Danes, the backwards baseball cap-wearing on-again, off-again love interest of the show's protagonist, Lorelai Gilmore, played by Lauren Graham. On Seinfeld, Patterson's character was deemed "spongeworthy" by Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). In the "Das Boob" episode of Will & Grace, his character had a profound effect on Grace (Debra Messing). Patterson also played the love interests of Jennifer Grey in It's Like, You Know and Sharon Lawrence's character in Fired Up. He appeared on Arli$$ and Get Real.

Patterson's recent projects include a role in Aliens in America and voicing the character of King Faraday in the 2004 animated series Justice League Unlimited, from Warner Bros. Animation. He starred as Agent Strahm in two iterations of the Saw franchise, Saw IV and Saw V.

He starred as Michael Buchanan in the NBC drama series The Event, which premiered on September 20, 2010. His character was killed off in episode 18.

In 2016, Patterson reprised his role as Luke Danes for the revival miniseries Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which streamed on Netflix on November 25, 2016, and consisted of four 90-minute episodes featuring most of the original cast.

Since 2023, Patterson has played the title role of Harry 'Sully' Sullivan on the Canadian television series Sullivan's Crossing.

Filmography Film +List of films and roles Year Title Role Notes 1992 Intent to Kill Al 1994 Little Big League Mike McGrevey 1995 CHP Officer Three Wishes Scott's Father 2000 Highway 395 Mark Bradley 2007 Her Best Move Gil Davis Saw IV Agent Peter Strahm 2008 Saw V 2012 George Martin also known as A Beer Tale 2013 Meth Head Hank 2014 Boys of Abu Ghraib Captain Hayes 2015 Other People's Children Frank Tassler 2016 Outlaw Producer; credited as Scott Gordon Patterson 2017 Yellow Fever John Smart ApeBillShort film 2018 Batman: Gotham by Gaslight James Gordon / Jack the Ripper Voice role Con Man Older Mikey

Television +List of television appearances and roles Year Title Role Notes 1993 Gillette Television film 1994 Alien Nation: Dark Horizon Ahpossno Television film 1995 Seinfeld Billy Episode: "The Sponge" 1996 Them Simon Trent Television film 1996 Silk Stalkings Chick Chandler Episode: "Pre-Judgement Day" 1997 Arliss Dan Manville Episode: "The Real Thing" 1997–1998 Fired Up Mickey 2 episodes 1998 Rhapsody in Bloom Phil Television film 1998 Vengeance Unlimited Det. Tom Swain 2 episodes 1999 It's Like, You Know... Ted Episode: "The Client" 1999 Get Real Jacob Perryhill Episode: "Performance Anxiety" 1999 Will & Grace Don Gregorio Episode: "Das Boob" 2000–2007 Gilmore Girls Luke Danes Main role 2002 Hollywood Squares Himself Panelist; 5 episodes 2002–2003 Pyramid Himself Celebrity contestant; 3 episodes 2005 Justice League Unlimited Agent King Faraday Voice role; 3 episodes 2007 Up Close with Carrie Keagan Himself Episode: "25 October 2007" 2007–2008 Aliens in America Gary Tolchuck Main role 2010 90210 Finnigan "Finn" Court 3 episodes 2010 Concrete Canyons Ben Sloane Television film 2010–2011 Michael Buchanan Main role 2011 CSI: Miami Brendon Dwyer Episode: "Killer Regrets" 2011 Celebrity Ghost Stories Himself Episode: "Scott Patterson/Maria Conchita Alonso/Christopher Atkins" 2012 Love at the Christmas Table Tom PattonTelevision film 2015 Kidnapped: The Hannah Anderson Story James DiMaggio 2016 Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Luke Danes Miniseries 2018 Home & Family Himself Episode: "Scott Patterson/Tate Ellington/Alexandra Catalano" 2023–2025 Sullivan's Crossing Sully Sullivan Series regular; Seasons 1-3