That Tom Cavanagh was so good on “Blue Bloods” is hardly surprising, as the actor has become a bit of a low-key TV all-star over the course of his career. Though most viewers were likely first exposed to Cavanagh’s on-screen charms when he played the titular role in the NBC dramedy “Ed” in 1999, he’d actually been working as a professional actor for most of the ’90s. As for “Ed,” Cavanagh was at his charming best over the show’s four-season run, which found him trading lines with future “Modern Family” star Julie Bowen and “Mad Men” breakout John Slattery, as well as Justin Long, Michael Ian Black, and Ginnifer Goodwin, among others.
Cavanagh would go on to leave his mark on another beloved series, playing the sometimes wayward older brother of Dr. J.D. Dorian (Zach Braff) on “Scrubs.” The actor played Dan Dorian in seven episodes of “Scrubs,” making his final appearance in Braff’s own final episode. Circa 2006, Cavanagh would also portray the caring dad in the big screen adaptation of the iconic children’s book “How to Eat Fried Worms.”
In 2011, Cavanagh began a multi-episode arc as a pro golfer suffering from Lupus on USA’s hit “Royal Pains.” A couple of years later, he’d land one of his signature small screen roles, playing Dr. Harrison Wells in The CW’s “Arrowverse” drama “The Flash.” Wells’ story was complicated over Cavanagh’s nine-season run, to say the least, and the actor was a legit series’ standout every step of the way.
