![54 Upper Valley Life uppervalleylife.com
He was performing in The Crucible and
was backstage one night when he hap-
pened upon a copy of The Caretaker
by Harold Pinter.
I was fascinated with it. It was a
whole world that I had never seen be-
cause I was reading and doing all these
old plays. It was the first time I had read
anything from the theatre of the absurd.
I thought, I have to do this play, but
I was supposed to be playing hockey. I
auditioned for the play, it was the only
time I beat David Strathairn out of a
role. I gave up hockey for that, and never
looked back.
For the next 20 years Clapp per-
formed in and travelled between New
Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and
Canada, where he lived for a number
of years.
I was working my butt off and it
was great, Clapp says. But it was time
to go to California, I was getting inter-
est from casting directors; I had worked
with some really big actors. I had an
agent out there; I was all set to go.
After being cast opposite Farrah
Fawcett in the mini-series Small Sacri-
fices in 1989, Clapp figured it was going
to set him up, but things didnt work out
that way.
The next couple of years were not
easy. I was working a little bit here and
thing here so sit tight and well see what
happens. A couple of weeks later I was
over at the lot auditioning for LA Law,
and I walked onto the NYPD Blue stage
and happened to see a script for episode
five. I looked through it and found a
Medavoy scene.
A big smile crosses the actors face
as he claps his hands. Yes! That scene
established the character.
From Farrah to Unemployment
NYPD Blue may have been Clapps
big break, but the actor had been honing
his craft since age 12, when he debuted
in the play Tom Sawyer in school. His
father, a colorful eccentric, recognized
something in his son and took him down
to the Eastern Slope Playhouse in North
Conway and asked the company to ap-
prentice young Gordon.
I had acting lessons every day, and
I still remember some of the exercises.
At the end of the season they did a play
called The Happy Time and the central
role was a 13 year old, and they gave me
the part, so I got to act
with the big boys. That
was my first professional
experience, he says.
At that point Clapp
wanted to quit school and
go to New York to pursue
his career, but my father
talked me off the ledge. It
was his best night. He talk-
ed about all the times he
had spent in New Hampshire when he was
younger, and how those summers meant
more to him than almost anything.
In his junior year he entered South
Kent boarding school in Connecticut.
Though he spearheaded a couple of
productions and won the drama prize,
Clapp says that at the time he was
seriously considering a career in the
Episcopalian ministry, and he was an
avid hockey player.
By his sophomore year at Williams
College, where he befriended writer/
director John Sayles with whom he
has made four films and the Oscar-
nominated actor David Strathairn, Clapp
realized that his true calling was acting.
the squad room asking [Andy] Sipowicz
if he would dog sit for him. He laughs.
So Im looking at these two parts and
thinking, the hostage negotiator is a
much better part, but this other guy, Me-
davoy, has a desk in the squad room, so
he might be in future episodes. I decided
to put all my eggs in the Medavoy basket.
I thought, These scenes are really short
so Im going to say everything twice.
Hes really nervous as hes talking to
Sipowicz.
Clapp suddenly begins to recite the
lines, the first time saying each word
once, and then without missing a beat,
he slips into that familiar Medavoy New
York accent and does the scene again,
saying every word twice. The difference
in the two interpretations of the charac-
ter is astounding.
As Im walking out of the audition,
David Milch [co-creator of the show]
says, I like that, you said everything
twice, thats good, thats funny,
Clapp recalls.
When Clapp got the part and was
hired for two days work, he had no idea
that the show would propel him from
respected but largely unknown actor to
a bonafide celebrity. But he did realize
that the role of Medavoy could be his
big break.
I was so pumped. I knew it was a
great opportunity, and I swear I almost
blew it. I came that close to just being
too big. The director, Greg Hoblit, kept
coming up to me saying, Youre a cop,
you cant be that intimidated; dont
make a big deal of the stutter,
Clapp says.
