Gregory Jbara

Gregory Jbara (/dʒəˈbɑrə/; born September 28, 1961) is an American actor and singer. He is known for his roles as Deputy Commissioner Garrett Moore in the CBS police procedural Blue Bloods (2010–2023),^[1] Dan O'Keefe in the Fox sitcom Grounded for Life,^[2] and for his performance as Jackie Elliot in Billy Elliot the Musical (2009), for which he earned a Tony Award.^[3][4]

Early life and education

Jbara was born in Nankin Township (now Westland), Michigan, the son of an advertising office manager^[5] and an insurance claims adjuster.^[6] He is of Lebanese and Irish descent.^[7][8] After graduating from Wayne Memorial High School in Wayne, Michigan,^[9] Jbara attended the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1981. He majored in Communication Studies and took classes in Theatre and Musical Theatre. He left Michigan to attend the Juilliard School's drama division (1982–1986, Group 15),^[10] where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.^[6][11]

Both of Jbara's brothers also have careers in the entertainment industry. Mike, formerly President and CEO, WEA Corp.,^[12][13] is now CEO at MQA.^[14] Brother Dan had a career primarily as an unscripted TV show producer.^[15][16] Jbara also has a sister, Judy, who is Chief Supervision Officer at Northwestern Mutual Woodland Hills.^[17]

Career

Jbara is featured as Chairman Magnuson in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer and has appeared in 13 seasons as "DCPI Garrett Moore" on the hit CBS police drama Blue Bloods. Other film roles include "Sam Ringo" in Adam Seidel's Alien, Intervention (2023), and "Buck/Hector Scriggles" in Oscar Brill's A Ramble Towards Rain (2023). Jbara originated the role of "Jackie Elliot" (known as "Dad") in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot the Musical, which opened on November 13, 2008. For his portrayal of "Dad," Jbara received the Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Tony awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical during the 2008-2009 Broadway awards season. He is the voice of "Pastor Wilson Knox" in the Adventures in Odyssey radio series for Focus On The Family.^[18][19][20]

On May 5, 2005, Sardi's caricatures of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels stars Butz, Gleason, Jbara and Scott were unveiled in a ceremony hosted by fellow co-star Sara Gettelfinger.^[21] (Scoundrels star John Lithgow had already been caricatured at Sardi's.)^[22] In a 2008 Grand Rapids Press interview, Jbara (noting the importance of being caricatured at the landmark Broadway restaurant) said, "You don't remember a year later who won the Tonys, but that picture will be in Sardi's for the rest of my life."^[23]

Jbara received the BackStageWest Garland 2000 Award for his performance in the West Coast premiere of George Furth's play Precious Sons, co-starring Nora Dunn, Michael Malota, Ginger Williams and Adam Wylie.^[24]

In 2006, Jbara received a Special Award from the New England Theatre Conference for his achievement in theatre.^[25]

Jbara appeared as TV Land's on-camera spokesperson in eight different spots featuring three generations sitting on a couch: grandpa (William Severs), father/boomer (Jbara) and teenage son (Dylan Kepp). The spots focused, humorously, on the contrasts among those generations and were first shown on TV Land during the TV Land Awards broadcast on April 22, 2007.

Jbara's most prominent TV roles to date have been as NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Garrett Moore on the CBS drama Blue Bloods (2010–present) and as Dan O'Keefe in the Fox/WB sitcom Grounded for Life (2002–05).

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

• "Dad" in Billy Elliot the Musical (2008) (originated role)
• "André Thibault" in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005) (originated role)
• "Billy Flynn" in Chicago (revival)
• "Squash (Mr. Bernstein)" in Victor/Victoria (1995) (originated role)
• "Sohovik" in Damn Yankees (1994) (revival; originated role)
• "Bellhop #1/Bootblack" in Born Yesterday (1989) with Ed Asner and Madeline Kahn (Broadway revival)
• "LIFFE Trader, John" in Serious Money (1988) with Alec Baldwin and Kate Nelligan (Jbara's Broadway debut)
• "Alfred P. Doolittle" in My Fair Lady (2013) for the Kennedy Center
• "Mr. Bunder" in the West Coast Premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's play, Little Fish (2007) starring Alice Ripley
• "Vinnie" in the Geffen Playhouse Premier of Neil Simon's Oscar and Felix (update to The Odd Couple)
• "Ike/Bess Truman" in the West Coast Premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's play, First Lady Suite
• "Clark Gable" in The Blank Theatre Company's The Living Room Series presentation of Mark Saltzman's new play, Mr. Shaw Goes To Hollywood
• "Chick Clark" in Wonderful Town (2000) for City Center Encores!
• "Kevin Cartwright" in Privates On Parade (1989) with Jim Dale and Simon Jones
• "Smudge" in Forever Plaid
• "Gunther, Wotan, Hagen, Dwarf, Giant" in Das Barbecü (Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut)
• "The Frankenstein Monster" in Have I Got A Girl For You! (Jbara's Off-Broadway debut)

