The handsome 6'4" son of the famed reclusive "Catcher in the Rye" author, Matt Salinger began his career on stage, making his Off-Broadway debut in "Drums in the Night" (1983) before appearing in his first feature, "Revenge of the Nerds" (1984). A starring role on Broadway as a football player in "Dancing in the End Zone" (1985) caught the eye of director Sidney Lumet who cast him as a professor turned political candidate in "Power" (1986). Salinger followed quickly with TV projects, including the miniseries "Blood and Orchids" and the movie "Manhunt for Claude Dallas" (both CBS, 1986) and frequently returned to the stage, most notably succeeding Tony Goldwyn as the gay son in the Off-Broadway production of "The Sum of Us" (1991). Salinger went on to play a sleazy shrink in three episodes of "Picket Fences" (CBS) during its 1993-94 season before co-starring opposite Connie Sellecca in the short-lived primetime soap "Second Chances" (CBS, 1993-94). Clumsy direction and terrible editing (among a myriad of faults) overwhelmed the sincerity of Salinger's performance in "Captain America" (1990), but he faired much better in Henry Jaglom's "Babyfever" (1994), receiving praise for his turn as the an unromantic boyfriend. Amazed at what producer Robert Corman could put on the screen for $400,000 when acting for him in "Firehawk" (1993), Salinger decided to produce his own movie, making "Fortunes of War" (1994) for $2 million in the Philippines and repaying his backers from foreign sales before the feature had its video release in the USA. Tabling his acting career, he went on to produce "Mojave Moon" (1996) and served as executive producer for "Hacks" and "Little City" (both 1997) and "Stranger in the Kingdom" (1998).
Profession(s):
Actor, producer, waiter
Sometimes Credited As:
Matthew Salinger
Family
father:Jerome David Salinger (married to Claire Douglas on February 17, 1955; divorced in October 1967)
mother:Alison Claire Douglas (married to J D Salinger on February 17, 1955; his second wife; divorced in October 1967)
sister:Peggy Salinger (born in December 1955; wrote memoir about growing up with famous father, "The Dream Catcher" (published in 2000) which caused an estrangement with her brother)
son:Avery Salinger (born in April 1994)
son:Gannon Salinger (born c. 1990)
wife:Betsey Jane Becker (married on May 19, 1985)
Education
Phillips Andover Academy Andover, Massachusetts
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art London, England acting
Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey 1979
Columbia University New York, New York BA art history 1983
2000 Served as a producer of the Off-Off-Broadway play "The Syringa Tree"
1998 Executive produced "Stranger in the Kingdom", shown at Nortel Palm Springs International Film Festival
1997 Was executive producer of "Hacks" (shown at MIFED '97 in Milan and AFI Los Angeles Film Festival) and "Little City" (shown at AFM in Santa Monica, CA and as a work in progress at the Los Angeles Indep
1996 First film produced in which he did not act, "Mojave Moon"
1994 Garnered critical praise for work in Henry Jaglom's "Babyfever"
1994 Debut as producer, "Fortunes of War" (also acted)
1993 Played sleazy shrink Dr Daniel Shreve on episodes of "Picket Fences" (CBS)
1993 - 1994 Starred in short-lived CBS series "Second Chances"
1990 First leading film role, "Captain America"
1986 Acted in Sidney Lumet's "Power"
1986 Portrayed young Frederick Remington in "The West of the Imagination" (PBS)
1986 Had first starring role on TV in the CBS movie "The Manhunt for Claude Dallas"
1985 Debuted on Broadway as James Bernard in "Dancing in the End Zone"
1984 Film acting debut, "Revenge of the Nerds"
1983 Off-Broadway debut in "Drums in the Night"
1983 TV acting debut as college lacrosse player Dave Meehan in daytime soap "One Live to Live"
With star Diane Keaton, produced "Plan B" (lensed 2000)