Matthew Cowles (September 28, 1944 – May 22, 2014) was an American actor and playwright.
Early life
The son of actor and theatre producer Chandler Cowles, he was born in New York City.[1]
Career
In 1966 Cowles played the title role in Edward Albee's short-lived adaptation of James Purdy's comic novel Malcolm on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre.[2]
In 1968, he appeared with Al Pacino and John Cazale in Israel Horovitz's The Indian Wants the Bronx.[3]
In 1983, Cowles joined The Mirror Theater Ltd's Mirror Repertory Company for their first repertory season, performing in Paradise Lost, Rain, Inheritors, and The Hasty Heart.[4]
Cowles' first television part was Joe Czernak in the series NYPD in 1969. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy as Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series in 1978 and as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series in 1981, both for his part as Billy Clyde Tuggle in All My Children, a role that he created and wrote.[5]
Cowles' first film was the comedy drama Me, Natalie (1969) in which he played Harvey Belman. Al Pacino also made his debut in this film.
In 2010, Cowles played a supporting role in Martin Scorsese's film Shutter Island.
Cowles also starred in three short plays for the public radio show and podcast Playing on Air.[6][7][8][9]
Personal life
In 1983, he married actress Christine Baranski with whom he had two daughters, Isabel (born 1984) and Lily (born 1987). In a New York Times profile of his wife, he was described as "the black sheep member of a family with ties to Cowles publishing and Drexel banking".[10] He was an enthusiastic motorcycle rider.[5]
Cowles was a devout Catholic and taught religious education at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Connecticut.[11][12]
Death
Matthew Cowles died from congestive heart failure on May 22, 2014.[13]
Filmography
Film
- Me, Natalie (1969) as Harvey Belman
- The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) as Pete
- The Happy Hooker (1975) as Albert Ruffleson
- Slap Shot (1977) as Charlie
- The World According to Garp (1982) as O. Fecteau
- Eddie Macon's Run (1983) as Ray Banes
- The Money Pit (1986) as Marty
- Stars and Bars (1988) as Beckman Gage
- White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf (1994) as Lloyd Halverson
- The Cowboy Way (1994) as Popfly
- The Juror (1996) as Rodney
- Nurse Betty (2000) as Merle
- Shutter Island (2010) as Ferry Boat Captain
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977–2011 | All My Children | Billy Clyde Tuggle | Regular cast (1977–1980, 1984, 1989–1990, 2011) | [14] |
| 1983 | As the World Turns | Lonnie | [15] | |
| 1985 | Love on the Run | Yancy | TV movie | |
| 1986, 1987 | Loving | Eban Japes | 2 episodes | |
| 1987 | The Equalizer | Rapist #2 | Episode: "Nightscape" | |
| 1989 | Lonesome Dove | Monkey John | TV miniseries | |
| 1991 | Law & Order | Christian 'Lemonhead' Tatum | Episode: "Asylum" | |
| 1997 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Curtis Love | 13 episodes | |
| 2003 | Oz | Willy Brandt | 3 episodes | |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Cyrus Wert | Episode: "Undercover" | |
| 2008–2009 | Life on Mars | Cowboy Dan | 4 episodes |
Stage credits
- Malcolm (1966) Broadway as Malcolm.[2]
- The Indian Wants the Bronx (1968), Astor Place Theatre
- The Time of Your Life (1969) as Dudley[2]
- Sweet Bird of Youth (1975–1976) as Tom Junior[2]
- Dirty Jokes (1976) at the Academy Festival Theatre in Chicago, Illinois
References
- 1.Simonson, Robert (May 27, 2014). "Matthew Cowles, Actor and Husband of Christine Baranski, Dies". Playbill. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- 2.[2.2][2.3][2.4]League, The Broadway. "Matthew Cowles – Broadway Cast & Staff – IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
- 3.Lortel Archives
- 4.Gussow, Mel (March 11, 1984). "THEATER: MIRROR REP, IN A REVIVAL OF 'RAIN'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- 5.[5.2]'2004 Speaker Biographies'. Samuel Dorsky Symposium on Public Monuments (2004) Archived January 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- 6.PlayingOnAir (December 8, 2014). "Matthew Cowles". Playing On Air. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
- 7.PlayingOnAir (September 28, 2015). "New Podcast! GETTING IN by Frank Gilroy". Playing On Air. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
- 8."Matthew Cowles". Playing On Air. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- 9.PlayingOnAir (February 21, 2016). "New Podcast! The Strangest Kind of Romance by Tennessee Williams". Playing On Air. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
- 10.Horyn, Cathy (April 15, 2011). "Christine Baranski: 'I Was Never Beautiful'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- 11."Matthew Cowles was not like his evil soap character – Archives". archives.rep-am.com. June 8, 2014.
- 12.Salfen, Ronald P. (February 20, 2008). "An Interview with Christine Baranski". Faith in Films. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- 13."Actor Matthew Cowles Passes Away". Broadway World. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
- 14."SUPER VILLAIN 'BILLY CLYDE TUGGLE' RETURNS TO THE BELOVED DRAMA 'ALL MY CHILDREN'" (PDF). Retrieved May 8, 2013.
- 15.Kaplan, Mike (1983). "Supporting Actor - Daytime Drama Series". Variety International Show Business Reference. Garland. p. 527. ISBN 9780824090890. Retrieved July 9, 2025.