document_title: Sons of Liberty (miniseries)

question_text: who played sam adams in sons of liberty

question_tokens: who played sam adams in sons of liberty

text: Sons of Liberty (miniseries)

text: Plot[edit]

text: The miniseries centers primarily on the years (1765-1776) prior to start of the American Revolutionary War, and focuses on historical figures and pivotal events between the (then) British Colonies and the mother country of Great Britain to whom then British America owed its allegiance, particularly the events that led to resistance to the crown and creation of the Sons of Liberty, a group that coalesced to resist & disrupt  attempts by the British Parliament and crown to tax and govern the colonies.

text: The actions of the Sons of Liberty were the first beginnings of what would eventually become the American or Continental Army. These take place mostly in and around Boston & the then colony of Massachusetts.

text: Various American Revolutionary figures such as Samuel Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington and British General Thomas Gage are central characters in various episodes.

text: Additionally, creation of the Colonial Congress, the Declaration of Independence and the eventual outbreak of the Revolutionary War are depicted.

text: Tagline: (during the teaser trailer)

text: There's the revolution you know. And the one that's about to begin.

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text:
Ben Barnes as Samuel "Sam" Adams[1]
Marton Csokas as General Thomas Gage[1]
Ryan Eggold as Dr. Joseph Warren[1]
Michael Raymond-James as Paul Revere[1]
Rafe Spall as John Hancock[1]
Henry Thomas as John Adams[1]
Jason O'Mara as George Washington
Dean Norris as Benjamin Franklin[1]
Emily Berrington as Margaret Kemble Gage[1]
Sean Gilder as Thomas Hutchinson
Kevin J. Ryan as John Pitcairn
Shane Taylor as Captain Thomas Preston
Jimmy Akingbola as Peter Salem[3]

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
No.

Title

Directed by

Written by

Original air date

U.S. viewers(in millions)

1"A Dangerous Game[4]"Kari SkoglandKirk Ellis and Stephen David & David C. WhiteJanuary 25, 2015 (2015-01-25)§§§§3.29[5]
Still a group of colonies living under British oppression in 1765, local gangs fight each other over turf in the streets of Boston, much less thinking of starting a revolution. When tax collector and pub owner Sam Adams doesn't pay his own taxes, the Crown puts out a warrant for his arrest, leading to the destruction of Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson's mansion. Wealthy businessman, John Hancock, and Adams, establish a black-market smuggling operation and boycott all goods from Tory shops, identifying them with a "T" painted on their storefronts. But an altercation between a loyalist and a Colonist mob lead to a young boy's murder. Then, in 1770, after a conflict escalates with the Redcoats turn into a massacre, the wheels are put in motion to start a resistance against British tyranny.
2"The Uprising"Kari SkoglandStephen David & David C. WhiteJanuary 26, 2015 (2015-01-26)2.83[6]
After the Colonists destroy 600,000 pounds of tea into the Boston Harbor in 1773, King George sends General Thomas Gage to Boston to remove Governor Hutchinson from office and restore balance. Sam, Hancock, and John Adams set off for Philadelphia to gather arms and support at the Pennsylvania State House, and meet the intense George Washington, a delegate from Virginia. Hancock financially supports Sam and his recruits to begin training their own rebel army on a rural farm outside the city. When the British catches wind of it, they order their capture, leading Paul Revere to set out on his famous ride to warn of the Redcoats coming into Lexington in 1775. Meanwhile, the newly formed Colonial militia clash with the British Army in the shot heard round the world.
3"Independence"Kari SkoglandStory by: Stephen David & David C. White and Kirk EllisTeleplay by: Stephen David & David C. WhiteJanuary 27, 2015 (2015-01-27)3.30[7]
The start of the American Revolution begins as the Redcoats and the Massachusetts militia continue to fight at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Now that the battles develop into a full-blown war, Sam and Hancock enlist Ben Franklin help them convince state delegates to support their cause for freedom. Meanwhile, General Gage charges Bunker Hill, causing the Patriots to suffer a major defeat. The loss inspires a document—the Declaration of Independence—written up by Thomas Jefferson, is signed by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Colonists celebrate the evacuation of British troops in Boston. The newly formed Continental Army, led by General Washington will be put to the test when the Royal Navy's ships attack New York Harbor.

text: Production[edit]

text: According to The Hollywood Reporter, production on Sons of Liberty began in the summer of 2014.[8] The miniseries was also going to feature the minor story lines of Benedict Arnold and Patrick Henry.[9]

text: Release[edit]

text: The first teaser trailer was released on September 1, 2014, during Houdini, which incorrectly revealed a December 2014 release date and featured The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black".[10]

text: In Australia, Sons of Liberty aired on SBS One from February 5, 2015 as a six-part series.[11]

text: In the United Kingdom, Sons of Liberty aired on History Channel from June 2, 2015, also as a six-part series.

text: Home media[edit]

text: Sons of Liberty was released on DVD and Blu-ray on May 26, 2015.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Historical authenticity[edit]

text: The History Channel billed the series as a "dramatic interpretation of events"[12] and a work of "historical fiction", arguing the goal of the miniseries was "to capture the spirit of the time, convey the personalities of the main characters, and focus on real events that have shaped our past".[12] Nevertheless, the series has attracted criticism for its historical inaccuracies.[13][14]


document_title: Driving Miss Daisy (play)

question_text: who originated the role of hoke colburn on broadway

root

text: Driving Miss Daisy (play)

text: Synopsis[edit]

text: The time: 1948, the place: Atlanta, Georgia. A crash is heard, and Daisy Werthan, age 72, is in her living room, with her son Boolie, age 40. They are Jewish, with Atlanta accents. She has crashed her car, and Boolie insists that she have a driver. Boolie is in his office and interviews Hoke Coleburn who is a black man of around 60. He is unemployed. Over the next 25 years Hoke drives "Miss Daisy". They are initially wary of each other, and Hoke puts up with the somewhat crotchety Miss Daisy with dignity. She teaches Hoke to read when she learns that he cannot, which comes naturally to her, having been a teacher. Ultimately, over the years, they form a bond. In the final scene, Miss Daisy is in a nursing home for increasing memory loss; but is lucid enough to tell Hoke, who has come to visit her, that he is her best friend.

tag: p

text: Background[edit]

text: The play was inspired by Alfred Uhry's grandmother, Lena Fox, her chauffeur, Will Coleman, and his father. His grandmother, a Jewish woman who lived in Atlanta during the 1960s, had to give up driving after a car accident, and hired Coleman, who drove her for 25 years.[2]

text:
Uhry wrote his Atlanta Trilogy based on his own experiences living in Atlanta as a Jew. He set his three plays at "historic moments in the city’s twentieth century—the 1915 lynching of Leo Frank, the 1939 Gone With the Wind premiere, the 1958 Temple bombing, and the city’s 1964 dinner honoring Martin Luther King’s Nobel Peace Prize." The plays are
Driving Miss Daisy, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, and Parade.[3]

text: Historical casting[edit]

text:
Character

1987 Off-Broadway cast

1st National Tour cast

2nd National Tour cast

1989 Film cast

Original West End cast

2010 Broadway cast

West End revival cast

Australian Tour Cast

Daisy Werthan

Dana Ivey

Julie Harris

Rosemary Prinz

Jessica Tandy

Wendy Hiller

Vanessa Redgrave

Angela Lansbury

Hoke Coleburn

Morgan Freeman

Brock Peters

Ted Lange

Morgan Freeman

Clarke Peters

James Earl Jones

Boolie Werthan

Ray Gill

Stephen Root

Fred Sanders

Dan Aykroyd

Barry Foster

Boyd Gaines

tag: table

text: Production history[edit]

