Robert Clohessy (born June 10, 1957) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Correctional Officer Sean Murphy on the HBO prison drama Oz from seasons 3–6, in addition to playing Officer Patrick Flaherty on the NBC police procedural Hill Street Blues, Warden Boss James Neary on the HBO crime drama Boardwalk Empire for the first two seasons and Lieutenant Sid Gormley on the CBS police drama Blue Bloods.

Robert Clohessy
Born (1957-06-10) June 10, 1957 (age 67)
New York City, U.S.
Alma materSUNY Purchase
OccupationActor
Years active1985–present
SpouseCatherine Erhardt
Children2

Early life

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Clohessy was born in the Bronx, New York, the son of John Clohessy, a police officer.[1] He fought in the 1975 Golden Gloves in Madison Square Garden. He graduated from Pearl River High School in Pearl River, New York, and from SUNY Purchase where he studied under Walt Witcover.[2]

Career

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Clohessy has had recurring roles in daytime dramas All My Children, Boy Meets World, and Guiding Light. In primetime, he has become known for his multiple regular turns as police officers and other law enforcement officials, creating parallels between his acting career and upbringing by his policeman father. The first of such roles was in the seventh and final season of Hill Street Blues, as Officer Patrick Flaherty. The following season, Clohessy was cast as the new co-star of Pat Morita on the ABC detective series Ohara, playing Lt. George Shaver. In 1995, he appeared in the episode "Hell's Angel" of the situation comedy Double Rush.[3]

He later joined the cast of the HBO prison drama Oz as Correctional Officer Sean Murphy. However, in between these roles, Clohessy had a supporting role as Thomas Smaraldo on NBC's comedy/drama Tattingers (1988–89) and soon after appeared in a starring role on NBC's short-lived comedy One of the Boys (1989). Clohessy co-starred on the Neal Marlens/Carol Black ABC sitcom Laurie Hill in 1992, playing a stay-at-home freelance writer. In 2008, Clohessy had a regular role in the short-lived Fox show New Amsterdam. He won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.

In feature films, Clohessy played a supporting role in Across the Universe, playing the part of Jude's long-lost father. He played Jack Parker in The Crimson Mask. His largest big budget film role was opposite Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines. Onstage, he played Mike in the Broadway Roundabout Theatre Company revival of Pal Joey, from November 2008 through February 2009. He played the bartender in 27 Dresses (2008). From 2010 to the present (2024), he has had a supporting role as Sid Gormley, on the police drama Blue Bloods. In January 2012, he played Jack Healy in Season 1/Episode 13 in Unforgettable. In 2012, he portrayed Sergeant Silva in the film The Avengers.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 The Believers Diner Detective
1989 Sidewalk Stories Alley Tough #1
1993 Stone Soup Stephen
1994 Angels in the Outfield Frank Gates
2005 The Interpreter FBI Agent King
The Signs of the Cross Vic
2006 16 Blocks Cannova
A Merry Little Christmas Mayor
2007 Across the Universe Wesley 'Wes' Huber
One Night Doug
Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe Det. Journell
2008 27 Dresses Dive Bartender
The Drum Beats Twice Victor Pepperdine
Calling It Quits Jake
Priceless Jerry
2009 The Crimson Mask Jack Parker
2010 An Affirmative Act Lance Lane
All Good Things Building Superintendent
2011 Arthur Veteran Cop
Fake Patrick White
My Last Day Without You Scully
Tower Heist Parade Cop
2012 Man on a Ledge Prison Guard
The Avengers Sergeant Silva
The Night Never Sleeps Detective Jablonsky
The Place Beyond the Pines Chief Weirzbowski
Desperate Endeavors Mark
Broadway's Finest Buckley
2013 Send No Flowers Mickey O'Mara
2013 The Immigrant Immigration Official
The Wolf of Wall Street Nolan Drager
2014 Charlie Mantle Bartender
A Most Violent Year Mr. Rose
A Strong Collected Spirit Lolly Kent
2015 Living with the Dead: A Love Story John McLean
Disco! Cowboy Kevin
And It Was Good Driver
2016 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Deputy Warden Hamlett
To Whom It May Concern Jack
Sugar! Ben
Confidence Game Anthony
My Art Frank
The Drowning Captain Miller
2017 Good Time NYPD Police Officer
The Devil's Restaurant Chef Dominick
2018 Honor Amongst Men John Halmo
The Brawler Anthony Mango
2020 Equal Standard Internal Affairs Detective Rullan
A Beautiful Distraction Morgan
Chemical Hearts Martin Sawyer
Chronicle of a Serial Killer Judge Weber
2021 Last Call Aiden
The Last Disco Kevin Sansone
2022 Fire Island Detective Jack

