Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: July 8, 1958

Age: 65 years old

Birth Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Spouses: Kyra Sedgwick

Children: Sosie Bacon

A leading man and character actor so prolific and well-liked that he spawned a game based on his screen ubiquity, Kevin Bacon has played a remarkably diverse array of roles in the course of a four-decade career in films and on television, from upstanding leads in "Footloose" (1983),"Tremors" (1990) and "Apollo 13" (1995) to complex, troubled, and even malevolent men in "Diner" (1982), "JFK" (1991), "Mystic River" (2005) and "City on a Hill" (Showtime, 2019-2022 ). Born Kevin Norwood Bacon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 8, 1958, he was the youngest of six children by architect and city planner Edmund Norwood Bacon, whose status as the "father of modern Philadelphia" spurred his son to find his own path to acclaim. He found it at an early age in acting, which he pursued from his elementary school years through high school and at a special five-week theater course at Bucknell University. He left Philadelphia for New York City at the age of 17 to study at the Circle in the Square Theatre School in Greenwich Village, and by 1978, had made his feature film debut as a freshman ROTC soldier in "Animal House." Though a blockbuster, the John Landis comedy did not boost Bacon into stardom, and he returned to New York to work on daytime soap operas and the occasional feature, like 1980s' "Friday the 13th," while also honing his craft on stage. Eventually, he drew critical praise for his theater work, including an OBIE Award for "Forty Deuce" in 1982, which in turn revived his film career. Barry Levinson's "Diner," which paired Bacon with fellow up-and-comers Mickey Rourke, Paul Reiser and Tim Daly, served as the launching pad for his rise to stardom, which took off in earnest when he was cast in "Footloose" as a free-thinking, dance-loving young man in a strict Midwestern town. A major hit with young audiences, it led to starring roles as equally brash young men in unremarkable films like "Quicksilver" (1986) and John Hughes' "She's Having a Baby" (1987). Bacon shrewdly moved away from such projects and invested his time into character-driven roles - an icy killer in "Criminal Law" (1988), an aspiring filmmaker in Christopher Guest's "The Big Picture" (1989), a handyman pitted against subterranean monsters in the cult favorite "Tremors" - which eventually led to a show-stopping turn as a gay hustler connected to the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Oliver Stone's "JFK." The success of that film, and critical praise for his unsympathetic turns in "A Few Good Men" (1992) and "The River Wild" (1994), which reinvigorated his career and led to a prolific run as a leading man in Ron Howard's "Apollo 13," Levinson's "Sleepers" (1996), Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River" and numerous other films. Bacon was so frequently seen on screen in the 1990s and 2000s that he spawned a game called "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," which claimed to be able to connect him to any actor via shared or related projects. In the new millennium, Bacon's film roles grew more eclectic and even daring: he was a child kidnapper in "Trapped" (2002), a convicted pedophile in "The Woodsman" (2004), a comically vain hairstylist in "Beauty Shop" (2004), and a grieving vigilante in "Death Sentence" (2007). As the 2000s drew to a close, Bacon was finding more substantive work on television; he earned a Golden Globe as a Marine accompanying the body of a slain soldier to his hometown in the HBO drama "Taking Chance" (2009), and he starred as a former FBI agent on the trail of a serial killer with a devoted cult in "The Following" (Fox, 2013-2015). He also remained a fixture in films, albeit in smaller showcase roles for films like "X-Men: First Class" (2011). When "Following" ran its course, Bacon resumed his busy character actor work on television and film, earning critical praise for flinty roles in "Cop Car" (2015), "Black Mass" (2015) and "Patriots Day" (2016). He returned briefly to comedy as the object of Kathryn Hahn's obsession in the Amazon series "I Love Dick" (2017) before taking on the role of a corrupt FBI agent in the crime series "City on a Hill" for producers Barry Levinson, Tom Fontana, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.