text:
Off-Broadway (1987–1990)
The original Off-Broadway production was staged at Playwrights Horizons Studio Theatre on 42nd Street, opening
on April 15, 1987.[4] Directed by Ron Lagomarsino, the role of Daisy was also played by Rochelle Oliver and Frances Sternhagen, replacing Dana Ivey.[5][6] It later transferred to the John Houseman Theatre, closing on June 3, 1990, with 1,195 performances.[7]

text:
US.National Tours and Regional
National Tours were launched starting in 1988. Julie Harris was the Daisy for the 1st National Tour. Rosemary Prinz also played the role in a second tour.[8][9]

text:
The first production in Chicago was also a long-running production, originally starring Sada Thompson.
Ellen Burstyn, Charlotte Rae, and Dorothy Loudon also played Miss Daisy as replacements.[10]

text:
West End (1988)
The play was produced in London's West End in 1988 at the Apollo Theatre.[11]

text:
1992 Television cast
In 1992, the play was filmed for television as a possible series. This production starred Joan Plowright as Miss Daisy, with Robert Guillaume as Hoke and Saul Rubinek as Boolie.[12]

text:
Broadway (2010–2011)
In October 2010, The play was staged for the first time on Broadway.[13] The play opened on October 25, 2010, at the John Golden Theatre; the run was later extended and Driving Miss Daisy closed on April 9, 2011,[14] after 20 previews and 180 performances. Maureen Anderman was Redgrave's understudy. It recouped its initial investment of $2.6 million on December 21, 2010, making it the first show of the 2010/2011 season to do so.[15] The show was the top-grossing Broadway play in the week ending January 16, 2011.[16]

text:
West End revival (2011)
The production played at the Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End with the same cast, beginning previews on September 26, 2011, opening on October 5, 2011, and closing on December 17, 2011.
[17]

text:
UK tour (2012–13)
The show toured UK theatres from October 2012 until April 2013, starring Gwen Taylor, Don Warrington, and Ian Porter.[18]

text:
Australian tour (2013)
The Broadway production of Driving Miss Daisy toured Australia from February 9 to June 16, 2013, starring Angela Lansbury, James Earl Jones and Boyd Gaines.[19] This production was filmed and broadcast on PBS Great Performances.[20][21]

text: Awards and honors[edit]

text:
Year

Award

Category

Nominee

Result

1987

Obie Award

Best Performance

Dana Ivey

Won

1988

Outer Circle Critics Award

Best Off-Broadway Play

Won

Best Actress in a Play

Dana Ivey

Won

Best Director

Ron Lagomarsino

Won

Pulitzer Prize

Drama

Won

2011

Tony Award

Best Actress in a Play

Vanessa Redgrave

Nominated

text: Film adaptation[edit]

text: Uhry adapted his play into the screenplay for a 1989 film of the same name starring Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman and Dan Aykroyd. All three actors were nominated for Academy Awards, with Tandy winning the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film received nine nominations total, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Uhry also won an Academy Award for his screenplay.


document_title: List of The Cosby Show characters

question_text: the cosby show sondra and elvin get married

question_tokens: the cosby show sondra and elvin get married

text: List of The Cosby Show characters

text: Main characters

text: Cliff Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Bill Cosby
All
202 (all)

text: Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable[1] is known for his comical antics, playful admonishments, and relentless teasing humor. He lives in Brooklyn Heights, New York. Cliff had a brother, James Theodore Huxtable, who died of rheumatic fever at the age of 7. In his high school and college years, he was an athlete who wrestled, played football, and ran track. He later served in the Navy before going to medical school. He is an OB/GYN who runs a practice from the office annexed to his home. In the show, most characters outside of family and friends refer to him as "Dr. Huxtable", and he is well-respected in the community.[2][3][4][5][6]

text: Cliff is married to Clair Huxtable. Both Cliff and Clair attended the fictional Hillman College. Together, they have five children: Sondra, Denise, Theodore (Theo), Vanessa, and Rudith (Rudy). Cliff enjoys live jazz, has an extensive collection of albums, and tries to eat junk food whenever he can get away with it.[7]

text: Cliff is very eccentric and silly to most people around him, especially his family, however he is very kind-hearted and an extremely dedicated father with a strong sense of humor. Although he and his wife fostered a tight-knit, loving family, a running gag throughout the series is his thwarted attempts to get the grown children to leave the house.[8]

text: Very playful, Cliff enjoys competition, often making bets with Clair over various things, such as the date a certain jazz song was released, or having a "Smooth Contest" to see which of them looked more elegant for a night on the town, as judged by the children. He also plays a monthly game of pinochle against his father and some friends, which sometimes gets very passionate. Unfortunately, Cliff often finds himself on the losing end of most of his bets and games, as, for example, he has never beaten his father-in-law at chess. However, Cliff eventually broke his losing streak at pinochle against his father and his friend Homer Dobson with the help of Dr. Foster (played by Roscoe Lee Browne), an expert pinochle player who also happened to be his and Clair's literary professor at Hillman College.

text: In the pilot episode, Cosby's character's full name is Clifford, as shown on a sign on the exterior of the house. His full name was subsequently changed to Heathcliff, even though in one episode Clair called him "Heathclifford", and he is commonly called "Cliff" throughout the series.

text: Originally, Cliff was to have worked as a chauffeur, with most of the humor coming from his interactions with customers. However, the show was changed before airing to have Cliff be a medical doctor, and the humor to come from his interactions with his family.

text: Cliff also appears in three episodes of A Different World: the pilot (with Rudy), "Rudy and the Snow Queen" (also with Rudy) and "If Chosen, I May Not Run".

text: He is the only character to appear in every episode.

text: Clair Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Phylicia Rashād
All
193

text: Clair Olivia Huxtable (née Hanks) is the elegantly tough, eloquent, and engaging wife of Cliff, who is known for her relaxed confidence and striking emphasis as shown.[4][1] Aside from her deep and decorated self-expression, Clair can also be playful and silly. She is an intelligent, classy, and successful businesswoman. A great debater, Clair rarely if ever loses an argument on the show, a testament to her career as lawyer. She is also highly skilled in areas of recall about facts and dates, which she uses during discussions and debates: in one episode she is shown quoting a passage and even the page number of a book during an appearance at a television roundtable. Clair is bilingual but is only shown speaking Spanish on a couple of occasions. Several episodes also showcased her singing talent. Despite her elegant brand of toughness and strictness, Clair is a very loving mother and wife. The character is loosely based upon Cosby's wife, Camille Olivia Hanks-Cosby.

text: Her age is directly stated only once during the series, and two separate episodes provide contradictory information on the age difference between herself and Cliff. He celebrates his 50th birthday during season three ("Cliff's 50th Birthday"), while she celebrates her 46th during season five ("Birthday Blues," two years later), indicating that she is six years younger. However, in the season four episode "The Locker Room," it is stated that Clair is four years younger.

text: Her character was originally supposed to be a housewife, but when the show finally aired, she became a lawyer. During the series, she becomes a partner in her law firm. As an attorney she helps her family with legal issues, and she successfully represents her eldest daughter, Sondra, in a case over dishonest car repairs. When it came to the Huxtable household, she was in charge, even though she let Cliff think he was in charge (although Cliff was known to lay down the law when he had to). She was the chief disciplinarian of the children, as shown in an episode where Vanessa and her friends sneak off to Baltimore to see a rock concert and Clair delivers a memorable and scathing diatribe to her. Another memorable moment came when the normally composed Clair lost her temper when Sondra announced she wasn't going to law school after paying her tuition to attend Princeton.

text: Clair also appears in four episodes of A Different World: "Clair's Last Stand", "Risky Business" (with Theo and Vanessa), "Forever Hold Your Peace" (with Martin and Olivia) and "Success, Lies and Videotapes".

