Dan Butler
Acting • Born 1954-12-02
Biography
Daniel Eugene Butler (born December 2, 1954) is an American playwright and actor known for his role as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe on the TV series Frasier. Butler was born in Huntington, Indiana and raised in Fort Wayne; the son of Shirley, a homemaker, and Andrew Butler, a pharmacist. Openly gay, he starred in Terrence McNally's 1989 play The Lisbon Traviata and wrote an Off Broadway play about his life, The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me..., which derives its title from a comment Butler's father allegedly made when Dan came out to him. Though Butler never hid his homosexuality, he disclosed it publicly on Entertainment Tonight in 1994 during his run as a swaggering heterosexual on Frasier. His partner is acting teacher and director, Richard Waterhouse.
Filmography
80 credits
The Silence of the Lambs
Movie • 1991
Roden
The Sissy Duckling
Movie • 1999
Drake (voice)
I Love Trouble
Movie • 1994
Wilson Chess
Prayers for Bobby
Movie • 2009
Reverend Whitsell
Dave
Movie • 1993
Reporter
The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest
Movie • 2002
Lloyd Acheson
The Long Walk Home
Movie • 1990
Charlie
Enemy of the State
Movie • 1998
Shaffer
Sniper 2
Movie • 2002
Eckles
Captain Ron
Movie • 1992
Zachery
Longtime Companion
Movie • 1989
Walter
Chronic Town
Movie • 2008
Blow Job
The Assassination File
Movie • 1996
Harvey Young
The Fan
Movie • 1996
Garrity
Fixing Frank
Movie • 2002
Dr. Arthur Apsey
The Rape of Doctor Willis
Movie • 1991
Styvesant
From the Files of Joseph Wambaugh: A Jury of One
Movie • 1992
Asst. DA Mendelson
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Movie • 1997
Host / Narrator
All Boys
Movie • 2024
Father Frank
Silver Fox
Movie
Manhunter
Movie • 1986
Jimmy Price
Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie
Movie • 2018
Mr. Simmons (voice)
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Movie • 2011
Cal's Boss
Blonde
Movie • 2022
I.E. Shinn
Rising Sun
Movie • 1993
Ken Shubik
Live to Tell: The First Gay and Lesbian Prom in America
Movie • 1995
Self - Actor, "Frasier"
All My Life
Movie • 2020
Dr. Alan Mendelson
Karl Rove, I Love You
Movie • 2007
The Manhattan Project
Movie • 1986
SWAT
House
TV • 2004
Dr. Philip Weber
Ally McBeal
TV • 1997
Attorney Bender
'Til Death
TV • 2006
Paul
The Single Guy
TV • 1995
Caroline in the City
TV • 1995
Kenneth Arabian
Star Trek: Voyager
TV • 1995
Steth
Miss Match
TV • 2003
Chuck Webb
Monk
TV • 2002
Dr. Davis Scott
King of the Hill
TV • 1997
Attorney (voice)
Crossing Jordan
TV • 2001
Arnold Hummer
Malcolm in the Middle
TV • 2000
Norm
Rocket Power
TV • 1999
Roseanne
TV • 1988
American Dreams
TV • 2002
Coach Ambros
Frasier
TV • 1993
Bulldog Briscoe
Quantum Leap
TV • 1989
Jake Dorleac
The X-Files
TV • 1993
Jim Ausbury
Quintuplets
TV • 2004
Francis Helberg
Monsters
TV • 1988
Cashmere Mafia
TV • 2008
Just Shoot Me!
TV • 1997
Bill Slatton
Life Goes On
TV • 1989
Leg Work
TV • 1987
Peter Solinski
Frannie's Turn
TV • 1992
Father Anthony
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
TV • 2001
Congressman Price
From the Earth to the Moon
TV • 1998
Gene Kranz
Blindspot
TV • 2015
Sheriff Paul Bolton
King of the Hill
TV • 1997
Daniel (voice)
The Blacklist
TV • 2013
Stromberg
Banshee
TV • 2013
Senator Mitchum
Supernatural
TV • 2005
Reverend Sorenson
The Mist
TV • 2017
Father Romanov
Hey Arnold!
TV • 1996
Mr. Simmons (voice)
Hey Arnold!
TV • 1996
Mr. Simmons / Scientist (voice)
Hey Arnold!
TV • 1996
Mr. Simmons / Lila's Father (voice)
Hey Arnold!
TV • 1996
Mr. Simmons (voice; uncredited)
Hey Arnold!
TV • 1996
Mr. Simmons / Dispatcher (voice)
Quantum Leap
TV • 1989
Mutta
Hey Arnold!
TV • 1996
Mr. Simmons / Publisher (voice)
Hey Arnold!
TV • 1996
Mr. Simmons / Houseboy (voice)
Tales of the City
TV • 2019
Dan
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
TV • 1987
Blaise
Stars in the House
TV • 2020
Self
More Tales of the City
TV • 1998
Edward Bass Matheson
Without a Trace
TV • 2002
David Wilkins
Elementary
TV • 2012
Denny Mulgrew
The Mysteries of Laura
TV • 2014
Calvin Gold
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Dr. Ivar Kroneberger
Suddenly Susan
TV • 1996
Dr. Richards
Columbo
TV • 1971
Sergeant Goodman
Frasier
TV • 2023
Bulldog Briscoe