When the shoot was over Greg
said, I really think we may have some-
Clapps best supporting actor Emmy for NYPD Blue
From his home in Norwich,
Gordon Clapp commutes for
work. But he is equally proud
to be in residence at Northern
Stage in White River Junction.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/979cde37-b425-4f7f-b2f4-451693d9fb29-150821200913-lva1-app6891/85/UVLsum15-ClappLores-4-320.jpg)
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- 1. Meet Award-winning Actor (You may recognize him from the TV series Chicago Fire and NYPD Blue) Gordon Clapp Meet Award-winning Actor (You may recognize him from the TV series Chicago Fire and NYPD Blue) Gordon Clapp Who to Meet What to do Whats Hot $4.95 U.S. www.uppervalleylife.com Who to Meet | What to do | Whats Hot A Guide to Live Music (Jam Sessions!) in the Upper Valley Serene Kayaking Check out UVLs summer calendar A Guide to Live Music (Jam Sessions!) in the Upper Valley Serene Kayaking Check out UVLs summer calendar Summer 2015 VOL. 10 NO. 2 Summer 2015 VOL. 10 NO. 2
- 2. 52 Upper Valley Life uppervalleylife.com perhaps the voice, which is quiet but deliberate, with the faintest trace of Clapps North Conway, N.H., roots. And then it might click; that inconspicu- ous man is a famous actor. Over the course of his 40-odd year career, Clapp has appeared in innumerable films, television shows and theatre productions, creating memorable characters that resonate long after the performance. A Fortuitous Gamble Currently, he plays Chaplain Orlovsky on televisions Chicago Fire, but he is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Greg Medavoy on the 1990s hit NYPD Blue. Clapp was originally hired as a guest actor for a few episodes in the first season, but his Medavoy an endearing, stuttering ball of neuroses proved so popular with the audience that he became a regular on the programs entire 12 seasons, and won the best sup- porting actor Emmy in 1998. For fans of the show, its impossible to imag- ine anyone else playing Medavoy, but Clapp nearly didnt audition. He was due to be out of town, but at the last minute decided to stay in Los Angeles. That afternoon he got the call. He drove to pick up the script late that night, but it wasnt available, so he didnt get it until the next morning before the audition. I was reading for two roles in episode three, recalls Clapp. One was a hostage negotiator, and it was a really intense 10-page scene. The other one had two short little scenes with this guy in a windy day, Gordon Clapp arrives at the Norwich Inn. He is unas- suming as he pours himself a cup of coffee and greets the proprietors. With his gentle manner, Clapp, 66, blends in perfectly with the relaxed atmosphere. There is nothing particularly ex- traordinary about him, and those who see Clapp at the inn or nearby Dan & Whits might take him for just an- other local. Some may find themselves searching his everyman face, wondering if they went to high school with him, or met him at a gathering. There is something familiar: a look, a gesture or After 25 years in Los Angeles, award-winning actor Gordon Clapp recently moved to Norwich, Vt. The New Hampshire native spoke to Jaimie Seaton about his career, Greg Medavoys famous stutter, and how Robert Frost brought him back to his roots. By Jaimie Seaton Photography by Jon Gilbert Fox A Face in the Crowd On Gordon Clapp currently portrays Chaplain Orlovsky on NBCs Chicago Fire (above). He starred as Detective Greg Medavoy in ABC's long running drama NYPD Blue from 1993-2005 (below).