text: Clair Huxtable has been ranked highly in several lists of the top television mothers. She was voted as television's "Favorite TV Mom" in a poll conducted by the Opinion Research Company in 2004.[9] In 2009, she was included in the Top 5 Classic TV Moms by Film.com.[10] In May 2012, Clair was one of the 12 moms chosen by users of iVillage on their list of "Mommy Dearest: The TV Moms You Love".[11] AOL named her the ninth Most Memorable Female TV Character.[12]

text: Sondra Huxtable Tibideaux

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Sabrina LeBeauf
2–8;
recurring in 1
53
"Bonjour Sondra"

text: Sondra Tibideaux (née Huxtable), the eldest daughter of Cliff and Clair, did not appear on screen until mid-way through season one. She did not exist in the pilot episode (Clair: "Why do we have four children?" Cliff: "Because we did not want five.") In her first appearance, she is a sophomore in college, and Cliff notes her to be 20 years old (episode 10), making her birth year 1964. She earned a degree from Princeton University and had intentions of pursuing a career as a lawyer, like her mother. She married her boyfriend, Elvin Tibideaux, in season four, and later gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl—named after Nelson and Winnie Mandela. More serious, earnest and responsible than the other children, Sondra fits many of the characteristics of the first born from a large family. Though she had her moments of bizarre thinking (e.g. dropping out of law school to open up a wilderness store with Elvin), she'd usually snap out of them relatively quickly. Because of her intelligence level and overachieving nature, she is looked upon by her parents proudly, but also is held to a higher standard than the rest of the children. Sondra appeared sporadically in early seasons of the series due to the character being off at college at the time.

text: Sondra was created when Bill Cosby wanted the show to express the accomplishment of successfully raising a child (e.g. a college graduate). Whitney Houston was considered for the role of Sondra Huxtable. Sabrina LeBeauf almost missed out on the role because she is only 10 years younger (b. 1958) than Phylicia Rashad (b. 1948).

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's eldest daughter, Erika, who was approximately the same age as Sondra.

text: Denise Huxtable Kendall

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
Final appearance

Lisa Bonet
1–3, 6–7;
recurring in 4&5
119
"Cliff and Jake"

text: Denise Kendall (née Huxtable) is the second daughter of Cliff and Clair Huxtable.[13] At the beginning of the series, she is sixteen years old, putting her year of birth in 1968. She loves fashion and music, but did not want to attend school to pursue either interest. She is noted as being an individual who usually wishes to march to the beat of her own drum, and often learns lessons up front for herself rather than based off the experiences of others. A two-year stint at Hillman College ends with Denise wishing to see what she can accomplish on her own, which leads her to Africa as a photographer's assistant. While there, she meets and marries Navy Lt. Martin Kendall, and also becomes stepmother to Martin's three-year-old daughter Olivia, his child from a previous marriage. Denise eventually decides to become a special education teacher and makes arrangements to attend Medgar Evers College to this effect, but that idea does not work out as Denise eventually leaves New York again when Martin is posted to Singapore on a long-term assignment. It is revealed in the series finale that she is pregnant.

text: During the first two seasons, Denise was portrayed as a very popular high-schooler, with many friends, who seemingly had a different boyfriend every episode. Along with her constantly fluctuating love life, were her various hairstyles and choices of clothing, which were occasionally made fun of by Cliff. In later seasons, however, she exhibited a more flighty nature, often expressing ideas that left Cliff and Clair greatly puzzled.

text: In season three, Denise left home to attend Hillman College, a fictional, historically African-American college, of which her mother, father and grandfather were all alumni. The Cosby Show's producers created a spin-off series, entitled A Different World, which initially dealt with the life of Denise at college. Denise was written out of the series following its inaugural season (which aired concurrently with season four of The Cosby Show), after actress Lisa Bonet became pregnant. Shortly after the start of season five, Denise traveled to Africa for a year, and there she fell in love with and married Martin. In the season six premiere, she returned home, shocking her parents with the news of her surprise marriage to a divorced single father. However, Cliff and Clair accepted the couple when they met Olivia, who immediately won their hearts and was welcomed into the family. She appears regularly during the first three seasons, and is in only four episodes each of seasons four and five (a picture of her can be seen in the opening credits of season four), she appears regularly in season six, but only appears in a handful of episodes during season seven.

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's daughter, Erinn, who was approximately the same age as Denise. Additionally, Denise attended Hillman College, whereas Erinn attended Spelman College, the university that Hillman is believed to be modeled after.

text: Theo Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Malcolm-Jamal Warner
All
176

text: Theodore Aloysius "Theo" Huxtable is the middle child and only son of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, and is athletic and obsessed with impressing girls, and obtaining a sports car or motorcycle. He is fourteen years old when the series begins, making his birth year 1970. In the pilot episode, he is lectured by his father for not applying himself at school ("I brought you in this world, and I'll take you out"). Also in the early seasons, he was somewhat of a troublemaker, as illustrated through incidents both alluded to and explicitly portrayed in the series, such as letting his best friend's younger sister pierce his ear, resulting in an infected earlobe, but his behavior had improved by the time he left high school.

text: A running theme of the early seasons revolved around Theo's academic struggles, especially in his sophomore-year geometry class, taught by Mrs. Westlake (Sonia Braga). As the seasons progressed, Theo gradually evolved from being an under-achiever to a successful high school—and college—student (in interviews, Cosby noted a similar change in his real-life son, Ennis). While Theo was a student at NYU, it was revealed that he suffered from dyslexia, a learning disability that inspired him to work harder, and as a result overcame it. By the final season, Theo was a student teacher, helping other children with dyslexia at a local education center. In the show's final episode, he graduated from NYU with a degree in psychology.

text: In the pilot, and once more in season one (the episode "Bad Dreams"), he is referred to by Vanessa as "Teddy", instead of "Theo."

text: Theo has a long-running, but on-and-off relationship with a girl named Justine, who is mentioned many times throughout the series, but appears in only nine episodes. During his high school years, Theo's best friend was Walter Bradley (Carl Anthony Payne II), better known as "Cockroach", who was more of a scholastic underachiever than Theo. The two of them would occasionally compose rap songs for various school assignments. When Theo got tickets to "Dance Mania" (a "Soul Train"-like television dance show), and only one of them was allowed into the studio, Theo let Cockroach have the spot, but did not feel good about it when he saw Cockroach on TV, and as the center of their friends' attention the next day at school. This episode marked the final appearance of the character, and Cockroach was rarely mentioned in subsequent episodes. Theo appears in the series the most out of the Huxtable children.

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's only son Ennis, who was approximately the same age as Theo (and was also dyslexic).

text: Theo also appears in two episodes of A Different World: "My Dinner With Theo" (with Rudy) and "Risky Business" (with Clair and Vanessa).

text: Vanessa Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Tempestt Bledsoe
All
157

text: Vanessa Huxtable is the fourth child and third daughter of Cliff and Clair. In season one, she is eleven years old, making her birth year 1973. As Vanessa grew up, she faced typical teenage problems and heartbreaks, such as wearing make-up before her 15th birthday in violation of her parents' rules and spending a lot of time talking on the phone with her friends. Unlike her older brother, she was an excellent student and seemed to enjoy school; at the beginning of season seven, she went off to college one year early. She became engaged in the final season to Dabnis Brickey, a man in his late twenties. Dabnis was the head of maintenance at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where Vanessa was enrolled. However, Vanessa realized that she was not ready to get married, and they broke off the engagement. They maintained they were "just friends" by the end of the season.

text: In the early seasons, Vanessa is usually considered to be nosy, as she usually—sneakily—tries to find out what goes on in the Huxtable house, especially when it involves someone (usually Theo) in trouble with their parents. But, in a later episode, the tables are turned, as Theo catches Vanessa's friends smoking cigarettes in her room, although Vanessa herself did not take part, and even tried to dissuade her friends from doing so.

text: She often fought with her younger sister, Rudy, over typical childish issues. At one point, their fighting caused damage to both their bedrooms and the kitchen ceiling, driving Cliff to declare their rooms off limits because of "World War Five" and exile them to the basement until repairs were finished. But, on one occasion, Vanessa got into a physical tussle with Denise over a sweater that Vanessa stole from Denise's closet after Denise did not allow her to borrow it.

text: One of Vanessa's best friends in high school was a girl named Kara (played by Elizabeth Narvaez), who could ramble on about nothing in particular at high speed. Whenever Cliff—who once referred to Kara as "Turbo Tongue"—was on the receiving end of her babbling, he would always reply with a bewildered "Thank you." Vanessa appeared sporadically in the final two seasons of the series due to the character being away at college.

