Won a scholarship so he could attend a prep school, St. Mark's prep school in Dallas, TX

Worked with father in Texas oil fields before entering Harvard

Landed first acting job on Broadway ten days after arriving in New York City in John Osborne's play "A Patriot For Me"

Starred in Sal Mineo's controversial Off-Broadway production, "Fortune and Men's Eyes"

Feature film debut, "Love Story"

Played Dr. Mark Toland on the ABC daytime serial drama, "One Life to Live"

Appeared in the Broadway production, "Four on a Garden" with Carol Channing and Sid Caesar

Played a leading role in the low-budget Canadian feature, "Eliza's Horoscope"

Cast as Stephen Daedalus in "Ulysses in Nighttown" co-starring Zero Mostel

TV-movie debut, the pilot movie for the ABC-TV series, "Charlie's Angels"

First lead in a Hollywood feature, "Jackson County Jail"

First TV miniseries, "The Amazing Howard Hughes" (CBS), in which he played the title role

Returned to TV after five years in feature films to act in an HBO production of the play, "The Rainmaker"

Played the lead role of convicted killer Gary Gillmore in the acclaimed NBC miniseries, "The Executioner's Song"

Played Woodrow F Call in the four-part CBS miniseries, "Lonesome Dove"; received an Emmy nomination

First film with director Andrew Davis, "The Package"

Renewed his prominence in Hollywood features after his performance in the controversial Oliver Stone-directed hit film "JFK"; earned first Oscar nomination

Offered an Academy Award winning performance as US Marshal Samuel Gerard in "The Fugitive"

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Debut as director and screenwriter (written with J T Allen), the TV-movie, "Good Old Boys" (TNT); also starred

Teamed with Will Smith for smash hit "Men in Black"

Reprised "Fugitive" role of Sam Gerard in "U.S. Marshals"

Appeared as a parole officer to Ashley Judd in the hit "Double Jeopardy"

Starred with Samuel L Jackson in "Rules of Engagement"

Reprised role of Agent K in sequel "Men in Black 2"

Starred in the action feature "The Hunted"

Feature directing debut, "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada," also starred and co-produced; earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Best Feature

Cast in Robert Altman's ensemble feature "A Prairie Home Companion," based on Garrison Keilor's radio program

Played a father who's son, a soldier who recently returned from Iraq, mysteriously goes missing in "In the Valley of Elah"; earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a leading role

Played a Local Sheriff in the Coen brother's film, "No Country For Old Men"; earned a SAG nomination for Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting Role