David Clennon


David Clennon is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of Miles Drentell in the ABC series thirtysomething and Once and Again, as well as his role as Palmer in the John Carpenter film The Thing. He has been frequently cast in films directed by Hal Ashby, Costa-Gavras and Jordan Walker-Pearlman.

Life and career

Clennon was born in Waukegan, Illinois, the son of Virginia, a homemaker, and Cecil Clennon, an accountant. He attended the University of Notre Dame from 1962 to 1965. He studied at the Yale School of Drama for three years and became a member of their professional acting company. In 1996 he married Perry Adleman, a writer, camera assistant and photographer. They have twin children Daisy Virginia and Harry Francis.
In 1980, Clennon provided the voice for Admiral Motti in NPR's Star Wars The Original Radio Drama. He was a regular on the TV shows Barney Miller, Almost Perfect, The Agency, and Saved. Most recently, Clennon played Carl Sessick on Ghost Whisperer. Clennon also appeared on Star Trek Voyager as Dr. Crell Moset.
In 1993 he won an Emmy award for his guest appearance on the series Dream On.
He often performs at New Haven, Connecticut's Long Wharf Theatre.

Political activism

He was a staunch opponent of the Vietnam War, often participating in protests, and remains politically active. In 2013, he repeatedly spoke out against the film Zero Dark Thirty and refused to vote for it for an Academy Award, stating that it promotes the acceptable use of torture.
In 2018, he opposed the Emmy nominations, of which there were four, for Ken Burns' 10-part documentary program The Vietnam War on the grounds that the series contained "half-truths, distortions and omissions" about the war.

Filmography