Sporting a laid-back look and blending easily into the crowd, the veteran performer appeared relaxed as he went about his errands. The low-key sighting comes just ahead of a big milestone — he’ll be celebrating his 69th birthday next month.
While he may not dominate the spotlight the way he once did, his résumé is packed with fan favorites and critically praised projects. He memorably shared the screen with Michael J. Fox in one of the decade’s most beloved teen comedies and later appeared opposite Tom Cruise in an Oscar-winning Vietnam War drama.
The actor in question is Jerry Levine.
Many moviegoers remember Levine as Stiles, the wisecracking best friend in the 1985 cult hit Teen Wolf. He also had a role in Born on the Fourth of July, director Oliver Stone’s acclaimed Vietnam War drama. Over the years, Levine added to his film credits with appearances in Iron Eagle, Casual Sex? and K-9.
Born in 1957 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Levine studied theater before launching his career in the early ’80s. He first built momentum through television roles before transitioning to the big screen. Audiences later spotted him in popular series such as Seinfeld, Will & Grace, Boy Meets World and Monk.
As his acting career evolved, Levine increasingly moved behind the camera, directing episodes of well-known shows including It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Everybody Hates Chris, Hawaii Five-0 and 90210.
Off-screen, Levine has long been married to television executive and producer Nina Tassler, who served as chairwoman of CBS Entertainment until 2015. The two met as students at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts in 1975 and tied the knot in 1984.
In a past interview with the Television Academy, Tassler fondly recalled their early days — from saving money by staying with Levine’s mother after graduation to relocating to New York City in 1980. Eventually, they headed west after Levine auditioned for a television pilot in California. Although he didn’t land that particular role, he secured the part of Stiles in Teen Wolf, a move that ultimately convinced them to settle in Los Angeles.
The couple share two children and have built a decades-long partnership that has spanned both Hollywood’s spotlight and its behind-the-scenes corridors.