Credits

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

Actor
Captain Grant
Movie
2024

Maxxxine

Actor
Movie
2023

Leave the World BehindStream

Actor
Danny
Series
2023
74%

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday SpecialStream

Self
Movie
2022
94%

Step Into…The Movies with Derek and Julianne HoughStream

Self
Special
2022

They/ThemStream

Actor
Owen Whistler
Movie
2022
33%

They/ThemStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2022
33%

One Way

Actor
Fred Sr.
Movie
2022

Space OddityStream

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Jeff McAllister
Movie
2022
56%

North Star

Actor
Dr. Owen Broderick
Movie
2022

Play On: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change

Executive Producer
Special
2020

Play On: Celebrating the Power of Music to Make Change

Host
Special
2020

The Drew Barrymore ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2020

GMA3: What You Need to Know

Guest
Show
2020

Josh Gates Tonight

Guest
Show
2020

You Should Have Left

Actor
Theo Conroy
Movie
2020

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times

Actor
Show
2019

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

City on a HillStream

Actor
Jackie Rohr
Series
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

City on a Hill: Extras

Actor
Jackie Rhodes
Show
2019

Today 3rd Hour

Guest
Show
2018

Late Late Show With James Corden: Best of the Week

Guest
Show
2018

Tour de PharmacyStream

Actor
Movie
2017
90%

The Words That Built AmericaStream

Voice
Movie
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

Story of a GirlStream

Actor
Michael
Movie
2017

I Love DickStream

Actor
Dick
Series
2016
87%

The Darkness

Actor
Peter Taylor
Movie
2016

Patriots DayStream

Actor
Special Agent Richard DesLauriers
Movie
2016
80%

Imagine: John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert

Actor
Show
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Turn It Up! A Celebration of the Electric Guitar

Narrator
Show
2015

Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter

Guest
Show
2015

Vice Talks Film

Guest
Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
Talk
2015

L'expérience interdite

Actor
Show
2015

Cop Car

Actor
Sheriff Kretzer
Movie
2015

Cop Car

Executive Producer
Movie
2015

Black MassStream

Actor
FBI Agent Charles McGuire
Movie
2015
73%

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Guest
Show
2014

How to Make a Man

Actor
Show
2014

Good Morning Britain

Guest
Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Guest
Show
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
Talk
2014

Off Camera with Sam Jones

Guest
Show
2014

Turn It Up!

Actor
Movie
2014

The Following: Extras

Actor
Show
2013

The Queen Latifah Show

Guest
Talk
2013

The Presidents' Gatekeepers

Narrator
Show
2013

Kevin Bacon on The Following: Live at the Paley Center

Guest
Show
2013

The FollowingStream

Actor
Ryan Hardy
Series
2013
58%

Skum Rocks!

Actor
Movie
2013

R.I.P.D.Stream

Actor
Hayes
Movie
2013
12%

Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together

Guest
Show
2012

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

Larry King NowStream

Guest
Talk
2012

Comedy Bang! Bang!Stream

Guest
Series
2012

Finding Your RootsStream

Guest
Reality
2012

CBS This Morning: Saturday

Guest
Show
2012

Jayne Mansfield's CarStream

Actor
Carroll Caldwell
Movie
2012
35%

LIVE with Kelly

Guest
Talk
2011

The Rosie Show

Guest
Show
2011

The Chew

Guest
Talk
2011

Piers Morgan Tonight

Guest
Show
2011

X-Men: First ClassStream

Actor
Sebastian Shaw
Movie
2011
86%

Crazy, Stupid, LoveStream

Actor
David Lindhagen
Movie
2011
79%

Elephant WhiteStream

Actor
Jimmy The Brit
Movie
2011

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

The Human Family Tree

Narrator
Show
2010

Super

Actor
Jacques
Movie
2010

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Guest
Talk
2009

The Magic 7

Self
Show
2009

Taking Chance

Actor
Lt. Col. Mike Strobl
Movie
2009

New York, I Love You

Actor
Tom
Movie
2009

My One and Only

Actor
Dan Devereaux
Movie
2009

Frost/NixonStream

Actor
Jack Brennan
Movie
2008
93%

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

Guest
Show
2007

The Graham Norton ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2007

The Graham Norton ShowStream

Guest Star
Talk
2007

The Better Show

Guest
Show
2007

Death SentenceStream

Actor
Nick Hume
Movie
2007
20%

The Air I Breathe

Actor
Love
Movie
2007

Rails & Ties

Actor
Tom Stark
Movie
2007

Rachael Ray ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2006

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

The Colbert Report

Guest
Talk
2005

Made in Hollywood

Guest
Series
2005

The CloserStream

Director
Series
2005
83%

Robot ChickenStream

Guest Voice
Series
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
Talk
2005