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's daughter, Ensa, who was approximately the same age as Vanessa.

text: Vanessa also appears in the A Different World episode "Risky Business" (with Clair and Theo).

text: Rudy Huxtable

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes

Keshia Knight Pulliam
All
177[14]

text: Rudith Lillian "Rudy" Huxtable is the youngest of the Huxtable children.[15] She is only five years old at the beginning of the series, making her birth year 1979. She comes of age during the course of the show.[16]

text: A number of Rudy's friends appear in episodes as the series progresses. Among the best known are the taciturn Peter Chiara who repeatedly ran out the Huxtables' front door when frightened; and the chauvinist, blues-loving Kenny, whom she nicknames "Bud", and who always gets advice from his (unseen) older brother about basically everything. This unfortunately gives him the wrong conception about certain things and gets him in trouble, although he seemed to grow out of it as the series reached its end.

text: Keshia Knight Pulliam was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in season two, becoming the youngest nominee ever.[17] One of her fellow nominees that year was Phylicia Rashad. Neither won.

text: The Huxtable family was originally going to be two boys and two girls. The youngest child, Rudy, was initially supposed to be a boy, but the character was re-written for a girl (Keshia Knight Pulliam) when no boys auditioned. Jaleel White, later known for his role as Steve Urkel on Family Matters, revealed in a 2011 interview with Vanity Fair that he had auditioned for the role of Rudy.[18]

text: The character is loosely based upon Cosby's youngest daughter, Evin, who was approximately the same age as Rudy.[19]

text: Rudy also appears in three episodes of A Different World: the pilot (with Cliff), "Rudy and the Snow Queen" (also with Cliff) and "My Dinner with Theo" (with Theo).

text: Elvin Tibideaux

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Geoffrey Owens
4–8;
recurring in 2&3
44
"Cliff in Love"

text: Elvin Tibideaux is Sondra's boyfriend, and later, husband. They met at Princeton, where they both earned degrees. The two constantly bickered during early episodes, until his interactions with the Huxtables, particularly Clair, challenged him to confront his "male-chauvinist" attitudes.

text: When they return from their honeymoon, they shock Cliff and Clair by announcing their intentions to forego medical school and law school, and start a wilderness supply store in Brooklyn. When his children are born, Elvin then announces that he will re-apply to medical school. This decision later convinces Sondra to resume her studies at law school.

text: Elvin was a wrestler in high school and for one year at Princeton, but had to quit after injuring his hip. During season three, he helped Theo with some strategy and moves.

text: Martin Kendall

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Joseph C. Phillips
6 and 7,
recurring in 8
21
"Denise: The Saga Continues"

text: Lt. Martin Kendall is a Navy officer, husband of Denise Huxtable, and father of Olivia. Phillips' role as Martin Kendall came about when Denise unexpectedly married him in Africa, unbeknownst to her parents and family. When the newlyweds arrive back home, Martin learns that Denise's family not only does not know about their marriage, they do not know about him at all, so he wants to introduce himself to the Huxtables now that he has married into their family and to show his intentions of marrying his daughter were honorable. This does not go over smoothly at first, as Clair and Cliff are uneasy with the whirlwind marriage of Martin, however in due time they become accustomed to this blended family. Kendall also had an ex-wife, named Paula (played by Victoria Rowell of The Young and the Restless). In the finale, it is revealed that he and Denise are expecting a baby together.

text: Joseph C. Phillips played Sondra's date in a season two episode, before coming back as a new character, and playing the husband of Denise. Martin appears frequently in the sixth season but is only seen in a handful episodes of the seventh season, Joseph C. Phillips's final season as a regular. Martin makes his final appearance in an episode of season eight, "Olivia Comes Out of the Closet."

text: Martin also appears in the Different World episode "Forever Hold Your Peace" (with Clair and Olivia).

text: Olivia Kendall

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Raven-Symoné
6–8
63
"Denise: The Saga Continues"

text: Olivia Kendall is Denise Huxtable's precocious stepdaughter, who is three years old when she first appears in the series. Olivia is the only child of Martin and Paula Kendall. After a few years of marriage, her parents divorced, and her mother, Paula, gave Martin full custody, as she felt overwhelmed by marriage and motherhood. Olivia was then raised by her grandparents and father.

text: When Olivia was almost four years old, her father Martin married Denise Huxtable, whom he met in Africa. The new family moved in with Denise's parents, Clair and Cliff Huxtable, who are now Olivia's step-grandparents. Martin, as a Naval officer, is required to travel a lot, so for a while, Olivia was unable to spend time with him. During his absences, her stepmother, Denise, raised her. Olivia continued to live with her step-grandparents while her parents were in Singapore during the final season.

text: The character was named after Bill Cosby's wife, Camille Olivia Hanks-Cosby.

text: Olivia also appears in the Different World episode "Forever Hold Your Peace" (with Clair and Martin).

text: Pam Tucker

text:
Portrayed by
Seasons
No. of episodes
First appearance

Erika Alexander[20]
7–8
21
"Period of Adjustment"

text: Pam Tucker is Clair Huxtable's distant cousin.[21] The daughter of a single mother, Pam comes to live with the Huxtables after her mother moved to California to take care of Pam's grandmother.[22] Upon moving in, Pam is a high school junior—younger than Vanessa, but older than Rudy. At first, she is not used to the Huxtables' upper-middle-class lifestyle or close-knit family relationships.[23] Eventually, she fits in, and becomes just another one of the Huxtable clan. Pam makes her first appearance in the fourth episode, "A Period of Adjustment," Tin season seven.

text: Frequently, Pam is shown interacting with her best friend, Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White), and Charmaine's boyfriend, Lance Rodman (Allen Payne).

text: The character had a mixed reception.[24][25][26]

