When spies get fired, they don’t
get a letter from human resources, they get a “burn notice.” Thus begins a new
action & suspense original series from USA Network. “Burn Notice” stars Jeffrey
Donovan (“Touching Evil,” “Hitch”) as Michael Westen, a spy who has been given a
burn notice -- he’s been fired from his job and has to investigate who did it to
him and why. Series also stars Gabrielle Anwar (“The Tudors,” “Scent of A
Woman”) as ex-lover and IRA spy Fiona, Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead,” Army of
Darkness”) as Michael’s only friend and former spy himself, Sam, and Sharon
Gless (“Queer as Folk,” “Cagney & Lacey”) as Madeline, Michael’s hypochondriac
mother.
Show Description
When spies get fired, they
don’t get a letter from human resources, they get a “burn notice.” Thus begins a
new action & suspense original series from USA Network. “Burn Notice” stars
Jeffrey Donovan (“Touching Evil,” “Hitch”) as Michael Westen, a spy who has been
given a burn notice -- he’s been fired from his job and has to investigate who
did it to him and why. Series also stars Gabrielle Anwar (“The Tudors,” “Scent
of A Woman”) as ex-lover and IRA spy Fiona, Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead,” Army of
Darkness”) as Michael’s only friend and former spy himself, Sam, and Sharon
Gless (“Queer as Folk,” “Cagney & Lacey”) as Madeline, Michael’s hypochondriac
mother.
“Burn Notice” will premiere with a 90 minute episode on Thursday, June 28th at
10pm/9c and will be followed by 11 one-hour episodes.
Stuck in his hometown of Miami, a place he never wanted to return to, Michael
Westen is now cut loose. With a Burn Notice attached to his name, he has no idea
what or who triggered his demise; with his ex-girlfriend and his old partner,
Michael is determined to find out the reason for his sudden termination. Unable
to utilize his normal contacts and needing to stay under the spy network radar,
he puts his Special Ops training to use to help those who the police can’t or
won’t, in order to fund his ongoing personal investigation.
“Burn Notice” was written and co-executive produced by Matt Nix (“Chasing
Vermeer”) and executive produced by Mikkel Bondesen (“Catch That Kid”). It comes
from Fox Television Studios and Fuse Entertainment. Jace Alexander directed the
pilot.
Burn Notice Bios
Gabrielle Anwar – Fiona
Gabrielle Anwar stars as Fiona in the new USA Network original series “Burn
Notice,” which premieres Thursday, June 28 at 10pm/9c.
Born in Laleham, Middlesex, England, the charming and wonderfully talented
Gabrielle Anwar is no stranger to the film business. Gabrielle has over 45 film
and television performances to her credit, including her breakout film “Scent of
a Woman,” where she appeared opposite Al Pacino.
She has netted compelling performances in Barry Sonnenfeld’s “For Love or
Money,” where she starred opposite Michael J. Fox; and Gary Fleder’s “Things To
Do In Denver When You’re Dead,” starring opposite Andy Garcia. She also gave a
memorable performance as the regal Queen Anne in Disney’s “The Three
Musketeers,” starring opposite Charlie Sheen and Kiefer Sutherland. In her most
recent feature film, “The Marsh,” she starred with Academy Award-winner Forest
Whitaker.
Gabrielle has also accumulated notable television appearances, such as HBO
Film’s “In Pursuit of Honor” and TNT’s “The Librarian 2” starring opposite Noah
Wyle. Most recently, she has been seen in “The Tudors” on Showtime.
In her free time, Gabrielle continues to explore her creative side by writing
screenplays and children’s books.
Bruce Campbell – Sam
Bruce
Campbell stars as Sam in the new USA Network original series “Burn Notice,”
which premieres Thursday, June 28 at 10pm/9c.
In 1979, with his Detroit friends, Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, Bruce raised
$350,000 for a low-budget film, “Evil Dead,” in which he starred and
co-executive produced. Completed piecemeal over four years, the film first
gained notoriety in England where it became the best-selling video of 1983,
beating out “The Shining.” After its appearance at Cannes, where Stephen King
dubbed it “the most ferociously original horror film of the year,” New Line
Cinema stepped forward to release “Evil Dead” in the U.S.
After co-producing “Crimewave,” a cross-genre comedy written by Sam Raimi, Ethan
and Joel Coen, Bruce moved to Los Angeles and quickly gained a foothold
producing or starring in genre films such as the “Maniac Cop” series, “Lunatics:
A Love Story,” “Moontrap,” and “Mindwarp,” a post-apocalyptic “Jeremiah
Johnson,” during which he met his wife-to-be, filmmaker Ida Gearon.