Loverboy

Actor
Marty Stoll
Movie
2005

Loverboy

Director
Movie
2005

Loverboy

Producer
Movie
2005

Beauty ShopStream

Actor
Jorge Christophe
Movie
2005
38%

Where the Truth Lies

Actor
Lanny Morris
Movie
2005

Tavis Smiley

Guest
Talk
2004

Cavedweller

Actor
Randall Pritchard
Movie
2004

The Woodsman

Actor
Walter
Movie
2004

The Woodsman

Executive Producer
Movie
2004

Forces of Nature

Narrator
Movie
2004

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

Mystic RiverStream

Actor
Sean Devine
Movie
2003
89%

Last Call With Carson Daly

Guest
Talk
2002

Trapped

Actor
Joe Hickey
Movie
2002

Live With Regis and Kelly

Guest
Show
2001

Entertainment Studios.com

Guest
Show
2000

God, the Devil and Bob

Guest Voice
Show
2000

My Dog SkipStream

Actor
Jack Morris
Movie
2000
73%

Hollow ManStream

Actor
Sebastian Caine
Movie
2000
26%

We Married Margo

Self
Movie
2000

Stir of Echoes

Actor
Tom Witzky
Movie
1999

Will & GraceStream

Guest Star
Kevin Bacon
Series
1998

Feria Urbana

Actor
Movie
1998

Digging to China

Actor
Ricky Schroth
Movie
1998

Wild ThingsStream

Actor
Sgt. Ray Duquette
Movie
1998
64%

Wild ThingsStream

Executive Producer
Movie
1998
64%

EP Daily

Guest
Show
1997

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Picture PerfectStream

Actor
Sam Mayfair
Movie
1997
47%

Telling Lies in America

Actor
Billy Magic
Movie
1997

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Losing Chase

Director
Movie
1996

SleepersStream

Actor
Sean Nokes
Movie
1996
73%

Murder in the First

Actor
Henri Young
Movie
1995

Apollo 13Stream

Actor
Jack Swigert
Movie
1995
96%

Balto

Voice
Balto
Movie
1995

The Air Up There

Actor
Jimmy Dolan
Movie
1994

The River WildStream

Actor
Wade
Movie
1994
57%

FrasierStream

Guest Voice
Vic
Series
1993
95%

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
Talk
1993

Mad About YouStream

Guest Star
Himself
Series
1992

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Guest
Talk
1992

A Few Good MenStream

Actor
Capt. Jack Ross
Movie
1992
84%

Queens Logic

Actor
Dennis
Movie
1991

He Said, She Said

Actor
Dan Hanson
Movie
1991

JFKStream

Actor
Willie O'Keefe
Movie
1991
84%

Pyrates

Actor
Ari
Movie
1991

TremorsStream

Actor
Valentine McKee
Movie
1990
88%

FlatlinersStream

Actor
David Labraccio
Movie
1990
50%

The Big Picture

Actor
Nick Chapman
Movie
1989

This Morning

Guest
Show
1988

She's Having a Baby

Actor
Jake Briggs
Movie
1988

Criminal Law

Actor
Martin Thiel
Movie
1988

End of the Line

Actor
Everett
Movie
1988

Lemon Sky

Actor
Alan
Movie
1987

White Water Summer

Actor
Vic
Movie
1987

Planes, Trains & AutomobilesStream

Actor
Taxi Racer
Movie
1987
92%

Quicksilver

Actor
Jack Casey
Movie
1986

FootlooseStream

Actor
Ren McCormack
Movie
1984

Enormous Changes at the Last Minute

Actor
Dennis
Movie
1983

The Demon Murder Case

Actor
Kenny Miller
Movie
1983

DinerStream

Actor
Timothy Fenwick Jr.
Movie
1982
92%

Forty Deuce

Actor
Ricky
Movie
1982

Entertainment Tonight

Guest
News
1981

Friday the 13thStream

Actor
Jack Burrell
Movie
1980
66%

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

Animal HouseStream

Actor
Chip Diller
Movie
1978
91%

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Host
Series
1975

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonStream

Guest
Talk
1962

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutKevin Bacon

Julia Roberts, Bob Odenkirk, and Terry Crews on 'Finding Your Roots'

