Born on July 30, 1958 in Montclair, New Jersey, Richard Burgi is an actor who is a supporter of both the San Clemente-based Surfrider Foundation, which works to protect and preserve shoreline and coastal environments, and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, a Laguna Beach volunteer-run and funded organization which tends to the needs of sick or injured seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals.
Although Burgi started his career in New York City doing commercials, he eventually progressed as an actor by landing regular roles on several daytime soap operas, including Days of our Lives, Another World and As the World Turns. He also landed the lead in the UPN primetime series The Sentinel, which was unfortunately cancelled after three seasons, leaving key plot issues unresolved.
Following his stint as Detective James Ellison on The Sentinel, Burgi made several guest appearances on shows like Veronica’s Closet, Just Shoot Me!, Twice in a Lifetime, and Providence before landing a recurring role on 24 as Alan York. In 2002, he played Michael Cassidy, the troublesome ex-husband of Amy Brenneman in Judging Amy, followed by Captain Vincent Hunter on The District. Furthermore, he joined the cast of Point Pleasant as Ben Kramer before playing yet another troublesome husband on Desperate Housewives as Karl Mayer.
In 2009, Burgi was cast as Thomas Wellington on Harper’s Island, a CBS series about a group of family and friends who travel for a destination wedding to an island famous for a streak of unsolved murders.
- He married Lori Kahn on November 25, 1995. They have two sons together: Jack and Samuel.
- He has a brother named Chuck, who has played the drums with Billy Joel, Hall and Oates, Blue Oyster Cult, Meatloaf, Brand X and Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.