Eric Stoltz - wikipedia Eric Stoltz Not to be confused with Eric Stults. Eric Stoltz Stoltz promoting Caprica in April 2009 ( 1961 - 09 - 30 ) September 30, 1961 ( age 56 ) Whittier, California Occupation Actor, director, producer Years active 1978 -- present Eric Stoltz ( born September 30, 1961 ) is an American actor, director and producer. He is known for playing the role of Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film Mask, which earned him the nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, and has appeared in a wide variety of films from mainstream fare like Some Kind of Wonderful to independent films like Pulp Fiction, Killing Zoe, and Kicking and Screaming. In 2010, he portrayed Daniel Graystone in the science fiction television series Caprica, and became a regular director on the television series Glee. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 1978 -- 1999 2.2 2000 -- present 3 Filmography 3.1 Actor 3.1. 1 Films 3.1. 2 Television 3.2 Director 3.2. 1 Films 3.2. 2 Television 3.3 Producer 3.3. 1 Films 4 References 5 External links Early Life Stoltz was born in Whittier, California, the son of Evelyn B. ( née Vawter ), a violinist and schoolteacher, and Jack Stoltz, an elementary school teacher. He has two sisters, Catherine, an opera singer, and Susan, a writer. Stoltz was raised in both American Samoa and Santa Barbara, California, where as a child he once earned money playing piano for local musical theatre productions. He attended the University of Southern California, but dropped out after his junior year. He moved to New York in 1981 and studied with Stella Adler and Peggy Feury. Career 1978 -- 1999 In the 1970s Stoltz joined a repertory company that performed ten plays at the Edinburgh Festival. He returned to the United States in 1979, when he entered USC as a drama student, but subsequently dropped out to pursue film and TV roles. In 1978, he was cast as Steve Benson in the TV adaptation of Erma Bombeck 's The Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank. Director Cameron Crowe and Stoltz became friends while making Stoltz 's first feature film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High ( 1982 ), which Crowe wrote and in which Stoltz had a minor role. According to Stoltz, Crowe promised Stoltz a role in all of his future films. He appeared in each of Crowe 's next four films, The Wild Life, Say Anything..., Singles, and Jerry Maguire. Originally cast as Marty McFly for Back to the Future in late 1984, he was replaced after about a month of filming when Michael J. Fox ( the director 's first choice for the role ) agreed to divide time between the movie and his television sitcom Family Ties. The director, Robert Zemeckis, said that while Stoltz provided an admirable performance, it lacked the precise comedic sense that Zemeckis was seeking. Some of the original footage, where Stoltz does not appear but was on set, was used in the film. Stoltz playing the character was referenced in the 2010 episode of Fringe titled `` Peter '' when, in a parallel universe, a theater marquee reads `` Back to the Future starring Eric Stoltz ''. In 1985, Stoltz garnered attention with a Golden Globe nomination starring as Rocky Dennis in Mask. Among other roles in the 1980s, he appeared in the 1987 hit Some Kind of Wonderful, written and produced by John Hughes. During the 1990s, Stoltz went back and forth between stage, film, and television, appearing in studio and independent films such as Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) and The Waterdance ( 1992 ). He also produced the films Bodies, Rest & Motion in 1993, Sleep with Me in 1994, and Mr. Jealousy in 1997. He continued to appear on the New York stage, both on Broadway ( Three Sisters, Two Shakespearean Actors, Arms and the Man ) and off - Broadway ( The Importance of Being Earnest, The Glass Menagerie, Sly Fox and Our Town ). He was nominated for a Tony Award as Featured Actor for his performance as George Gibbs in the 1989 Broadway revival of Thornton Wilder 's Our Town. A performance of this production was featured on Great Performances : Live from Lincoln Center, which received a 1989 Emmy nomination. On television, he had a recurring role as Helen Hunt 's character 's ex-boyfriend on Mad About You ( five episodes, 1994 -- 1998 ), spent a year on Chicago Hope ( 1994 ), and did some TV and cable movies such as Inside ( 1996 ) ( directed by Arthur Penn ) and The Passion of Ayn Rand ( 1999 ), with Helen Mirren. Stoltz received the Indie Sup ( Y ) port Award at the 1998 Los Angeles Film Festival. 