- 3. Actor and Norwich,Vt., resident Gordon Clapp 53Summer 2015uppervalleylife.com
- 4. 54 Upper Valley Life uppervalleylife.com He was performing in The Crucible and was backstage one night when he hap- pened upon a copy of The Caretaker by Harold Pinter. I was fascinated with it. It was a whole world that I had never seen be- cause I was reading and doing all these old plays. It was the first time I had read anything from the theatre of the absurd. I thought, I have to do this play, but I was supposed to be playing hockey. I auditioned for the play, it was the only time I beat David Strathairn out of a role. I gave up hockey for that, and never looked back. For the next 20 years Clapp per- formed in and travelled between New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and Canada, where he lived for a number of years. I was working my butt off and it was great, Clapp says. But it was time to go to California, I was getting inter- est from casting directors; I had worked with some really big actors. I had an agent out there; I was all set to go. After being cast opposite Farrah Fawcett in the mini-series Small Sacri- fices in 1989, Clapp figured it was going to set him up, but things didnt work out that way. The next couple of years were not easy. I was working a little bit here and thing here so sit tight and well see what happens. A couple of weeks later I was over at the lot auditioning for LA Law, and I walked onto the NYPD Blue stage and happened to see a script for episode five. I looked through it and found a Medavoy scene. A big smile crosses the actors face as he claps his hands. Yes! That scene established the character. From Farrah to Unemployment NYPD Blue may have been Clapps big break, but the actor had been honing his craft since age 12, when he debuted in the play Tom Sawyer in school. His father, a colorful eccentric, recognized something in his son and took him down to the Eastern Slope Playhouse in North Conway and asked the company to ap- prentice young Gordon. I had acting lessons every day, and I still remember some of the exercises. At the end of the season they did a play called The Happy Time and the central role was a 13 year old, and they gave me the part, so I got to act with the big boys. That was my first professional experience, he says. At that point Clapp wanted to quit school and go to New York to pursue his career, but my father talked me off the ledge. It was his best night. He talk- ed about all the times he had spent in New Hampshire when he was younger, and how those summers meant more to him than almost anything. In his junior year he entered South Kent boarding school in Connecticut. Though he spearheaded a couple of productions and won the drama prize, Clapp says that at the time he was seriously considering a career in the Episcopalian ministry, and he was an avid hockey player. By his sophomore year at Williams College, where he befriended writer/ director John Sayles with whom he has made four films and the Oscar- nominated actor David Strathairn, Clapp realized that his true calling was acting. the squad room asking [Andy] Sipowicz if he would dog sit for him. He laughs. So Im looking at these two parts and thinking, the hostage negotiator is a much better part, but this other guy, Me- davoy, has a desk in the squad room, so he might be in future episodes. I decided to put all my eggs in the Medavoy basket. I thought, These scenes are really short so Im going to say everything twice. Hes really nervous as hes talking to Sipowicz. Clapp suddenly begins to recite the lines, the first time saying each word once, and then without missing a beat, he slips into that familiar Medavoy New York accent and does the scene again, saying every word twice. The difference in the two interpretations of the charac- ter is astounding. As Im walking out of the audition, David Milch [co-creator of the show] says, I like that, you said everything twice, thats good, thats funny, Clapp recalls. When Clapp got the part and was hired for two days work, he had no idea that the show would propel him from respected but largely unknown actor to a bonafide celebrity. But he did realize that the role of Medavoy could be his big break. I was so pumped. I knew it was a great opportunity, and I swear I almost blew it. I came that close to just being too big. The director, Greg Hoblit, kept coming up to me saying, Youre a cop, you cant be that intimidated; dont make a big deal of the stutter, Clapp says. When the shoot was over Greg said, I really think we may have some- Clapps best supporting actor Emmy for NYPD Blue From his home in Norwich, Gordon Clapp commutes for work. But he is equally proud to be in residence at Northern Stage in White River Junction.
