Timothy Busfield Net Worth

What Is Timothy Busfield's Net Worth?

Timothy Busfield is an American actor, director, producer, and writer who has a net worth of $500 thousand. That is a combined net worth with his wife since 2013, actress Melissa Gilbert.

Busfield played Dr. John 'J.T.' McIntyre on "Trapper John, M.D." (1984–1986), Elliot Weston on "Thirtysomething" (1987–1991), Danny Concannon on "The West Wing" (1999–2006), and Cal Shanley on "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (2006–2007). Timothy has more than 70 acting credits to his name, including the films "Revenge of the Nerds" (1984), "Field of Dreams" (1989), "Sneakers" (1992), and "National Security" (2003) and the television series "The Byrds of Paradise" (1994), "Secrets and Lies" (2015), "Designated Survivor" (2018–2019), "Almost Family" (2019–2020), and "For Life" (2020–2021).

He wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning 2015 short film "One Smart Fellow," and he has directed more than 50 projects, such as the 2019 film "Guest Artist" and episodes of "Ed" (2000–2004), "Without a Trace" (2002–2009), "Damages" (2007–2011), "Psych" (2012), "Childrens Hospital" (2013), "This Is Us" (2017), and "Nashville" (2017–2018). Timothy has served as a producer on "Ed," "Without a Trace," "Secrets and Lies," and "Guest Artist" as well as "Lipstick Jungle" (2008–2009) and "Mind Games" (2014). Busfield has performed on Broadway in "Brighton Beach Memoirs" (1983) and "A Few Good Men" (1990), and he co-founded Sacramento's B Street Theatre and the touring troupe Fantasy Theatre with his brother, Buck.

Real Estate & Financial Problems

In 2003, Busfield paid $1.25 million for a 2,396-square-foot home near Malibu. He put the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home on the market for $1.995 million in late 2008 after his divorce from Merwin. Two years later, it was reported that Timothy was facing foreclosure because he had defaulted on his mortgage.

In 2019, Timothy and Melissa Gilbert paid $98,000 for a 14-acre property in New York's Catskill Mountains, roughly 20 minutes from Woodstock. This is the current primary residence.

Early Life

Timothy Busfield was born on June 12, 1957, in Lansing, Michigan. His mother, Jean, worked as a secretary, and his father, Roger, was a drama professor. Timothy grew up with sisters Julia and Terry and brother Buck, and he attended East Lansing High School. After graduating in 1975, Busfield enrolled at East Tennessee State University to study drama, and he often traveled with the Actors Theater of Louisville. He appeared in his first professional theatrical production, a children's adaptation of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," at age 18. Timothy moved to New York City in 1981 and soon appeared in a Circle Repertory Company production of Lanford Wilson's "Talley and Son."

Early Film and Television Roles

Timothy Busfield made his film debut in 1981 with a small role as a soldier in the comedy "Stripes." Two years later, he relocated to Los Angeles and landed a regular television role as Mark Potter on the ABC series "Reggie." Around the same time, Busfield began building steady momentum in feature films, most notably appearing as Arnold Poindexter in the 1984 comedy "Revenge of the Nerds" opposite Robert Carradine, Curtis Alexander, and Anthony Edwards. The film became a surprise hit and helped cement his early career visibility. Busfield reprised the role in the 1987 sequel, "Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise."

Between 1984 and 1986, Busfield also played the son of Dr. Trapper John McIntyre on the long-running CBS medical drama "Trapper John, M.D." The role gave him consistent exposure on network television and helped transition him from comedic supporting parts into more grounded dramatic work.

Breakthrough With "Thirtysomething"

Busfield's career reached a new level in 1987 when he was cast as Elliot Weston on the ABC drama "Thirtysomething." The series, which explored the personal and professional lives of young adults navigating careers, marriage, and parenthood, became one of the defining dramas of the late 1980s. Busfield appeared in 85 episodes over four seasons and earned a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance. During his time on the show, he also began expanding his creative responsibilities, directing three episodes of the series. "Thirtysomething" firmly established him as a respected dramatic actor and opened the door to higher-profile film work.