text: Recurring characters

text:
Russell and Anna Huxtable (Earle Hyman and Clarice Taylor): Cliff's parents (seasons 1–8)
Kenny, aka "Bud" (Deon Richmond): Rudy's longtime friend (32 episodes)
Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White): Pam's best friend (13 episodes) (later became a regular on the final season of A Different World)
Winnie Tibideaux (Domonique & Monique Reynolds, Jalese & Jenelle Grays, Jessica Ann Vaughn) daughter of Sondra and Elvin (18 episodes)
Peter Chiara (Peter Costa) Rudy's friend (13 episodes)
Walter Bradley, aka "Cockroach" (Carl Anthony Payne II) Theo's best friend in high school (12 episodes)
Nelson Tibideaux (Christopher & Clayton Griggs, Darrian & Donovan Bryant, Gary LeRoi Gray) son of Sondra and Elvin (7 episodes)
Denny (Troy Winbush) Theo's high school, college friend (11 episodes)
Lance Rodman (Allen Payne) Charmaine's boyfriend (11 episodes)
Janet Meiser (Pam Potillo) Vanessa's friend (10 episodes)
Howard (Reno Wilson Theo's college friend (10 episodes)
Justine Phillips (Michelle Thomas) Theo's longtime girlfriend (8 episodes)
Kara (Elizabeth Narvaez) Vanessa's friend (8 episodes)
Stanley (Merlin Santana) Rudy's boyfriend (7 episodes)
Kim Ogawa (Naoka Nakagawa) Rudy's friend (7 episodes)
Carrie Hanks (Ethel Ayler) Clair's mother (6 episodes)
Robert Foreman (Dondre T. Whitfield) Vanessa's boyfriend (6 episodes)
Lou Hernandez (Alex Ruiz) Theo's college friend (6 episodes)
Dabnis Brickey (William Thomas Jr.) Vanessa's fiance (6 episodes)
Jeffry Engels (Wallace Shawn) the Huxtables' neighbor (5 episodes)
Smitty (Adam Sandler) Theo's high school friend (4 episodes)
Arthur Bartell a.k.a. "Slide" (Mushond Lee) Pam's ex-boyfriend (4 episodes)
Al Hanks (Joe Williams) Clair's father (4 episodes)
Aaron Dexter (Seth Gilliam) Pam's boyfriend (3 episodes)
Mrs. McGee (Elaine Stritch) Rudy's teacher (3 episodes)
Jade (Vanessa A. Williams) Theo's friend (2 episodes, season 5)
Cheryl (Vanessa A. Williams) Theo's friend (2 episodes, season 7)
Eunice Chantilly (unseen character) Cliff's former girlfriend (She is mentioned in several episodes as a foil device but never seen)

tag: ul

text: Notable guest stars

text:
Debbie Allen as Emma ("If the Dress Fits, Wear It", season 5)
John Amos as Dr. Herbert ("The Physical", season 5)
Tichina Arnold as Delores ("Theo's Women", season 5)
Angela Bassett as Mrs. Mitchell ("Mr. Quiet", season 1), and Paula ("Bookworm", season 4)
Norman Beaton as Carleton ("There's Still No Joy in Mudville" season 7)
U.S. Senator Bill Bradley as Cliff's teammate #1 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Sônia Braga as Anna Maria Westlake ("Mrs. Westlake" and "An Early Spring", season 2)
Valerie Brisco-Hooks as herself ("Off to the Races", season 2)
Roscoe Lee Browne as Dr. Foster ("Shakespeare", season 4)
Red Buttons as Jake, owner of Jake's Appliances ("Cliff and Jake", season 7)
Naomi Campbell as Julia ("The Birth" and "Cyranoise de Bergington", season 5)
Betty Carter as Amanda Woods ("How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall", season 5)
Robert Culp as Scott Kelly ("Bald and Beautiful", season 3)
Sammy Davis, Jr. as Ray Palomino ("No Way, Baby", season 5)
Dave DeBusschere as Cliff's teammate #2 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Plácido Domingo as Alberto Santiago ("Birthday Blues", season 5)
Teresa Edwards as Opponent #2 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Yvonne Irvin as Clair's Sister ("Clair's Sister", season 2)
Al Freeman, Jr. as Ernie Scott ("Back to the Track, Jack", season 1)
Minnie Gentry as Gramtee ("The Storyteller", season 6)
Dizzy Gillespie as Mr. Hampton ("Play It Again Vanessa", season 1)
Erica Gimpel as Jennifer ("Waterworks", season 4)
Robin Givens as Susanne ("Theo and the Older Woman", season 2)
Pam Grier as Samantha ("Planning Parenthood", season 3)
Moses Gunn as Joe Kendall ("Grampy and NuNu Visit the Huxtables", season 6)
Walt Hazzard as Cliff's teammate #3 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Lena Horne as herself ("Cliff's Birthday", season 1)
Iman as Mrs. Montgomery ("Theo and the Joint", season 1)
Danny Kaye as Dr. Burns ("The Dentist", season 2), in one of his last TV appearances
Alicia Keys as Maria ("Slumber Party", season 1)
B.B. King as Riley Jackson ("Not Everybody Loves the Blues", season 6)
LaChanze as Sylvia ("The Prom", season 4)
Audrey Landers as Cookie Bennett ("Cliff and Jake", season 7)
Sheldon Leonard as Dr. Wexler ("Physician of the Year," season 1)
Nancy Lieberman as Opponent #1 ("The Boys of Winter", season 5)
Miriam Makeba as herself ("Olivia Comes Out of the Closet", season 8)
S. Epatha Merkerson as Book Club Member 5 ("Bookworm", season 4)
Melba Moore as Patricia Abbott ("Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", season 4)
Rita Moreno as Mrs. Granger ("You Only Hurt the One You Love", season 3)
Lou Myers as Mr. Davis ("You Only Hurt the One You Love", & "Andalusian Flu", season 3)
Tony Orlando as Tony Castillo ("Mr. Quiet", season 1)
Tito Puente as timbal player ("Play It Again, Russell", season 2)
Christopher Plummer as Professor Jonathan Lawrence ("Shakespeare", season 4)
Patricia Richardson as Mrs. Schrader ("Calling Doctor Huxtable", season 3)
John Ritter as Ray Evans ("Total Control", season 7)
Frank Robinson as Frank Potter ("There's Still No Joy in Mudville", season 7)
Victoria Rowell as Paula Kendall ("Cliff's Wet Adventure", season 6)
Howard "Sandman" Sims as himself ("Mr. Sandman", season 6)
Special Ed as J.T. Freeze ("Warning: A Double-Lit Candle Can Cause a Meltdown", season 8)
Bern Nadette Stanis as Carolyn Thompson ("Adventures in Babysitting", season 7)
Leslie Uggams as Kris Temple ("The Return of the Clairettes", season 7)
Blair Underwood as Denise's boyfriend (uncredited) ("Jitterbug Break", season 1), and Mark ("Theo and the Older Woman", season 2)
Mario Van Peebles as Garvin ("Clair's Sister", season 2)
Jim Valvano as John Velarde ("The Getaway", season 8)
Dick Vitale as Dan Vicente ("The Getaway", season 8)
Malinda Williams as Althea Logan ("Calling Doctor Huxtable", season 3) and Shana ("Denise Kendall: Singles Counselor", season 6)
Nancy Wilson as Lorraine Kendall ("Grampy and NuNu Visit the Huxtables", season 6)
Stevie Wonder as himself ("A Touch of Wonder", season 2)
Amy Yasbeck as Alicia Evans ("Total Control", season 7)


document_title: List of House of Cards characters

question_text: who plays mark usher on house of cards

question_tokens: who plays mark usher on house of cards

text: List of House of Cards characters

text: Main cast overview[edit]

