Mark Pinter (born March 7, 1950) is an American actor best known for his numerous roles in daytime

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

Early life and education

Pinter was born in

Decorah, Iowa Decorah is the largest city in and county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,587 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of Iowa ...

. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre arts from

Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...

and a

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...

from the Hilberry Theatre at

Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public university, public research university in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 375 programs. It is Michigan's third-l ...

Career

Acting

Often cast as a villain, Pinter has been a contract player on such shows as ''

Love of Life ''Love of Life'' is an American soap opera televised on CBS from September 24, 1951, to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation '' Search for Tomorrow'' premiered three weeks before ''Love of Life''; he created ...

'', ''

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. ''Guiding Light'' aired on CBS for 57 years between June 30, 1952, and September 18, 2009, overlapping a 19-year broadcast on radio ...

'', ''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other so ...

'', '' Loving'', and ''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2 ...

''. His most famous role was that of crooked politician Grant Harrison on '' Another World'' (1991–99), for which he won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Villain in 1996. In addition to his work in daytime television, Pinter has guest-starred on numerous primetime television series such as ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...

'' and performed extensively on regional theatre stages across the country. He has also appeared in

Norman Jewison Norman Frederick Jewison (July 21, 1926 – January 20, 2024) was a Canadian filmmaker. He was known for directing films which addressed topical Social issue, social and political issues, often making controversial or complicated subjects acces ...

's '' Other People's Money'' and Cameron Crowe's '' Vanilla Sky''. He has starred in the independent films '' Season of Youth'' and '' The Eden Myth''. A classically trained stage actor, Pinter has enjoyed numerous roles on renowned stages across the country including The Arena Stage in Washington, DC and The Old Globe Theater in San Diego, CA, and The York Theater Company off Broadway. Most recently, he played Avery Brundage in the world premiere production of Kemp Power's play '' The Nineteenth'' at The Old Globe Theater.

Directing

Pinter made his directorial debut in 2003 when he directed the world premiere of Jonathan Bell's ''Portraits'' at the Union Square Theatre in New York. The play starred Roberta Maxwell and Dana Reeve.

Personal life

Pinter has six biological children and three step-children. His daughter, Siri, is married to television and radio host

Carson Daly Carson Jones Daly (born June 22, 1973) is an American television host, radio personality, producer, and television personality. From 1998 to 2003, Daly was a VJ (media personality), VJ on MTV's ''Total Request Live'' (TRL), and a DJ for the Sou ...

. Pinter was married to fellow soap opera star Colleen Zenk from 1986 to 2010. In 2017, he married Jenie Dahlmann who serves as co-CEO and Chief Marketing and Communications officer for Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, WI. They reside in Madison.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pinter, Mark 1950 births American male soap opera actors Living people People from Decorah, Iowa Wayne State University alumni Male actors from Iowa 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American male television actors American male film actors American people of Hungarian descent