Awards

References

1. ^ "Take control: Tony award-winning actor and a star of CBS' "Blue Bloods" helps us create the life we dream of « Health & Wellness Magazine". Retrieved 2025-01-24.
2. ^ Crockford, C. M. (2022-09-24). "Why Blue Bloods' Garrett Moore Looks So Familiar". Looper. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
3. ^ "Broadway's Billy Elliot Says Goodbye to Gregory Jbara, Carole Shelley and Joel Hatch Sept. 4". Playbill. Archived 2022-07-06 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
4. ^ "Westland to honor Arab American Tony Award winning actor and native son Gregory Jbara". ArabAmericanNews. 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
5. ^ "Jbara biography," filmreference.com
6. ^ "Jbara Still A SCOUNDREL!". Broadwayworld.com. June 13, 2006.
7. ^ GregoryJbara.com - A Midsummer Night's Dream movie premiere report by actor, 1999 Archived 2007-09-02 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ GregoryJbara.com - Interview with actor, 2000 Archived 2008-05-12 at the Wayback Machine
9. ^ "GregoryJbara.com - Biography (Misc. Extras)". Archived from the original on 2008-05-14. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
10. ^ "Alumni News: November 2011". Juilliard.edu. Archived 2012-07-18 at the Wayback Machine. Gregory Jbara (Group 15)
11. ^ "Lunch, Learn, and Pass the Tony, Please!". The Juilliard Journal. November 2009.
12. ^ GregoryJbara.com: NETC Convention 2006 Photo Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
13. ^ MarketWire.com: Mike Jbara Named President and CEO, WEA Corp.
14. ^ Billboard.com: Warner Music Names Stu Bergen Int'l President; Promotes Mike Jbara, Matt Signore, Matt Flott
15. ^ GregoryJbara.com: Billy Elliot Opening Night Photo
16. ^ SonyPictures.com: Ripley's Believe It or Not: Production Bio Archived 2011-06-05 at the Wayback Machine
17. ^ GregoryJbara.com: 2007 Stage / Broadway / Recording News: September Archived 2011-06-13 at the Wayback Machine
18. ^ OuterCritics.org - Awards for 2008-2009 Archived 2014-01-02 at the Wayback Machine outercritics.org
19. ^ DramaDesk.org - Awards for 2008-2009 Archived 2009-07-20 at the Wayback Machine dramadesk.org
20. ^ TonyAwards.com - Nominees and Winners, Billy Elliot Archived 2009-05-22 at the Wayback Machine tonyawards.com
21. ^ On the Scene: Four Scoundrels Make the Wall at Sardi's, Broadway.com Video Feature archived at gregoryjbara.com Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
22. ^ A Wall Full of Scoundrels at Sardi's, Photo Op:Broadway.com Buzz Archived 2006-11-21 at the Wayback Machine
23. ^ Stage, screen star comes to aid of Actors' Theatre - mlive.com article archived at gregoryjbara.com Archived 2011-06-13 at the Wayback Machine
24. ^ The Blank Theatre Company - Awards Archived 2007-10-08 at archive.today
25. ^ NETC Online: Excellence in Theatre Awards

External links

• Official Site: GregoryJbara.com
• Broadway.com: Backstage at Billy Elliot With Billy's Dad Starring Gregory Jbara
• Gregory Jbara at IMDb
• Voice Actor Profile: VoiceChasers.com Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
• Gregory Jbara at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Gregory Jbara on Instagram