text:
Character
Portrayed by
Capacity per season

1

2

3

4

5

6

Frank Underwood
Kevin Spacey
Starring
Does not appear

Claire Underwood
Robin Wright
Starring
Appears

Zoe Barnes
Kate Mara
Starring
Guest
Does not appear
Guest
Does not appear

Peter Russo
Corey Stoll
Starring
Does not appear
Guest
Does not appear

Doug Stamper
Michael Kelly
Starring
Appears

Christina Gallagher
Kristen Connolly
Starring
Recurring
Does not appear

Linda Vasquez
Sakina Jaffrey
Starring
Does not appear
Appears

Gillian Cole

Sandrine Holt

Starring
Guest
Does not appear

Janine Skorsky

Constance Zimmer

Starring
Recurring
Does not appear
Guest
Does not appear
Appears

Garrett Walker

Michel Gill

Starring
Does not appear
Recurring
Guest
Does not appear

Lucas Goodwin

Sebastian Arcelus

Starring
Does not appear
Starring
Does not appear

Remy Danton

Mahershala Ali

Starring
Does not appear

Tom Hammerschmidt

Boris McGiver

Starring
Recurring
Does not appear
Starring
Appears

Edward Meechum

Nathan Darrow

Starring
Recurring
Does not appear

Rachel Posner

Rachel Brosnahan

Starring
Recurring
Does not appear

Jackie Sharp

Molly Parker

Does not appear
Starring
Does not appear

Raymond Tusk

Gerald McRaney

Recurring
Starring
Does not appear
Recurring
Guest
Does not appear

Cathy Durant

Jayne Atkinson

Recurring
Starring
Appears

Gavin Orsay

Jimmi Simpson

Does not appear
Starring
Does not appear

Ayla Sayyad

Mozhan Marnò

Does not appear
Starring
Recurring
Does not appear

Heather Dunbar

Elizabeth Marvel

Does not appear
Recurring
Starring
Does not appear

Seth Grayson

Derek Cecil

Does not appear
Recurring
Starring
Appears

Thomas Yates

Paul Sparks

Does not appear
Starring
Does not appear

Kate Baldwin

Kim Dickens

Does not appear
Starring
Guest
Does not appear

Viktor Petrov

Lars Mikkelsen

Does not appear
Starring
Recurring
Appears

LeAnn Harvey

Neve Campbell

Does not appear
Starring
Does not appear

Will Conway

Joel Kinnaman

Does not appear
Starring
Does not appear

Mark Usher

Campbell Scott

Does not appear
Starring
Appears

Jane Davis

Patricia Clarkson

Does not appear
Starring
Appears

Hannah Conway

Dominique McElligott

Does not appear
Recurring
Starring
Does not appear

Sean Jeffries

Korey Jackson

Does not appear
Starring
Does not appear

Aidan Macallan

Damian Young

Does not appear
Recurring
Starring
Does not appear

Alex Romero

James Martinez

Does not appear
Starring
Does not appear

Annette Shepherd

Diane Lane

Does not appear
Appears

Bill Shepherd

Greg Kinnear

Does not appear
Appears

Duncan Shepherd

Cody Fern

Does not appear
Appears

text: Main characters[edit]

text: Francis J. Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is a Democrat from South Carolina's 5th Congressional District that is House Majority Whip in season one, Vice President of the United States in season two, and the 46th President of the United States in seasons three and four. An utterly ruthless and conniving politician, he pursues only his own political agenda and manipulates everyone around him to grab influence and prestige, at the potential cost of destroying everyone else to push himself forward. His name is derived from Francis Urquhart, the protagonist of the BBC version and the novel version of House of Cards, and Oscar Underwood, the first Democratic House whip. Just as Urquhart does in the BBC version, Underwood often breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the viewer.