2000 -- present During the first part of the 2000s, he starred with Gillian Anderson in The House of Mirth ( 2000 ), based on the novel by Edith Wharton. From 2001 to 2002, he had a recurring role as the English teacher - poet August Dimitri in ABC 's Once and Again, wherein Julia Whelan 's character, a teenager, fell in love with his character. He directed an episode of the show in 2002. In 2003, he played his first leading TV role in Out of Order, which was canceled after five episodes. In 2004, he appeared in The Butterfly Effect as a child molester ; the following year, he guest - starred in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace as Debra Messing 's love interest. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his direction of the cable movie My Horrible Year ! ( 2001 ). He also directed a short film entitled The Bulls as well as the highest rated episode of Law & Order in 2005, entitled `` Tombstone ''. He appeared in the music video of The Residents ' `` Give it to Someone Else '', featured on The Commercial DVD. He has contributed essays to the books City Secrets -- New York as well as Life Interrupted by Spalding Gray and appears on the children 's CD Philadelphia Chickens. Beginning in 2007, Stoltz directed episodes of the drama series Quarterlife, which began airing as webisodes and were then picked up to air on the NBC network in 2008. Stoltz played a serial killer in need of medical attention in three episodes of the fifth season of Grey 's Anatomy. He has also directed two episodes of Grey 's Anatomy. Stoltz starred as Daniel Graystone, inventor of the Cylons, in the science fiction television series Caprica, a prequel set 58 years before the Battlestar Galactica series. He became a regular director of Glee, directing a total of 12 episodes, including `` Nationals '', in which the Glee club finally wins the championship. In 2011 Stoltz was seen back on the silver screen with the film Fort McCoy ; he earned accolades for his leading role as a conflicted barber of German heritage forced to suppress his American patriotism after moving his family to a post-World War II military base housing a German POW camp. Starting in 2014, Stoltz became the producing director of the CBS political drama series Madam Secretary. The following year he became one of its four executive producers, alongside Morgan Freeman and Barbara Hall, and has directed more than ten episodes, as well as starring alongside Tea Leoni in several episodes as her brother, Will Adams. Filmography Actor Films Year Title Role Notes 1982 Fast Times at Ridgemont High Stoner Bud 1984 Surf II Chuck 1984 Running Hot Danny Hicks 1984 The Wild Life Bill Conrad 1985 The New Kids Mark 1985 Mask Rocky Dennis Nominated -- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture 1985 Back to the Future Marty McFly Uncredited 1985 Code Name : Emerald Lt. Andy Wheeler Some Kind of Wonderful Keith Nelson Lionheart Robert Nerra Sister, Sister Matt Rutledge 1988 Greasy Lake The Narrator Direct - to - video 1988 Manifesto Christopher 1988 Haunted Summer Percy Shelley 1989 The Fly II Martin Brundle 1989 Say Anything... Vahlere 1990 Memphis Belle Sgt. Danny `` Danny Boy '' Daly 1991 Money Franck Cimballi 1992 The Waterdance Joel Garcia 1992 Singles The Mime 1993 Bodies, Rest & Motion Sid Producer 1993 Naked in New York Jake Briggs 1994 Killing Zoe Zed 1994 Pulp Fiction Lance Nominated -- Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male 1994 Sleep with Me Joseph Producer 1994 Little Women John Brooke 1995 Killing Time Stop N Start Manager Short film 1995 The Prophecy Simon 1995 Rob Roy Alan MacDonald 1995 Never Say Goodbye Aids Benefit by Yoko Ono Man From Hamptons Direct - to - video short film 1995 Fluke Jeff Newman 1995 Kicking and Screaming Chet Grace of My Heart Howard Cazsatt 2 Days in the Valley Wes Taylor Keys to Tulsa Richter Boudreau Jerry Maguire Ethan Valhere 1997 Highball Darien 1997 Anaconda Dr. Steven Cale 1997 Mr. Jealousy Lester Grimm, aka Vince Executive producer 1998 Hi - Life Jimmy 1998 The Rocking Horse Winner Uncle Joe Short film 1998 A Murder of Crows Thurman Parks III 1999 Hercules : Zero to Hero Theseus ( voice ) / The Grim Avenger ( voice ) Direct - to - video 2000 It 's a Shame About Ray Mr. Stoltz Short film 2000 Jesus & Hutch Jesus Short film 2000 The Simian Line Sam Donovan 2000 The House of Mirth Lawrence Selden 2001 Things Behind the Sun Dan 2001 Harvard Man Teddy Carter 2002 The Rules of Attraction Mr. Lawson 2003 Happy Hour Levine 2003 When Zachary Beaver Came to Town Otto The Butterfly Effect Mr. Miller Childstar Fresno Burnbaum 2005 Hello Max Short film 2005 The Honeymooners William Davis 2006 The Lather Effect Mickey 2007 The Grand Design Josh Short film ( executive producer ) 2009 Sparks Joseph Short film 2011 Fort McCoy Frank Stirn Producer 2014 5 to 7 Galassi 2015 Larry Gaye : Renegade Male Flight Attendant Russ Peterson Television Year Title Role Notes 1978 James at 15 Jack Episode : `` Hunter Country '' 1978 The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank Steve Benson TV movie 1979 A New Kind of Family Burt Episode : `` Invasion of Privacy ' ' 1979 The Seekers First Boy TV movie 1980 The Waltons Sr. Boy # 1 Episode : `` The Valediction '' 1980 Eight Is Enough Kurt Harper Episode : `` Finally Grad Night '' 1981 Walking Tall David Coombs Episode : `` The Killing of McNeal County 's Children '' 1981 Knots Landing Luke Episode : `` Man of the Hour '' 1981 The Violation of Sarah McDavid Pete Brady TV movie 1982 Paper Dolls Steve TV movie 1982 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Kevin Episode : `` Challenges '' The Fall Guy Little Juice Atkins Episode : `` One Hundred Miles a Gallon '' Love, Sidney Rick Episode : `` The Movie '' A Killer in the Family Ricky Tison TV movie St. Elsewhere Eddie Carson Episodes : `` Under Pressure '' `` Entrapment '' `` All About Eve '' 1984 Things Are Looking Up Neil ' Trout ' Troutman TV movie 1989 Great Performances George Gibbs Episode : `` Our Town '' 1990 American Playhouse Younger Edward Episode : `` Sensibility and Sense '' 1991 A Woman at War Franz Bueller TV movie 1992 The Heart of Justice David Leader TV movie 1993 Foreign Affairs Fred Turner TV movie 1993 Frasier Don ( voice ) Episode : `` Miracle On Third Or Fourth Street '' 1994 Roomates Bill Thomas TV movie 1994 -- 1998 Mad About You Alan Tofsky 6 episodes 1995 Fallen Angels Nick Ballestier Episode : `` A Dime a Dance '' 1995 Partners Cameron Episode : `` How Long Does It Take to Cook a 22 - Pound Turkey ? '' Do n't Look Back Jesse Parish TV movie Inside Marty Strydom TV movie 1997 Homicide : Life on the Street Drew Kellerman Episode : `` Wu 's on First ? '' 1998 Blackout Effect John Dantley TV movie 1998 -- 1999 Hercules Theseus ( voice ) / The Grim Avenger ( voice ) Episodes : `` Hercules and the Minotaur '' `` Hercules and the Grim Avenger '' 1998 -- 1999 Chicago Hope Dr. Robert Yeats Series regular 1999 The Passion of Ayn Rand Nathaniel Branden TV movie 1999 Our Guys : Outrage at Glen Ridge Prosecutor Bob Laurino TV movie 2000 Common Ground Johnny Burroughs TV movie 2000 One Kill Capt. Wallker Randall TV movie 2000 The Last Dance Todd Cope TV movie 2001 My Horrible Year ! Uncle Charlie TV movie ( director ) 2001 -- 2002 Once and Again August Dimitri 7 episodes ( directed Episode 3.13 `` Falling in Place '' ) 2002 Law & Order : Special Victims Unit Father Michael Sweeney Episode : `` Silence '' 2003 Out of Order Mark Colm TV mini-series 2005 Will & Grace Tom Cassidy Episodes : `` Friends with Benefits '' `` Kiss and Tell '' 2005 The Triangle Howard Thomas Episodes : `` Episode 1.1 '' `` Episode 1.2 '' `` Episode 1.3 '' 2007 Medium Sonny Troyer Episode : `` We Had a Dream '' 2007 Close to Home Det. Chris Veeder Episodes : `` Drink the Cup '' `` Fall from Grace '' `` Eminent Domain '' 2008 Blank Slate Sean Sullivan TV movie 2009 Grey 's Anatomy William Dunn Episodes : `` Wish You Were Here '' `` Sympathy for the Devil '' `` Stairway to Heaven '' 2009 -- 2010 Caprica Daniel Graystone Lead role ( directed `` Unvanquished '' ) 2011 Leverage Alan Scott Episode : `` The Long Way Down Job '' 2013 Maron Danny Episode : `` Projections '' 2014 Blue Arthur WIGS Original Series 2014 - 2016 Madam Secretary Will Adams Episodes : `` Catch and Release '' `` Invasive Species ( uncredited ) '' `` Tectonic Shift '' Director Films Year Title Notes 2005 The Bulls Short film 2007 The Grand Design Short film 2017 Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk Independent film 2016 Class Rank Independent film Television Year Title Notes 2001 My Horrible Year ! TV movie 2002 Once and Again Episode : `` Falling in Place '' 2005 Law & Order Episode : `` Tombstone '' 2007 Boston Legal Episodes : `` Dumping Bella '' `` The Object of My Affection '' 2008 Quarterlife Episodes : `` Anxiety '' `` Home Sweet Home '' 2008 Grey 's Anatomy Episodes : `` Brave New World '' `` These Ties That Bind '' 2009 Nip / Tuck Episode : `` Lola Wlodkowski '' 2009 -- 2011 Private Practice Episodes : `` Do the Right Thing '' `` Eyes Wide Open '' `` War '' `` If You Do n't Know Me By Now '' Huge Episode : `` Talent Night '' Caprica Episode : `` Unvanquished '' 2010 -- 2014 Glee Episodes : `` Duets '' `` Blame It on the Alcohol '' `` Prom Queen '' `` The Purple Piano Project '' `` Mash Off '' `` Yes / No '' `` Big Brother '' `` Prom - asaurus '' `` Nationals '' `` Makeover '' `` Guilty Pleasures '' `` Opening Night '' 2011 Off the Map Episode : `` On the Mean Streets of San Miguel '' 2012 Californication Episode : `` Love Song '' 2012 White Collar Episode : `` Ice Breaker '' 2013 Nashville Episodes : `` There 'll Be No Teardrops Tonight '' `` Take These Chains from My Heart '' 2014 How to Get Away with Murder