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1986–1987 Hill Street Blues Patrick Flaherty 20 episodes
1987 St. Elsewhere Policeman Episode: "Last Dance at the Wrecker's Ball"
1987–1988 Ohara Lt. George Shaver 19 episodes
1988–1989 Tattingers Father Thomas Smaraldo 3 episodes
1989 One of the Boys Mike Lukowski 6 episodes
Midnight Caller Phil Gaff Episode: "Tarnished Shield"
1989–1991 Jake and the Fatman Doug McEwen / Victor Potemkin 3 episodes
1990 The Young Riders Roy Episode: "Hard Time"
Father Dowling Mysteries Capt. Hayden Episode: "The Sanctuary Mystery"
Monsters Stanley Episode: "One Wolf's Family"
Matlock Harlan Fondy Episode: "The Narc"
1991 Doogie Howser, M.D. Jeff Moore Episode: "A Life in Progress"
Roseanne Christian / Al Episode: "Communicable Theater"
Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion Tony Loomis Television film
Reasonable Doubts Johnny Ray Simpson Episode: "Making Dirt Sick"
1992 In the Shadow of a Killer Sean Doyle TV movie
Devlin Kevin McQuaid
Laurie Hill Jeff Hill 10 episodes
1994 Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker Dan Broyles TV movie
The Good Life Joe Episode: "John's New Assistant"
Couples Ray TV movie
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman John Dillinger Episode: "That Old Gang of Mine"
1994, 1996 Diagnosis: Murder Merrick's Bodyguard / Reggie 2 episodes
1995 Homicide: Life on the Street Detective Douglas Jones Episode: "Partners"
Love & War Sam Biondi Episode: "Mob Story"
All-American Girl Average Tony Episode: "Pulp Sitcom"
Double Rush Fr. Joe Sardella Episode: "Hell's Angel"
The Great Mom Swap Frank Balfour TV movie
NYPD Blue Frank Wuthrich Episode: "Torah! Torah! Torah!"
High Society Mitchell Brumberg Episode: "Sleeping with the Enemy"
My Wildest Dreams Mel McGinnis Episode: "Something's Gotta Give (Pilot)"
1996 Murder, She Wrote Max Daniels Episode: "Death Goes Double Platinum"
Chicago Hope Robert Malzone 2 episodes
1997 Married to a Stranger David Potter Television film
The Practice Detective Gagen Episode: "Hide and Seek"
1998 Boy Meets World Matt Frazier Episode: "Eric Hollywood"
Remember WENN Policeman Episode: "The Follies of WENN"
1998–2009 Law & Order Various roles 4 episodes
1999 A Touch of Hope Larry TV movie
1999–2003 Oz Officer Sean Murphy 38 episodes
2000 Guiding Light Gil 6 episodes
Third Watch Danny Gamble Episode: "Jimmy's Mountain"
2000–2013 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Leo Barth / Joel Parven / Vinnie 4 episodes
2001 100 Centre Street Mike Byrne Episode: "And Justice for Some"
2002 & 2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Roger Lemoyne / Phil LeGrand 2 episodes
2003 All My Children Doug Lewis Episode #1.8526
Hack Jack Tully Episode: "Third Strike"
Without a Trace David Brummond Episode: "Clare de Lune"
2004 Rescue Me Steven Episode: "Butterfly"
2006 The Book of Daniel Billy 2 episodes
Conviction Coach Hankins Episode: "Denial"
Six Degrees Scott Faubel Episode: "Pilot"
2006–2007 Kidnapped The Operator 9 episodes
2007 The Black Donnellys Agent Hicks Episode: "When the Door Opens"
Damages Lawrence Pedroia Episode: "We Are Not Animals"
2008 New Amsterdam Detective Santori 6 episodes
2009 Life on Mars Frank Wyatt Episode: "Let All the Children Boogie"
The Unusuals Mike Boorland Episode: "Boorland Day"
2010 White Collar Roy Episode: "Unfinished Business"
2010–2011 Boardwalk Empire Alderman Jim Neary 17 episodes
2010–present Blue Bloods Sid Gormley
2012 Unforgettable Jack Healy Episode: "Brotherhood"
2012–2013 Curse of the Crimson Mask Jack Parker 3 episodes
2014 The Blacklist William Munson Episode: "The Judge (No. 57)"
2015 Cold Bloods Captain 2 episodes

References

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