Quick Facts
VirgoBiography
Steven Eckholdt (born September 6, 1961) is an American actor. He has appeared in many television series and film roles. He is best known as Saun in The Runnin' Kind, Patrick Flannigan in L.A. Law, Mark Robinson in Friends, and Doug Westin in The West Wing.
Career
Television
Eckholdt began his screen career in the mid-1980s. He began with appearances on TV shows like The Love Boat and 21 Jump Street. He landed recurring roles on WIOU (a short-lived CBS series in 1991) and Life Goes On.
Eckholdt's main screen appearances have included L.A. Law, Melrose Place, It's Like, You Know..., Providence, The West Wing and The L Word. His guest starring appearances include shows like Baywatch, Wings, and more.
Eckholdt played the role of Mark Robinson, a co-worker and later love interest of Rachel Green (played by Jennifer Aniston) in the sitcom Friends. He appeared in five episodes of Season 3 and one episode of the final season, Season 10.
His role in the 1997 TV pilot for the sitcom Dads is seen by test audiences at the Television Preview, a marketing research operation in which participants are told they are seeing a pilot for a new program.
Also in 1997, Eckholdt appeared in "The Puppy Episode" of the sitcom Ellen, and in The Practice.
In 2003, Eckholdt starred in the CBS television sitcom My Big Fat Greek Life which was based on the blockbuster comedy feature film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. He starred as Thomas Miller, the character originally portrayed as Ian Miller by John Corbett in the movie version.
In 2010, he also appeared in the seventh season of Two and a Half Men as Brad, a charming lawyer who causes the breakup of Charlie and Chelsea.
Film
In the 1986 film The Wraith, Eckholdt played the character George in the film's opening sequence.
He also starred as Peter Albright in Santa Who? (2000), a TV movie featuring Leslie Nielsen.
In 2003 he appeared in Secret Santa with Jennie Garth and Comfort and Joy with Nancy McKeon.
In 2008 he appeared in Our First Christmas with Julie Warner and Dixie Carter.
Other movie roles include Message in a Bottle (1999) and Arcadia (2012).
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Between the Darkness and the Dawn | Student in Jack Parrish's Class | television debut Television Movie |
| 1986 | The Love Boat | Eric Matthews | Episode: "Hippies and Yuppies/Frat Wars/Return of the Lambdas" |
| 1986 | St. Elsewhere | Dino Perelli | Episode: "Brand New Bag" |
| 1988 | The Charmings | Mike | Episode: "Birth of a Salesman" credited as Steve Eckholdt |
| 1988 | 14 Going on 30 | Adult Danny O'Neil/Harold Forndexter | Television Movie credited as Steven Eckholdt |
| 1988 | The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story | Robert Stethem | Television Movie |
| 1988 | Go Toward the Light | Jeff | Television Movie |
| 1988-1989 | Day by Day | Dennis | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | She's the Sheriff | Jonathan Gagen | recurring role; 3 episodes |
| 1989 | Hunter | Brian Lander | Episode: "Investment in Death" credited as Steve Eckholdt |
| 1989 | Baywatch | Andrew Garrison | Episode: "Cruise Ship" credited as Steve Eckholdt |
| 1990 | Matlock | Mark Carter | Episode: "The Student" credited as Steve Eckholdt |
| 1990 | 21 Jump Street | Lance Schalin | Episode: "Shirts and Skins" |
| 1990 | Working Girl | unknown | Episode: "It's Only Love" |
| 1990 | The Bakery | Lyle 'Buck' Buchanan | Television Movie |
| 1990-1991 | WIOU | Rick Singer | recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 1991 | Jake and the Fatman | Richard | Episode: "It Never Entered My Mind" |
| 1991-1994 | L.A. Law | Patrick Flanagan/Cleland | recurring role; 9 episodes |
| 1992 | Life Goes On | Kenny Stollmark Jr. | recurring role; 6 episodes |
| 1992 | Grapevine | Thumper Klein | recurring role; 6 episodes |
| 1992 | Condition: Critical | Tommy Cox | Television Movie |
| 1993 | Wings | Connor | Episode: "Exit Laughing" |
| 1993 | Message from Nam | Peter Wilson | Television Movie |
