Biography

Chris Noth was born on November 13, 1954 in Madison, Wisconsin. He grew up in Connecticut, England, Yugoslavia and Spain. His father died when he was eight years old and his mother, Jeanne Parr, worked as a television news reporter for CBS. Although Noth claims he was a screw-up in grade school, he found his muse when he studied at the alternative Marlboro College in Vermont.

After graduating from college in 1978, Noth studied acting with the renowned Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. He made his film debut in Smithereens in 1982, playing a transvestite prostitute. Noth attended the Yale School of Drama where he acted in over 25 productions, including the title role of Hamlet at the American Shakespeare Festival in 1985. Zoe Caldwell directed.

In the late 80's, Noth's roles moved from stage to film and television. He appeared in Off Beat in 1986 and made his television debut in Hill Street Blues, playing a police officer. Among his other credits include the ABC TV movie Killer in the Mirror, HBO's Apology, and Baby Boom in 1987.

In 1988, Noth moved to Indonesia to film Jakarta, the first English language film to be shot with a native crew. Noth enjoyed the country so much, he stayed in Indonesia long after the film wrapped up, and calls it his "spiritual home."

In 1990, while appearing in Bernard Shaw's Arms and the Man, Noth was asked to appear in a pilot for a new cutting edge television series produced by Dick Wolf. In Law & Order, Noth played Detective Mike Logan, and the show became one of TV's critically acclaimed drama series currently approaching its 10th year. As Logan, Noth brought in his own personal touches to the role, like the plaid ties and the flag pin on his lapel. Noth once said that he made being "unfashionable fashionable" when it came to the world-weary Detective Mike Logan.

Noth remained on Law & Order for five seasons, weathering several cast changes that included Paul Sorvino, Mike Dzundza, and Michael Moriarty. In 1995, in a move that left Noth's fans outraged, Wolf wrote Logan's character off the show, replacing the role with Benjamin Bratt's Rey Curtis.

In 1998, Noth surprised viewers with Logan's return to the beat of Manhattan in the TV movie spin-off Exiled, which featured Noth and several other Law & Order cast members.

Noth has since appeared in several independent films including The Broken Giant in 1996, Cold Around the Heart, Texas Funeral, Pigeonholed and Getting to Know You, a film which was nomintaed for the Grand Jury Prize at 1999's Sundance. He has also appeared on TV's Touched By An Angel, Born Free, the TNT mini-series Rough Riders in 1997 and Medusa's Child, also of the same year.

In 1998, Noth landed the role of Mr. Big, opposite Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw on HBO's Sex and the City. In September 2000, Noth signed a development deal with HBO to write and star in a new series. That same month, Noth returned to his roots on Broadway in Gore Vidal's The Best Man, playing Senator Cantwell opposite Spalding Gray, which played till New Year's eve.

Noth also appeared in Tom Hanks' Cast Away, Double Whammy and Glass House, all released in 2000 and 2001. He will soon be appearing in the TNT mini-series Julius Caesar.

In 1998, Noth, with other associates, opened The Cutting Room - a club featuring acoustic rock music in Manhattan.