Campbell then rejoined his Detroit colleagues to star and co-produce the second
and third films in the “Evil Dead” trilogy, completing 12 years of work on the
cult favorite. This rough-and-tumble background was a plus as Bruce made his
foray into television, first starring in the highly touted Fox series “The
Adventures of Brisco County Jr.,” then as a recurring guest-star on the hit show
“Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.” With these under his belt,
Bruce easily made the transition to director, helming numerous episodes and
recurring as the "King of Thieves" in the #1 syndicated “Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys,” and its follow-up phenomenon, “Xena: Warrior Princess.”
He has since expanded his range on television, with appearances in Disney's TV
movies “Gold Rush,” and their update of “The Love Bug.” He teamed up with Fox
again for the hit TV film “Tornado!” and starred in NBC's top-rated “In the Line
of Duty: Blaze of Glory.” At the invitation of ABC, Bruce ventured into the
world of sitcoms with a recurring role on ABC's Emmy-nominated “Ellen,”
participating in one of the three touted "Out" episodes. Following decidedly
dramatic turns on the acclaimed series “Homicide,” and “X-Files,” he enjoyed a
recurring role on Showtime’s edgy TV industry comedy, “Beggars and Choosers.”
But Campbell didn't abandon his film roots. During that time, he had featured
roles in the blockbuster “Congo,” John Carpenter's “Escape from LA,” and the
award-winning independent crime drama, “Running Time.” Bruce followed these up
with roles in Paramount's romantic comedy, “Serving Sara,” Jim Carrey's “The
Majestic,” and Sam Raimi's blockbuster “Spider-Man” series.
After a return to episodic television in the swashbuckling series, “Jack of all
Trades,” Campbell took the title role in MGM's cult sleeper “Bubba Ho-Tep.” His
directorial debut, “Man with the
Screaming Brain,” recently premiered on the SCI FI Channel, and Dark Horse
Comics published the comic adaptation. Campbell’s current films include the
fun-filled Disney hit, “Sky High,” MGM's thriller, “The Woods,” and A&E's “Touch
the Top of the World,” an inspiring true story about the first blind person to
climb Mt. Everest.
Recently, Campbell made the leap into other forms of entertainment, and is
enjoying his new role as an author with back-to-back NY Times bestsellers - a
memoir entitled “If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor,” and his
first novel, “Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way.” In the multi-media industry,
Bruce provided voices on cutting-edge video games for Activision, THQ and Nova
Logic - and he also enjoyed voicing characters for Disney’s animated TV series,
“Tarzan,” and the Warner Bros. feature, “The Ant Bully.”
Bruce continues to share his filmmaking experience, lecturing at universities,
which include Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon and Stanford.
He currently resides with his wife, Ida Gearon, in Oregon.
Jeffrey Donovan – Michael Westen
Jeffrey
Donovan stars as Michael Westen in the new USA Network original series “Burn
Notice,” which premieres Thursday, June 28 at 10pm/9c.
Most recently, Donovan was seen in “Come Early Morning” directed by Joey Lauren
Adams and co-starring Ashley Judd. Donovan appeared on the big screen in a
memorable cameo in the blockbuster romantic comedy "Hitch" opposite Will Smith.
For his performance in the indie film "Sam and Joe," Donovan was awarded Best
Supporting Actor from the Los Angeles Method Festival. Other film credits
include Barry Levinson's "Sleepers," "Purpose," "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch
2," and "Bait." Donovan made his feature film debut in "Throwing Down," which
won the grand prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
In 2004, Donovan earned critical acclaim for his starring role as Det. David
Creegan in the USA Network Original Series "Touching Evil." His television
credits include HBO's original film "When Trumpets Fade," recurring roles on
"Crossing Jordan," "Spin City," "The Beat," and "The Pretender," and notable
guest appearances in "Monk," "CSI: Miami," "Law & Order" and "Homicide. "
On stage, Donovan received rave reviews for his performance in the title role of
the Wang Center's 2005 summer production of "Hamlet" in the Boston Common.
Donovan appeared on Broadway as 'Marco' in the Roundabout Theatre's Tony
Award-winning revival of "A View from the Bridge," starring Anthony LaPaglia and
Allison Janney, and in the Tony-winning production of "An Inspector Calls." His
off-Broadway credits include the hit comedy "Things You Shouldn't Say Past
Midnight" (also recorded for LA Theatre Works), "The Glory of Living" (opposite
Oscar winner Anna Paquin and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman), "Troilus and
Cressida," "Skyscraper," "Oedipus," and the Pulitzer Prize runner-up "Freedomland."
Donovan also starred in and produced Mike O'Malley's "Searching for Certainty"
in Los Angeles.
Next up, Donovan stars as 'Jim Keith' in the independent film "Believe in Me,"
an adaptation of the young-adult novel "Brief Garland" by Harold Keith which
also stars Bruce Dern, Samantha Mathis and Heather Matarazzo.
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Donovan attended the University of
Massachussetts at Amherst and graduated from New York University's Graduate
Acting Program, where he received an M.F.A.degree.
