Robert Knepper

Robert Lyle Knepper[1] (born July 8, 1959)[2] is an American actor best known for his role as Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell in the Fox drama series Prison Break (2005–2009, 2017), Samuel Sullivan in the final season of the NBC series Heroes (2009–2010), Angus McDonough in The CW series iZombie (2015–2018) and Rodney Mitchum in Showtime's revival of Twin Peaks (2017). He has also appeared in films such as Hitman (2007) and Transporter 3 (2008).

Early life
Knepper was born in Fremont, Ohio,[2] and raised in Maumee, Ohio, the son of Pat Deck and Donald Knepper,[3] a veterinarian. He was interested in acting from an early age, due to his mother's involvement as a props-handler at a community theater, and after graduating from Maumee High School in 1977, he attended Northwestern University. During this time, Knepper also obtained professional roles in plays in Chicago. Nearing the completion of his degree, Knepper quit Northwestern and went to New York City, where he continued to work in theater.[4]

Career
Although Knepper never intended to work in film and television projects, he began his television and film career in 1986 with The Paper Chase and That's Life!. Knepper went on to have larger roles in such films as Wild Thing, Young Guns II, When the Bough Breaks and Everyone Says I Love You. He made appearances on such television series as The Twilight Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, ER and Law & Order. In 2005, after a recurring role on the HBO series Carnivàle, Knepper was cast in his best-known role, as Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwellin Prison Break. The series received positive reviews upon release, and "T-Bag" is often considered to be one of the greatest television villains of all time.[5][6]During his time on Prison Break, Knepper also starred in a number of films; Good Night, and Good Luck, Hitman, Transporter 3 and The Day the Earth Stood Still.

After Prison Break ended in 2009, Knepper was cast as villain Samuel Sullivan in the fourth and final season of Heroes.[7] After this, he went on to have a recurring role in Stargate Universe in 2010. He guest-starred on season six of Criminal Minds as Rhett Walden, a serial killer. The same year he played the titular character in the film adaptation of Burning Daylight.[8]

In addition, Knepper appeared as Honolulu Police Internal Affairs detective Rex Coughlin in two episodes of Hawaii Five-O.

In 2011, he reprised his role of T-Bag in one episode of the A&E series Breakout Kings. The next year he played Frank Sinatra in My Way, biopic of Claude François, a French pop singer who wrote the song "Comme d'habitude", the original version of Sinatra's song "My Way".

Knepper was cast in the 2013 television series Cult as Roger Reeves, an actor playing Billy Grimm on a show called Cult.[9] The show was canceled after only one season. The same year, he appeared in R.I.P.D., Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and guest starred on the television series The Blacklist (episode: "The Courier"). At the end of 2013, the TNT series Mob City premiered, in which Knepper played gangster Sid Rothman.[10] In 2014, Knepper guest starred in episodes of Arrow and The Flash as master hacker and time-and-motion study expert William Tockman / Clock King.[11]

Since 2015, Knepper has had a recurring role on iZombie as Angus McDonough, the estranged and abusive father of Blaine DeBeers (David Anders).[12] It was announced in July 2017 that Knepper would be promoted to the show's main cast for season 4.[13][14]

Knepper was cast in the reboot of David Lynch's Twin Peaks as gangster Rodney Mitchum. He later voiced the audiobook adaptation for the tie-in epistolary novel of the show called The Secret History of Twin Peaks.

Personal life
Knepper has a son, Benjamin Peter (born 2002), from his first marriage.[4][15]

Sexual assault allegations
On November 8, 2017, costume designer Susan Bertram accused Knepper of sexual assault on the set of the film Gas Food Lodging in 1991.[16][17] Knepper responded by denying the allegations in a since deleted Instagram post.[18]

Four additional allegations taking place between 1983 and 2013 were made against Knepper on December 5; Knepper again denied every allegation.[19]

In the wake of sexual assault allegations against the then newly promoted Knepper, The CW conducted an internal inquiry to determine Knepper's future on the series iZombie. The network's investigations pertained to potential misconduct on the set of the production, rather than the existing allegations. After finding no evidence of misconduct transpiring on the set, it was announced he would be remaining on the show for the rest of the season.[20]Show stars Rose McIver and Rahul Kohli released statements following the decision, with Kohli stating he was unable to give his full thoughts at the time. Both actors proceeded to unfollow Knepper on social media.[21] On January 12, 2018, it was announced that the studio had conducted a second investigation. CW president Mark Pedowitz stated that Knepper's exit from the series was already planned before the accusers came forward.[22][23][24] Knepper personally announced his promotion in a video released at Comic Con; but did not partake in promotional interviews for his role following the allegations, nor did he attend the Season Four wrap party.[25][26]

On February 28, 2018, Bertram's lawyers announced she was filing a defamation lawsuit against Knepper in the wake of his denials. She is seeking damages in a jury trial.[27][28]

Theatre

 * A Little Night Music – Northwestern (1977)
 * The Ruling Class – Northwestern (1979)
 * The Merchant of Venice – Northwestern (1979/80)
 * Ties – Chicago (Victory Gardens) (1981)
 * Class Enemy – Evanston (Next) (1981)
 * Lakeboat – Chicago (Goodman) (1982)
 * The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby – Chicago (1982)
 * Dark of the Moon - Sarasota (1983)
 * Life Signals – Sarasota (1983)
 * Sherlock Holmes – Sarasota(1983)
 * The Philanthropist – New York (Stage 73) (1983)
 * Savage Amusement – New York (1984)
 * Romance – New York (Young Playwrights Festival) – (Joseph Papp Public Theater/Martinson Hall) (1984)
 * The Person I Once Was – Louisville (1984)
 * The Very Last Lover of the River Cane – Louisville (Theatre of Louisville) (1985)
 * Available Light – Louisville (Theatre of Louisville) (1985)
 * Groves of Academe – Cluj (Romania) (1985)
 * A Midsummer Night's Dream – New York (New York Shakespeare Festival) (1987)
 * Romeo and Juliet - New York (1988)
 * The Legend of Oedipus – Williamstown (Williamstown Theatre Festival) (1988)
 * Les Liaisons Dangereuses – Williamstown (Williamstown Theatre Festival) (1988)
 * Nebraska – La Jolla (1989)
 * Ice Cream With Hot Fudge – New York (1990)
 * Bobby, Can You Hear Me? – Waterford (1990)
 * Buster Comes Through – Waterford (1990)
 * Lake No Bottom – New York (1990)
 * Dinosaur Dreams – Waterford (1991)
 * Home Grown – Waterford (1991)
 * Orestes – Los Angeles (1992)
 * Salomé – New York (1992)
 * Pal Joey – Boston (1992)
 * Sweet Bird of Youth – London (UK) (1994)
 * Pride's Crossing – San Diego (1997)
 * The Summer Moon – Seattle (1998)