text:
Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) is Francis's wife who administrates the non-governmental organization Clean Water Initiative in season one before giving it up to become Second Lady of the United States. She often abets Frank's political scheming, and proves to be just as cold, manipulative, and power-hungry as her husband. In season three, she becomes First Lady of the United States and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. In season five, she becomes President. Her equivalent character from the original series is Elizabeth Urquhart.
Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) was a reporter for the fictitious The Washington Herald who forms a correspondence with Underwood. She was extremely ambitious and after an encounter with Frank Underwood she approached him at his home with a proposal. The two formed an arrangement to use each other to advance their respective careers: Underwood uses her to leak stories when he wants that will damage his opponents, while Barnes uses him to get bigger and better stories. She formed a personal relationship with him that became sexual, often complicated by their mutual struggle for power and services from each other. Barnes later moved to the more web-based Slugline. Later, she became increasingly suspicious of Underwood's involvement with Peter Russo. Working with her past Herald coworkers Janine Skorsky and Lucas Goodwin (who she begins a relationship with), she investigated what she soon suspected to be murder. During the season two premiere, her investigation led to her death, with Underwood pushing her in front of a Washington Metro train to protect his own secrets.[1] In season 4, Zoe, along with Peter Russo, appear in a dream Frank has after an assassination attempt on his life.[2][3] Her equivalent from the original series is Mattie Storin.
Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) was a Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District. Divorced with two children, he was in an intimate relationship with Christina Gallagher, a member of his staff. Russo was blackmailed into serving Underwood after Underwood "fixed" his arrest for DUI with a prostitute (Rachel Posner) in his car and then holds it over Russo's head. With Underwood's help, he got sober and ran for Governor of Pennsylvania. However, Underwood eventually contrived to have him relapse in his alcoholism right before an important interview, ruin his career, and then get him to withdraw gracefully as a way of manipulating Vice President Jim Matthews into running for Governor and securing the vice presidency for Frank. However, when Frank saw that Peter was becoming a liability, he killed him and made his death look like a suicide.[4] In season 4, Peter, along with Zoe Barnes, appear in a dream Frank has after a failed assassination attempt on his life.[2] Whereas most characters who were adapted from the UK version of House of Cards were based primarily on a single character, Russo's storyline takes reference from two characters: Mr. Stoat, an MP whose career Francis Urquhart saves after he is caught with a prostitute, and Roger O'Neill, the Conservative Party's cocaine-addicted press secretary, whom Urquhart murders by putting rat poison in his cocaine.
Douglas "Doug" Stamper (Michael Kelly) is Underwood's unwaveringly loyal chief of staff and confidant. He is instrumental in strategizing and carrying out many of Frank's plans. A recovering alcoholic, Stamper prizes discipline and self-control above all else, but loses his poise when he comes into contact with Rachel Posner, who he helps Underwood use as part of his plot to bring down Peter Russo. He relocates her in order to keep her involvement in Russo's death hidden. He is one of the few who knows the truth about Frank's involvement in Russo's death. In Season 2 he feels threatened by the influence of Seth Grayson, The Underwoods' new Press Secretary. He begins to control Rachel's life and becomes increasingly infatuated with her. The end of the second season finds Stamper presumably[5] dead in the woods, Rachel having bashed him repeatedly in the head with a brick. It can be assumed that Stamper was planning to murder Rachel, concerned that she would speak up about her role in Underwood's murder of Peter Russo. At the start of the third season, it is revealed that Stamper survived the attack. He undergoes physical therapy to regain his ability to walk, and becomes obsessed with tracking down Rachel, who has gone into hiding, and works with Gavin Orsay to do so.  Devastated when Underwood insists that he take time to recover rather than continuing his work, Stamper relapses in his alcoholism after fifteen years of sobriety.  After tracking down and killing Rachel, he returns to his Chief of Staff position. His counterpart from the original series is Tim Stamper.
Christina Gallagher (Kristen Connolly) is the former executive assistant to Representative Peter Russo and President Garrett Walker, as well as Russo's former love interest.
Linda Vasquez (Sakina Jaffrey) is the former Chief of Staff to President Walker. While she got her position in the White House with Underwood's help and works with Frank as much as she can, she also sees into his duplicity more than others. After Frank helps get her son into college she pays him back by helping him become Vice President. In season 2, she and Frank become more adversarial, fighting over who will be the most influential voice in President Walker's ear. After realizing Frank has won, she hands her formal resignation to President Walker. After her surrender, Frank notes that he has an extremely high level of respect for Vasquez.
Gillian Cole (Sandrine Holt) is the leader of a grass-roots organization called World Well that provides clean water to developing countries. Through the Clean Water Initiative, she grapples with Frank and Claire's interests. Claire eventually gave up on Clear Water and gave the company to Gillian so she could administrate.
Janine Skorsky (Constance Zimmer) is a former journalist, and was the former White House Correspondent for The Washington Herald before her position was offered to Zoe Barnes. Her former colleague Lucas Goodwin asked for her help to expose Underwood for murdering Zoe and Peter Russo, but denied for the sake of her life.
Garrett Walker (Michel Gill) is the 45th President of the United States, former Governor of Colorado. He trusts Underwood as a close adviser and lieutenant, but remains blind to his machinations. Walker promised Underwood for the Secretary of State position for his help getting Walker elected, and his snub of Frank once he takes office sets the plot of the series into motion. Through Underwood's actions Walker's Vice President steps down. While Underwood vies for the position Walker says he in considering billionaire Raymond Tusk, but he is actually using Tusk to vet Underwood. It is then discovered that Walker and Tusk are longtime friends, and that Tusk has great influence over Walker. After Tusk's money laundering is revealed a false gesture of loyalty from Frank makes Walker decide not to pardon Tusk. In response Tusk implicates Walker in the scandal. With the public believing he is guilty and facing impeachment he resigns in disgrace. He ultimately remains unaware of Frank's treachery. His equivalent from the original series is Prime Minister Henry Collingridge.
Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus) was a journalist at The Washington Herald. He had feelings for Zoe Barnes, one of his co-workers. But as they were starting to grow a relationship, she is killed by Frank Underwood. He believes it was him but no one else really does. He goes on a spree to try to get evidence against him and he goes even across the legal line and is arrested for cyberterrorism. After he is freed he looks for help through Janine Skorsky and Tom Hammerschmidt, with the first denying her help. Tom also says no until Lucas attempts to kill Underwood and, in doing so, gets killed by Edward Meechum.[6] Tom then picks off where he left off.
Remy Danton (Mahershala Ali) is a lawyer for Glendon Hill and lobbyist who works for natural gas company SanCorp during the first season and for Raymond Tusk in the second. Prior, he worked eight years for Underwood as Press Secretary before leaving to pursue more money rather than Underwood's offer of power. He works together with Jackie Sharp during season two, and they begin a casual relationship that later becomes strained because of their business relationship. During the third season, he becomes Underwood's Chief of Staff, but eventually becomes disillusioned because of Underwood's treatment towards Sharp. He later decides to stop working in politics.[7]
Tom Hammerschmidt (Boris McGiver) is the former Editor in Chief of The Washington Herald. After Zoe Barnes declines his offer and continues to undermine his authority, he fires her, which infuriates Margaret Tilden, the creator of the Herald who forces him to resign. He is then approached by Lucas Goodwin to help him investigate Underwood, who Goodwin strongly believes to be the murder of Zoe and Peter Russo. At first, he doesn't believe Goodwin's accusations. But then, after seeing Goodwin's attempt to kill Underwood and in doing so getting killed by Edward Meechum, he investigates. He finds something tangible and gets sources from Underwood's former allies Jackie Sharp, Remy Danton, and Garrett Walker.
Edward Meechum (Nathan Darrow) was a former Marine and Capitol police officer, who protected Frank while he was Majority Whip. He was fired from his bodyguard job early on. After getting him reinstated Frank required unconditional loyalty and asked him to be "a rock" who "absorbs nothing". Frank trusts Meechum with his life and has him promoted to the U.S. Secret Service through a specialized training program. Meechum drove Frank around and was often a silent presence in Frank's unethical meetings. His relationship with Frank, who refers to him nearly always as "Meechum" with an exception in only one episode, bordered on romantic, and it was insinuated that he, Claire and Frank were engaged in a polygamous relationship. Doug does not share this same trust and refuses to treat Meechum with respect out of his own devotion to the president. He was killed early in season 4 when he is shot by Lucas Goodwin during an assassination attempt on Frank. Though mortally wounded, he managed to kill Goodwin before succumbing to his injuries.[3] He was subsequently buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Rachel Posner (Rachel Brosnahan) was a prostitute whom Underwood and Stamper used to bring about Russo's downfall. She was initially with Russo when he was pulled over for drunk driving. Stamper paid her off to stay quiet about the Congressman and to cover up, then helps her get a job. Stamper has her proposition Russo and make him break sobriety. After Zoe Barnes begins to question Rachel's relation to Russo's suicide Stamper forces her to relocate. Stamper becomes obsessed with her and begins to control her life, forcing her to avoid contact with anyone to hide her connection to Underwood. Rachel begins attending church services and enters into a relationship with Lisa Williams, to Stamper's disapproval. Realizing he can no longer control her, Stamper drives Rachel into the woods, presumably to murder her. Rachel responds by bashing his head repeatedly with a rock and leaving him for dead. She flees to New Mexico and begins a new life under an assumed name. In season three, Stamper tracks her down and ultimately kills her in order to prove his allegiance to Francis, thus finally tying up the connection between Underwood and Russo.[8]
Jacqueline "Jackie" Sharp (Molly Parker) is a Democratic congresswoman from California, U.S. Army veteran and the current Deputy Minority Whip tapped by Underwood to succeed him as Majority Whip when he is made vice president. While she claims to work for herself and not be beholden to others, she sees her position constantly tested through her ties to Frank, Claire, and Remy Danton. In season 2, Jackie is apprehensive about Claire Underwood's military sexual assault reform bill, concerned about civilian control over the military. In season 3, she runs for president against Frank Underwood and Heather Dunbar with the intention of dropping out and endorsing Underwood. However, after Underwood betrays her, she endorses Dunbar instead. Jackie is in a romantic relationship with Remy Danton but is married in season 3. She is based on Sarah Harding from the original series.
Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney) is a billionaire businessman with a wide network of influence, although he prefers to live modestly. As a close friend of Walker's for over 20 years, he exerts heavy influence over Walker, and suggested snubbing Underwood for Secretary of State. He later agrees to form a partnership with Frank in exchange for supporting the latter's VP nomination, though this alliance quickly crumbles due to their clashing self interests and degenerates into political war. After Tusk's money laundering is revealed he is confident that Walker will pardon him. Walker does not and in response Tusk falsely implicates Walker in the scandal.[9] In season three, it is revealed that Underwood pardoned Tusk. Tusk's character was influenced by billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
Catherine "Cathy" Durant (Jayne Atkinson) is a Democratic Senator from Missouri who becomes Secretary of State after Frank brings about the downfall of the previous nominee Michael Kern.
Gavin Orsay (Jimmi Simpson) is a computer hacker, formerly working for the FBI and enlisted to entrap then-journalist Lucas Goodwin. Gavin used Agent Nathan Green's sting to gain access to the AT&T database, allowing him to extort both his handler and Doug Stamper.
Ayla Sayyad (Mozhan Marnò) is a journalist working for the Wall Street Telegraph. After being forced out of the Press Corp by Seth Grayson, she does investigative journalism to uncover the links in the power triangle between President Walker, Vice-President Underwood and billionaire businessman Raymond Tusk. She was at the center of exposing the money laundering scandal involving Raymond Tusk, Xander Feng, and the White House.
Heather Dunbar (Elizabeth Marvel) is an uncompromising lawyer from the family that owns the real-life Dunbar Armored Cars, Inc. and Solicitor General of the United States in the Walker Administration, who is appointed Special Prosecutor in the investigation into money laundering of foreign money via PACs. In season three, she resigns as Solicitor General after seeing Underwood's manipulation and announces her candidacy for President, challenging Underwood in the Democratic primary. As a presidential candidate, Dunbar takes progressive positions on the issues and is a staunch opponent of Underwood's America Works program. She suspends her campaign in season four after controversy arises when word gets out that she had met with Lucas Goodwin prior to Goodwin's assassination attempt on Frank.
Seth Grayson (Derek Cecil) is the White House Press Secretary. He works loyalty for Frank along with Remy, who was the Chief of Staff. After Remy exited, Grayson gave a list of things he would do if he were Chief of Staff. However, his position was jeopardized when Doug returned to work for Frank. In season four, after a photo of Frank's father side to side with a KKK member is revealed to the public and jeopardizes Frank's campaign, Doug discovers that Seth leaked the picture. Seth, in exchange of keeping his position in the White House, gives info on Heather and Lucas' meeting, which could link her to Frank's shooting and dismember her campaign. However, Seth visits Doug in his house and is almost suffocated to death by Doug, who wanted his loyalty and nothing more.[10]
Thomas "Tom" Yates (Paul Sparks) is a successful author whom Frank asks to write a book about the America Works jobs program (being chosen based on his review of Frank's new hobby, the game Monument Valley). The writing job leads to extended interview opportunities with Underwood and, later, Claire. As a result of this unusual level of access, Yates becomes nearly a friend and one of the primary speechwriters for the Underwood reelection campaign. Yates enters into a romantic relationship with Kate Baldwin, Wall Street Telegraph political reporter, and later in an affair with Claire.
Kate Baldwin (Kim Dickens) is the chief political reporter of the Wall Street Telegraph who covered the White House after Sayyad was dismissed for protocol violations; she entered into a romantic relationship with Tom Yates.
Viktor Petrov (Lars Mikkelsen) is the President of Russia who opposes Underwood's involvement in the Jordan Valley conflict and creates controversy when Russia passes anti-homosexual laws (which Petrov admits privately that he does not agree with) and is publicly opposed by members of the band Pussy Riot. Petrov's character shares several similarities with the real-life Russian president Vladimir Putin.[11]
LeAnn Harvey (Neve Campbell) is a Texas-based political consultant. Introduced in season four, she is very intelligent and successful at her job, highly praised for her ability to win campaigns. Leann forms a strong bond with Claire when she begins working for her. She later becomes the political campaign manager for Frank and Claire's election bid. Tension builds between Leann and Doug, who does not like the full access she receives to the President and First Lady.
William "Will" Conway (Joel Kinnaman) is a former Governor of New York and was the Republican Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election. Conway is married to Hannah and they have two kids, Charlie and Lilly. Their youth and strong values poses a threat to Frank Underwood, who is opponent.[12]
Mark Usher (Campbell Scott) is a top-level political strategist and former campaign manager of Will Conway. A member of the Republican Party, Usher is currently serving as a Special Advisor to President Frank Underwood.
Jane Davis (Patricia Clarkson) is a Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade.
Hannah Conway (Dominique McElligott) is the wife of Republican Party nominee for President of the United States William Conway.[12]
Aidan Macallan (Damian Young) was a data scientist and NSA contractor who aided the Underwoods in staging a cyber attack which they hoped would swing the outcome of the 2016 Presidential election in their favor. Macallan eventually vanished and is later seen in Russia, collaborating with President Petrov.
Sean Jeffreis (Korey Jackson) is a young reporter at The Washington Herald working under Hammerschmidt.
General Ted Brockhart (Colm Feore) is a Republican Vice-Presidential nominee.
Alex Romero (James Martinez) is a Congressman representing the 7th District of Arizona. Romero was a member of the Democratic Party, but is now an Independent. During the presidential campaigns, Romero worked with Will Conway. After Underwood was elected, Romero made certain demands for Underwood in exchange for his loyalty, with the President only serving one of them.[13]
Connor Ellis (Samuel Page) is the communications director for the Underwoods.