| 1993-1994 | Melrose Place | Robert Wilson | recurring role; 10 episodes |
| 1995 | The Stranger Beside Me | Detective Bill Rounder | Television Movie |
| 1995 | The Monroes | James Monroe | recurring role; 8 episodes |
| 1996 | The Naked Truth | Daniel | Episode: "Woman Loses Space Alien, Finds God!" |
| 1996 | Daytona Beach | Gavin Travers | Television Movie |
| 1996 | Champs | David | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Ellen | Richard | Episode: "The Puppy Episode" |
| 1997 | The Practice | Assistant District Attorney Chris Kelton | 3 episodes |
| 1997 | George & Leo | Chip | Episode: "The Thanksgiving Show" |
| 1997 | Dads | Tom | Television Short |
| 1997-2004 | Friends | Mark Robinson | recurring role; 6 episodes |
| 1998 | I Know What You Did | Detective Richard Younger | Television Movie |
| 1998 | Maximum Bob | Dr. Kevin Michaels | Episode: "A Little Tail" |
| 1998 | Family Blessings | Chris | Television Movie |
| 1999 | Love American Style | Guy | Television Movie segment "Love And the Blind Date" |
| 1999-2001 | It's Like, You Know... | Robbie Graham | series regular; 26 episodes |
| 2000 | Grapevine | David Klein | 5 episodes |
| 2000 | That's Life | Professor Dwyer | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Santa Who? | Peter Albright | Episode: Television Movie |
| 2001 | Family Law | Alex | 3 episodes |
| 2001 | And Never Let Her Go | Colm Connolly | Television Movie |
| 2001 | Providence | Congressman Joe Connelly | recurring role; 9 episodes |
| 2003 | My Big Fat Greek Life | Thomas Miller | recurring role; 7 episodes |
| 2003 | Comfort and Joy | Sam | Television Movie |
| 2003 | Secret Santa | John Martin Carter | Television Movie |
| 2003-2006 | The West Wing | Doug Westin | recurring role; 6 episodes |
| 2004 | Desperate Housewives | Officer Rick Thompson | Episode: "Come in, Stranger" |
| 2005 | Las Vegas | Senator Billy Cole | Episode: "One Nation, Under Surveillance" |
| 2005 | NCIS | Dr. Brad Pitt | Episode: "SWAK" |
| 2005 | CSI: Miami | Dale Livingston | Episode: "From the Grave" |
| 2005-2006 | Half & Half | Gus Mason | recurring role; 3 episodes |
| 2006 | Boston Legal | Assistant District Attorney Richard Kelton | Episode: "Word Salad Days" |
| 2006 | Split Decision | Ted Brennan | Television Movie |
| 2006 | Shark | Dr. Mitchell Sterling | Episode: "Dr. Feelbad" |
| 2006 | Twenty Good Years | Doug McDowell | Episode: "They Shoot Turkeys, Don't They?" |
| 2006-2007 | The L Word | Henry | recurring role; 8 episodes |
| 2006-2007 | Smith | Steve | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Our First Christmas | Tom Baer-Noll | Television Movie |
| 2009 | Cold Case | Ben Feldman/Foster | Episode: "Witness Protection" |
| 2010 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | John Dudek | Episode: "Long Ball" |
| 2010 | Two and a Half Men | Brad Howe/Brad Harlow | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Southland | Rich Ryerson | Episode: "Butch & Sundance" |
| 2011 | Big Mike | Trent McCauley | Television Movie |
| 2012 | Undercover Bridesmaid | Cousin Eldridge | Television Movie |
| 2012 | Bunheads | Grant | Episode: "Inherit the Wind" |
| 2012 | Warehouse 13 | Gil Moorpark | Episode: "Endless Wonder" |
| 2012 | Castle | Michael Case | Episode: "Secret Santa" |
| 2013 | Bones | Charlie McCord | Episode: "The Lady on the List" |
| 2014 | Maron | Gary Ryan | Episode: "Marc on Talking Dead" |
| 2015 | Rizzoli & Isles | Ronald Wallace | Episode: "Family Matters" |
| 2016 | Wild Seeds | Sherman | Television Short |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | About Last Night... | Man in Bar | film debut |
| 1986 | The Wraith | George in Daytona | |
| 1988 | For Keeps? | Ronald | credited as Steve Eckholdt |
| 1989 | The Runnin' Kind | Shaun | |
| 1997 | Just in Time | Jake Bedford | credited as Steve Ekholdt |
| 1998 | Making Sandwiches | Steve | Short Film |
| 1999 | Message in a Bottle | David | |
| 2000 | Leaving Drew | Oliver | Short Film |
| 2012 | Arcadia | Mr. Acres | |
| 2015 | The Paper Boat | Doctor Goldberg | |
| 2016 | A Taylor Story | David | Short Film |