Robert Hepler Lowe (/loÊŠ/; born March 17, 1964) is an American actor,
producer, and director. He made his acting debut at the age of 15 with
ABC's short-lived sitcom A New Kind of Family (1979â€"1980). Following
numerous television roles in the early 1980s, he came to prominence as
a teen idol and member of the Brat Pack with roles in films like The
Outsiders (1983), Class (1983), The Hotel New Hampshire (1984), Oxford
Blues (1984), St. Elmo's Fire (1985), About Last Night... (1986), and
Square Dance (1987). The success of these films established him as a
Hollywood star.Following a 1988 sex tape scandal, Lowe's public image
and film career declined. By the turn of the millennium, his career
saw a resurgence when he ventured back into television, making his
breakthrough as Sam Seaborn on the NBC political drama The West Wing
(1999â€"2003), for which he received nominations for a Primetime Emmy
Award and two Golden Globe Awards. His other television roles include
Robert McCallister on the ABC drama Brothers & Sisters (2006â€"2010),
Chris Traeger on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2010â€"2014,
2015), Ethan Willis on the CBS medical drama Code Black (2016â€"2018),
and the Fox drama 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020â€"present) as Owen Strand. In
2018, he made his directorial debut with the television film The Bad
Seed, a remake of the 1956 film of the same name.Lowe was born in
Charlottesville, Virginia, to Barbara, a teacher, and Chuck Lowe, a
trial lawyer. His parents divorced when Lowe and his younger brother
Chad were young. Lowe was baptized into the Episcopal church. He is of
German, English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh ancestry. On the show Who
Do You Think You Are?, Lowe found out that one of his ancestors,
Christopher East, was a Hessian soldier. His ancestor was fighting
under the command of Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rall and was captured at
the American victory at Trenton, New Jersey, on the morning of
December 26, 1776. As an American POW, his ancestor was given a
choice, and took the option to stay in the United States.
producer, and director. He made his acting debut at the age of 15 with
ABC's short-lived sitcom A New Kind of Family (1979â€"1980). Following
numerous television roles in the early 1980s, he came to prominence as
a teen idol and member of the Brat Pack with roles in films like The
Outsiders (1983), Class (1983), The Hotel New Hampshire (1984), Oxford
Blues (1984), St. Elmo's Fire (1985), About Last Night... (1986), and
Square Dance (1987). The success of these films established him as a
Hollywood star.Following a 1988 sex tape scandal, Lowe's public image
and film career declined. By the turn of the millennium, his career
saw a resurgence when he ventured back into television, making his
breakthrough as Sam Seaborn on the NBC political drama The West Wing
(1999â€"2003), for which he received nominations for a Primetime Emmy
Award and two Golden Globe Awards. His other television roles include
Robert McCallister on the ABC drama Brothers & Sisters (2006â€"2010),
Chris Traeger on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2010â€"2014,
2015), Ethan Willis on the CBS medical drama Code Black (2016â€"2018),
and the Fox drama 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020â€"present) as Owen Strand. In
2018, he made his directorial debut with the television film The Bad
Seed, a remake of the 1956 film of the same name.Lowe was born in
Charlottesville, Virginia, to Barbara, a teacher, and Chuck Lowe, a
trial lawyer. His parents divorced when Lowe and his younger brother
Chad were young. Lowe was baptized into the Episcopal church. He is of
German, English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh ancestry. On the show Who
Do You Think You Are?, Lowe found out that one of his ancestors,
Christopher East, was a Hessian soldier. His ancestor was fighting
under the command of Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rall and was captured at
the American victory at Trenton, New Jersey, on the morning of
December 26, 1776. As an American POW, his ancestor was given a
choice, and took the option to stay in the United States.
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