He currently resides in Los Angeles.
Sharon Gless – Madeline
Sharon
Gless stars as Madeline in the new USA Network original series “Burn Notice,”
which premieres Thursday, June 28 at 10pm/9c.
Gless recently received rave reviews, both in the US and UK, for her starring
role as US Secretary of Defense Lynne Warner in the BBC/BBC America miniseries,
“The State Within.” Gless is in pre-production on “A Round Heeled Woman,” a new
play which will open in London’s West End in 2008, based on the best-selling
book by Jane Juska, about a 60+ year-old woman’s adventures in later-life sex
and romance. Gless will both produce and star in the production.
Beginning with her starring role in "Faraday & Company" in 1973, Sharon Gless
has brought her own brand of humor, intelligence and dramatic flair to each of
her roles. She is best known for her portrayal of New York Police Detective,
Christine Cagney, on the hit series "Cagney & Lacey," a role that garnered her
two Emmys and a Golden Globe. Following "Cagney & Lacey," Gless re-teamed with
the show's executive producer, Barney Rosenzweig, on "The Trials of Rosie
O'Neill," for which she was awarded her second Golden Globe and two more Emmy
nominations. Gless married Rosenzweig in 1991.
In 1994 and 1995, Gless and her television partner, Tyne Daly, joined together
to recreate their title roles in a quartet of critically acclaimed and popular
"Cagney & Lacey" television movies, which they fondly call "The Menopause
Years." Other television series in which she starred include "Switch," "House
Calls," and the short-lived, but critically lauded, Steven Bochco half-hour,
"Turnabout." Gless has received much acclaim for her dramatic roles in such
television movies as "Separated By Murder," "Hard Hat and Legs," "Honor Thy
Mother," "Hobson's Choice" and "Letting Go," among others, as well as the
mini-series "The Immigrants," "The Last Convertible," "Centennial," and Garson
Kanin's "Moviola: The Scarlett O'Hara Wars," in which she played screen goddess
Carole Lombard.
In 2000, Gless created the role of the outrageous and beloved Debbie Novotny in
the groundbreaking Showtime series “Queer as Folk,” and remained with the series
throughout its five-season run. Wherever she goes, Gless is regularly approached
by fans wishing to express their appreciation for her honest portrayal of a
loving parent of a gay child.
Gless' theatrical film credits include the suspenseful and provocative film,
"The Star Chamber," in which she played the wife of Michael Douglas. She has
recorded several Books on Tape and has starred in numerous radio plays, one of
which, "'Night, Mother," for the BBC, earned Gless the International Sony Award.
She continues to do radio plays for L.A. Theater Works and the BBC.
She has
starred twice on stage in London's famed West End, the first time in 1993 with
Bill Paterson, when she created the role of Annie Wilkes in the stage version of
Stephen King's "Misery" at the Criterion Theater, and four years later, opposite
Tom Conti, in Neil Simon's "Chapter 2" at the Gielgud Theater. She starred at
Chicago's Tony Award-winning playhouse, The Victory Gardens Theater, in Claudia
Allen's "Cahoots," and at Madison Square Garden with the National Company of Eve
Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues." Gless made her stage debut in Lillian
Hellman's "Watch on the Rhine" at Stage West in Springfield, Mass.
Gless is an active participant in the ongoing struggle for a woman’s right to
choose, and recently joined hundreds of thousands of women in Washington D.C.
for the first-ever “March For Women’s Lives,” where she stood in solidarity with
her entertainment industry colleagues. In 2005, she was honored by Norman Lear’s
People for the American Way for her unwavering support of human rights.
Gless spends her time at home in three of her favorite cities: Los Angeles,
Miami and Toronto.
Matt Nix – Executive Producer
Matt Nix
serves as executive producer and creator of the USA Network original series
“Burn Notice,” which premieres Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 10pm/9c.
Nix has worked as a feature writer since 1997. He has written scripts for Warner
Bros., Columbia, Paramount, Universal, New Line, as well as several independent
companies. He has had the opportunity to write in a range of genres, including
dramas, thrillers, light comedies, dark comedies and children’s films.
Nix currently has several feature projects in active development - an adaptation
of the bestselling young adult novel “Chasing Vermeer” with Warner Bros., a
workplace comedy for Warner Bros., and a “paranoid thriller for children” for
Paramount/Nickelodeon Films.
He is also an acclaimed director of several short films, to the extent that the
word “acclaimed” can ever be applied to short films. His work has been featured
on the SCI FI Channel, the FX Movies Channel, PBS, and in numerous film
festivals around the world.
“Burn Notice” is Nix’s first foray into television.
He lives in Pasadena with his wife and three children.
Gabrielle Anwar – Fiona
Bruce Campbell – Sam
Jeffrey Donovan – Michael Westen
Sharon Gless – Madeline