What is Lee Tergesen's Net Worth?
Lee Tergesen is an American actor who has a net worth of $1.5 million. Lee Tergesen is known for his roles on such television series as "Weird Science," "Oz," "Longmire," "The Americans," and "The Purge." He has also appeared in many television films, as well as the acclaimed miniseries "Generation Kill." On the big screen, Tergesen's credits include "Wayne's World" and "Wayne's World 2," "Monster," "Red Tails," and "The Yellow Birds."
Early Life and Education
Lee Tergesen was born on July 8, 1965 in Ivoryton, Connecticut to George and Ruth. He has an older brother named Chris who works as a music supervisor for television. In the nearby town of Deep River, Tergesen went to Valley Regional High School as a teenager. After graduating, he moved to New York City to pursue a career as an actor. In Manhattan, he attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy while working as a waiter to pay for his expenses. Additionally, Tergesen did some stage performances during this time.
Start of Television Career
Tergesen first appeared on television in a 1990 episode of "Law & Order." He was subsequently in the television films "The Killing Mind" and "Cast a Deadly Spell," as well as the unsold pilot to "Acting Sheriff." Tergesen landed his first substantial television role in 1993, playing the recurring character Chris Thormann on the police drama series "Homicide: Life on the Street"; he continued in that role through 1997. Also during the decade, Tergesen played the main role of Chester "Chett" Donnelly on the sitcom "Weird Science," based on the eponymous John Hughes film. The show ran from 1994 to 1998. Tergesen's other major role in the 90s was on the HBO prison drama series "Oz," which began in 1997. He played Tobias Beecher, a recurring character in season one and a main character in the remaining five seasons through 2003.
(Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)
Further Television Career
In the early 00s, Tergesen had a recurring role on "The Beat," and appeared in the television films "Wild Iris" and "Shot in the Heart." He also had guest roles on the series "Third Watch," "Hack," "Queens Supreme," and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Following this, Tergesen was in the television films "A Thief of Time" and "The Exonerated." His next main role on a regular series came in 2005, when he played Eddie Drake on the short-lived police drama series "Wanted." The year after that, he had a guest role in the second season of "Desperate Housewives." Tergesen went on to appear in episodes of "Masters of Horror," "Cane," "Life on Mars," "Cupid," "The Closer," "House," and "Criminal Minds," among other shows. He also starred as real-life embedded journalist Evan Wright in the HBO miniseries "Generation Kill," based on Wright's book.
In 2010, Tergesen began playing the recurring role of Officer Clayton Boone on the series "Army Wives." He was next in episodes of "Law & Order: LA," "A Gifted Man," and "The River," and had a recurring role in season three of "The Big C." In 2013, Tergesen had a main role on the short-lived series "Red Widow," and began playing the recurring role of Ed Gorksi on "Longmire." He had another recurring role as Andrew Larrick on "The Americans" in 2014. Among his other major parts, Tergesen had a main role on the anthology series "The Purge" and recurring roles on "Defiance," "Outcast," and "Gone." He has also made guest appearances on a surfeit of other shows, such as "The Blacklist," "The Strain," "The Get Down," "Power," "Daredevil," "Bull," and "Watchmen."
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Film Career
In Los Angeles to help his friend Tom Fontana move, Tergesen was offered his first film role by Fontana's casting-director buddy. The role was in Kathryn Bigelow's 1991 action crime film "Point Break," starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. Following this, Tergesen played cameraman Terry in the comedy "Wayne's World," starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as the characters they originated on "Saturday Night Live." Tergesen reprised his role the next year in the sequel "Wayne's World 2." Later in the 90s, he appeared in "George B." and "Inferno." Kicking off the new millennium, Tergesen played Detective Luger in John Singleton's action crime film "Shaft," starring Samuel L. Jackson. His subsequent credits were "The Boys of Sunset Ridge," "Mergers & Acquisitions," "Bark!," "Monster," and "The Forgotten." In 2006, Tergesen played Holden in the slasher film prequel "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning."
Beginning the 2010s, Tergesen starred in the dramas "Helena from the Wedding" and "Silver Tongues." He appeared in three films in 2012: the war film "Red Tails" and the horror films "No One Lives" and "The Collection." Tergesen went on to have starring roles in the drama "Desert Cathedral" and the parody film "Tooken." His other credits have included the financial thriller "Equity" and the war film "The Yellow Birds," based on the eponymous Kevin Powers novel.
Personal Life
Lee Tergesen has been married multiple times. His first wife was actress Tanya Lewis, to whom he was wed from 1994 until their divorce in 1997. Next, Tergesen was married to painter and fitness instructor Leslie Howitt from 2001 to 2004. He wed his third wife, art therapist Yuko Otomo, in 2011. The couple had a daughter named Lily in December of the next year.