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Beverly Hills Cop - Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Eddie Murphy, 1984

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Mahershala Ali, Myha'la Herrold, Julia Roberts, and Ethan Hawke in 'Leave The World Behind'

‘Leave the World Behind’: Julia Roberts & Mahershala Ali Are Forced Housemates in Netflix Film

The Old 97's in 'The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special'
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Pom Klementieff in 'The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special'
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Pom Klementieff Teases ‘Cute & Deadly’ Mantis Fight in ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’

Kevin Bacon as Jackie Rohr in City on a Hill

‘City on a Hill’: Showtime Cancels Kevin Bacon Crime Drama After 3 Seasons

Kevin Bacon, Pom Klementeiff and Dave Bautista in 'The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special'

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Recruits Kevin Bacon in First Trailer (VIDEO)

Kevin Bacon as Jackie Rohr in City on a Hill
Spoiler Alert

‘City on a Hill’: Kevin Bacon Says Jackie Is Questioning His Life Choices After Physical Scare

Kevin Bacon as Jackie Rohr in City on a Hill
Q&A

‘City on a Hill’: Kevin Bacon Teases ‘Power Shift’ for Jackie & Decourcy in Season 3

Kevin Bacon at Tribeca

Kevin Bacon to Host New Game Show from ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ Duo

Derek Hough on Step Into the Movies

Derek Hough Gets Pep Talk From Kevin Bacon When Recreating ‘Footloose’ (VIDEO)

Jay Leno's Garage CNBC
Exclusive

‘Jay Leno’s Garage’ First Look: Kevin Bacon Reflects on ‘Diner’ & ‘Tremors’ (VIDEO)

City On A Hill - Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge
Preview

‘City on a Hill’ Star Aldis Hodge on Ward Getting His Hands Dirty in Season 2

Kyra Sedgwick Call Your Mother Jean
Q&A

‘Call Your Mother’s Kyra Sedgwick on How Kevin Bacon Helped Inspire Her to Do a Comedy

live in front of a studio audience cast

Meet the New & Returning Cast for ‘Good Times’ & ‘All in the Family’ Live Episodes

City On A Hill - Kevin Bacon, Aldis Hodge
Review

Roush Review: ‘City on a Hill’ Is a Familiar Crime Drama With Unpredictable Energy

CITY ON A HILL
Q&A

Kevin Bacon on Letting Loose as ‘City on a Hill’s FBI Agent Jackie Rohr

tca photo booth cover

TCA 2019: Sneak Peek Scoop From the Casts of ‘The Good Fight,’ ‘This Is Us’ & More (PHOTOS)

Untitled design-188

Showtime at TCA 2019: ‘The Chi’ Season 2, ‘Homeland’ Pushed Back, Kevin Bacon’s ‘City on a Hill’

The cast of Party of Five - Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, Matthew Fox, and Lacey Chabert

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Ten Days in the Valley - KYRA SEDGWICK
Exclusive

‘Ten Days in the Valley’: First Look at Promo Art for Kyra Sedgwick’s TV Return

The Story of a Girl - Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick

Family Affair: Kyra Sedgwick Directs Husband Kevin Bacon and Daughter Sosie in Lifetime’s ‘Story of a Girl’

Master of None - Aziz Ansari, Bobby Cannavale
Review

Roush Review: Delicious ‘Master of None’ on Netflix, Amazon’s Bold ‘I Love Dick’

Batman & Bill, streaming

‘Sense8’, Kevin Bacon in ‘I Love Dick’, Aziz Ansari’s ‘Master of None’ and Maria Bamford’s New Stand-Up New in May Streaming

I Love Dick - Kathryn Hahn, Griffin Dunne, Kevin Bacon
Preview

Is ‘I Love Dick’ Amazon’s Next Big Thing? Watch the Official Trailer and Decide (VIDEO)

I love Dick - Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon Gets Scholarly In Amazon’s Unforgettably Titled ‘I Love Dick’

Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon, Shawn Ashmore Share What’s Next on The Following (VIDEO)

Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon on Why He Turned to TV for The Following