- 5. 55Summer 2015uppervalleylife.com Clapp reads Robert Frost at home. He has been intrigued by Frost since high school. there, collecting unemployment, and it was starting to be a little scary. I felt like I wasnt the new kid in town anymore. That time was over for me and I was old news. At 42, Clapp considered moving back to Canada, where he was continu- ing to work periodically. Thats when he got the call for NYPD Blue. Coming Home Its hard for people to believe that I have really loved being here this winter, says Clapp, when asked about the transition from Tinseltown to the Upper Valley during one of the coldest winters on record. Over the course of three lengthy conversations, its abundantly clear that what matters to the actor is the work. He tells his story chronologically, and is just as animated talking about the theatre group he, Sayles and Strathairn started after college as he is discussing his Emmy win or Tony nomination (for his portrayal of Dave Moss in the 2005 Broadway revival of David Mamets Glengarry Glen Ross). Clapp is soft- spoken, and he slips into various accents and impres- sions as easily as slipping on a pair of comfortable shoes. There is not the slightest hint of hubris or pretention; if any- thing, he is self-deprecating. Ed Asner would come up to me at events, and he didnt know my name but he would say, Hey, how you doin, actor? Youre an actor, Clapp says in Asners iconic voice, and his eyes light up recalling the praise. Despite having had great success and being part of the celebrity world for a time, in his heart Clapp is simply an actor. From his home in Norwich, he commutes for work and auditions for film and televi- sion roles, but is equally proud to be in residence at White River Junctions Northern Stage, where his Scrooge in last Decembers production of A Christmas Carol set the boards on fire. Life Imitating Art But the project that is most dear to him is his one-man show of Robert Frost, which hes been doing for the past seven years. Its an idea that had been in Clapps head for 35 years before he brought it to fruition. My obsession with Frost began in high school, with the poem Out, Out . That poem, and some of the more popular ones, was in my head when I went away to boarding school. I
- 6. 56 Upper Valley Life uppervalleylife.com who were students of his; theyve said so many amazing things to me, Clapp says. One of my favorite Frostaceans, as I call them, was a man who knew Frost at Am- herst. He said to me, Its really important that youve brought him back; I felt like I was with Frost in the room today. This is when I realized we really had something. Its life imitating art, coming back to Vermont. I took Frost with me to school, and he brought me home. and then it goes another. Two weeks after the night with the video camera, Clapp received an email from a friend telling him that he came across a one-man Robert Frost play by writer/actor A.M. Dolan. I read it and thought it was the perfect starting place of what I want to do. Dolan had cobbled a script out of hundreds of hours of Frosts talks that are on audiotape. Hed put together this wonderful piece, really about art, fear of poetry, his process, his love of metaphor and couplets. The show debuted in 2008 at the Hanover Inn. Since then, Clapp has done the piece 70 to 80 times, but the most gratifying experience hes had with the show is when he took it to five venues in Vermont last fall. It was exactly what I had envisioned in 1978. This is so personal to me, which is why after seven years Im still doing it. The most reward- ing thing is the people who knew Frost, wrote a term paper on him, and that was the germination of what Im doing now, absolutely. Then I heard a recording of Frost, and the voice just stayed in my head, through college, and after college. After reading a three-volume biog- raphy of the poet in 1978, Clapp decided that he had to do something with it, but he knew that he couldnt afford the rights to any of the work. Thirty years later, Clapp turned on a video camera one night and recorded himself as Frost for 10 minutes. As the actor tells the tale, he closes his eyes and begins to recite the poem Design as Frost. He doesnt prepare; he simply becomes Frost, speaking in a voice that has been described as gravel running down the cellar steps. When asked about his seamless transformation, Clapp says, Thats been there for a lo-o-o-ng time. With the next breath, he is Frost once again, wittily recalling how the reader expects the poem to go one way, Hanover, N.H., native Jaimie Seaton has been a journalist for 20 years. She has contributed to and edited numerous publications in the U.S., South Africa, the Netherlands, Singapore and Thailand. She reported for the Sunday Times of London from Johannesburg, and was the Thailand correspondent for Newsweek magazine. Jaimie resides in Hanover with her two children and two dogs. She is currently working on her first novel. For more information on her work, visit jaimieseaton.com Hanover, N.H., photographer Jon Gilbert Fox has been photographing for most of his life and half of it in New England. His images have graced the pages of Vermont Life, The New York Times, the New York Post, Vogue, Kearsarge Magazine and Upper Valley Life. Clapp performs in the Northern Stage production of A Christmas Carol last year. 326MainStreet Norwich,VT05055 802.649.2922 Honestfood ata fairprice.