Episodes : `` He deserved to die '' 2014 -- 2016 Madam Secretary Episodes : `` Just Another Normal Day '' `` Collateral Damage '' `` Whisper of the Ax '' `` There But For the Grace of God '' `` The Doability Doctrine '' `` The Greater Good '' `` Vartius '' `` The Linchpin '' He has directed many shows on The Learning Channel, TLC Network. Producer Films Year Title Notes 1993 Bodies, Rest & Motion 1994 Sleep with Me 1997 Mr. Jealousy Executive producer 2005 The Bulls Short film ( executive producer ) 2006 The Lather Effect Associate producer 2007 The Grand Design Short film ( executive producer ) 2011 Fort McCoy References Jump up ^ Eric Stoltz Awards, TV Guide, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ FAMILY ASSOCIATION ( PDF ), VawterFamily.org, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ `` Eric Stoltz - Biography '', Yahoo !, archived from the original on November 13, 2013, retrieved December 1, 2012 Jump up ^ 2 Late Artists Get Overdue Chicago Tribute, Chicago Tribune, December 10, 1991, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ About Susan, Susan R. Stoltz Official Website, retrieved October 10, 2011 ^ Jump up to : `` Exclusive Interview : Eric Stoltz ''. Movie Hole. April 8, 2007. Retrieved October 10, 2011. Jump up ^ Eric Stoltz Bio, Tribute, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ About Eric Stoltz Memorabilia & Collectibles, Hollywood Memorabilia, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ Eric Stoltz Biography, Movies Pad, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ `` The Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank ( 1978 ) '', The New York Times, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ `` Eric Stoltz Trivia '', Get Movie Link, archived from the original on March 31, 2012, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ The Many Faces of Michael J. Fox, Screen Rant, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ `` Revealed : The actor who spent five weeks filming Back to the Future before being bumped for Michael J. Fox '', Daily Mail, London, UK, October 15, 2010, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ Never - before - seen footage of Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly in Back To The Future, IO9, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ `` Fringe Flashback : Eric Stoltz In Back To The Future '', Fringe Television, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ Featured Actor ( Play ), Broadway World, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ Performances of note, PBS, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ Los Angeles Film Festival Archive, Los Angeles Film Festival, archived from the original on September 29, 2011, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ My Horrible Year ! Video, OV Guide, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ The Residents -- Give It To Someone Else, YouTube, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ Eric Stoltz, Pop Tower, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ Grey 's Scoop : Death Becomes Guest Star Eric Stoltz, TV Guide, retrieved October 10, 2011 Jump up ^ `` Eric Stoltz, '' section : Filmography -- Director. IMDb ( Internet Movie Database ). Retrieved November 14, 2015. Jump up ^ IMDB Jump up ^ Watch The One Shot Of Eric Stoltz Not Cut From Back To The Future, Mike Reyes, retrieved November 9, 2017 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eric Stoltz. Eric Stoltz on IMDb VIAF : 88396873 LCCN : no95048299 ISNI : 0000 0001 1833 6029 GND : 14111617X SUDOC : 069053863 BNF : cb140311941 ( data ) MusicBrainz : 25e03c10 - 1cb5 - 4c3b - b24a - 6b9071107e30 BNE : XX1297903 SNAC : w6hx28q8 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eric_Stoltz&oldid=830454898 '' Categories : 1961 births 20th - century American male actors 21st - century American male actors American male film actors American film directors American male television actors American television directors Living people Male actors from Santa Barbara, California USC School of Dramatic Arts alumni Film directors from California People from Whittier, California Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from December 2012 Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018 Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Aragonés Asturianu تۆرکجه Català Dansk Deutsch Español Euskara فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Italiano עברית ქართული Malagasy მარგალური Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Suomi Svenska ไทย Українська 中文 21 more Edit links This page was last edited on 14 March 2018, at 22 : 52. 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Question: who was originally cast for back to the future
Answer: Eric Stoltz