text: Supporting characters[edit]

text:
Freddy Hayes (Reg E. Cathey) is the owner of Freddy's BBQ, an eatery frequented by Underwood, and one of Underwood's few true friends and confidants. Frank is forced to end his friendship with Freddy when Raymond Tusk exposes Freddy's criminal past as a gangbanger who served time in prison for the deaths of two people. This causes Freddy to lose out on a franchise opportunity; and he is then forced to sell his restaurant to bail out his son, after his son pulls a gun on a paparazzo photographer. In season 3, upon finding out that America Works sets Freddy up as a lowly dishwasher, Frank takes pity on him and gives him a job as a White House groundskeeper.
Donald Blythe (Reed Birney) is a liberal Democrat of New Hampshire, a respected and long-serving Representative, and Underwood's foil in Congress. His wife suffers from Alzheimer's Disease. In the third season, Underwood selects Blythe as Vice President of the United States to get him out of the way in Congress. When Frank gets shot by Lucas Goodwin in an assassination attempt, the Twenty-Fifth Amendment is invoked, making him Acting President. He is incompetent in this role and relies primarily on Claire's advice on foreign policy matters.
Bob Birch (Larry Pine) is the former Democratic Speaker of the House and current House Minority Leader.
Terry Womack (played by Curtiss Cook) is a Democratic Congressman from Missouri's 5th congressional district, the House Minority Whip and former House Majority Leader, and the leader of the Black Caucus, who rises to the position thanks to Underwood.
Adam Galloway (Ben Daniels) is a world-renowned photographer and occasional lover of Claire Underwood.
Hector Mendoza (Benito Martinez) is a conservative Republican Senator from Arizona and the Senate Majority Leader. In season three, it is speculated that he will be the Republican nominee for president. Meanwhile, despite promising Claire otherwise, he openly challenges her bid for U.S. Ambassador of the United Nations. He is a great admirer of Ronald Reagan.
Jim Matthews (Dan Ziskie) is the former Vice President of the United States and former Governor of Pennsylvania.
Margaret Tilden (Kathleen Chalfant) is the owner of The Washington Herald. She forces Tom Hammerschmidt to resign after he negatively affects the paper by insulting Zoe on tape and failing to prevent her from resigning. When Hammerschmidt starts piecing together stories of Frank's corruption, Hammerschmidt comes to her for support to write the story, she fully collaborates with Hammerschmidt.
Nancy Kaufberger (Elizabeth Norment) was Frank's loyal secretary.
Marty Spinella (Al Sapienza) is the head lobbyist for the associated teacher's unions.
Xander Feng (Terry Chen) is a corrupt Chinese businessman and backchannel diplomat who is Raymond Tusk's former business partner.
Patricia "Tricia" Walker (Joanna Going) is Garrett Walker's wife and the former First Lady of the United States. She befriends Claire during season two, supporting her legislative moves, while also dealing with marital stress.
Megan Hennessey (Libby Woodbridge) is a former U.S. Marine Private who was sexually assaulted by General Dalton McGinnis. As a result, she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. When Megan sees a live interview in which Claire admits to being raped by McGinnis, she calls in to tell her story, resulting in McGinnis' downfall. Emboldened, Megan works with Claire and Tricia Walker on sexual assault reform in the U.S. military. However, after being confronted by Jackie Sharp during a live TV interview, her mental health deteriorates and she retreats from the public eye.
Lisa Williams (Kate Lyn Sheil) is a social worker who starts a romantic relationship with Rachel. Stamper wanted to control Rachel and made her end the relationship. Lisa is later approached by Orsay, who is desperate to find Rachel's location and give to Stamper. Lisa, by now addicted to heroin, later appears in Hammerschmidt's office and tries to convince him that Rachel is dead, and that Stamper killed her. Hammerschmidt refuses to believe it, but Jeffries steals photo booth pictures she had made with Rachel. Hammerschmidt connects those photos to photos of Rachel from Zoe Barnes's files, and realizes Lisa is telling the truth.
Gary Stamper (Kelly AuCoin) is Doug Stamper's brother. Despite being somewhat estranged from his brother, Gary is fiercely loyal, and moves in with Doug when he is in recovery. He has two children, Franke and Clinton, who are played by Michael Kelly's real-life children.
Doris Jones (Cicely Tyson) is a Texas congresswoman whose upcoming retirement might create a way for Claire Underwood to win a seat in the US House. (Claire decides not to run).[14][15]

text: Cameo appearances[edit]

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Real-life media figures who make cameo appearances as themselves include:

text:
Donna Brazile
Morley Safer
Stephen Colbert
George Stephanopoulos
Major Garrett
Van Jones

Ashleigh Banfield
Candy Crowley
John King
Soledad O'Brien
Sean Hannity

Dennis Miller
Bill Maher
Chris Hayes
Rachel Maddow
Chris Matthews

Joe Scarborough
Mika Brzezinski
Wolf Blitzer
Gretchen Carlson
Charles Gibson