Film Work in the Late 1980s and 1990s

While still associated with "Thirtysomething," Busfield appeared in the 1989 sports fantasy drama "Field of Dreams," co-starring with Kevin Costner. The film became a cultural touchstone and remains one of the most celebrated sports films ever made. In the early 1990s, Busfield continued working steadily in feature films, including "Sneakers" in 1992, followed by "The Skateboard Kid" and "Striking Distance" in 1993.

Throughout the mid-1990s, he balanced film roles with television work. His film appearances during this period included "Little Big League" and "Quiz Show" in 1994 and "First Kid" in 1996. He also starred in several television movies, including "In the Shadow of Evil" and "Kidnapped: In the Line of Duty," both released in 1995.

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Return to Television and "The West Wing"

In 1999, Busfield joined the cast of the NBC political drama "The West Wing," portraying White House communications director Danny Concannon. Over the course of the series, he appeared in 28 episodes between 1999 and 2006. The role reinforced his reputation for intelligent, character-driven performances and placed him within one of the most acclaimed television ensembles of its era.

During the early 2000s, Busfield also appeared in the action comedy "National Security" alongside Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn. On television, he held recurring roles as Lloyd Stevens on "Ed" and as Ed Felder on the CBS procedural "Without a Trace," further cementing his place as a reliable supporting presence in network drama.

Acting and Directing in the 2000s

From 2006 to 2007, Busfield played Cal Shanley on Aaron Sorkin's NBC drama "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." In addition to acting, he directed six episodes of the series, continuing his gradual shift toward behind-the-camera work. In 2009, he made a self-referential appearance as himself in two episodes of "Entourage."

He remained a frequent guest star across major network series in the early 2010s, appearing on "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Blue Bloods," and "Childrens Hospital." He also appeared in the 2013 sports drama "23 Blast," based on the true story of a high school football player overcoming sudden blindness.

Later Television Roles and Producing Career

From 2014 to 2015, Busfield portrayed Benjamin Franklin in multiple episodes of Fox's supernatural drama "Sleepy Hollow." He later held recurring roles on ABC's "Secrets and Lies" and as Dr. Adam Louden on the ABC and Netflix political thriller "Designated Survivor," where he also directed episodes.

In 2019, Busfield directed the film "Guest Artist," written by Jeff Daniels. The project marked the first release from Grand River Productions, a production company Busfield co-founded with his wife, Melissa Gilbert, and Daniels. The film received multiple festival awards and represented a major milestone in his transition from actor to filmmaker.

From 2019 to 2020, Busfield appeared as Ron Doyle on the Fox drama "Almost Family," followed by a starring role as Henry Roswell on the ABC legal drama "For Life," which aired from 2020 to 2021. By this stage of his career, Busfield had firmly established himself as a multifaceted industry veteran, equally comfortable acting, directing, and producing across film and television.

Personal Life

Timothy married actress/director Radha Delamarter in 1981, and they welcomed son Wilson before divorcing in 1986. Busfield wed fashion designer Jennifer Merwin on September 11, 1988, and they had daughter Daisy and son Samuel before they divorced in 2008. Timothy married actress Melissa Gilbert on April 24, 2013, and they lived in Howell, Michigan, until 2018, when they relocated to New York City. Busfield was an artist in residence at Michigan State University during the 2016–17 academic year. He said of the teaching job, "I really want to help students with the process. From how to deal with rejection to things like moving actors, creating scenes and getting the bad out."

Legal Problems

In January 2026, Timothy Busfield became the subject of a major criminal investigation tied to allegations of child sexual abuse in New Mexico. An arrest warrant issued January 9 charged Busfield with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse. The allegations were brought by two brothers born in 2014 who had worked as child actors on Fox's "The Cleaning Lady," a series on which Busfield directed multiple episodes and served as an executive producer. According to the warrant, one of the children alleged that Busfield touched him inappropriately on more than one occasion, describing the behavior as disguised "play."

The Albuquerque Police Department confirmed it was working with the U.S. Marshals Service to take Busfield into custody. Busfield denied the allegations in a recorded interview with police and suggested the claims were motivated by retaliation after the children were not rehired for a later season of the show.

The 2026 charges followed earlier controversies. Busfield was accused but never charged in two separate sexual assault allegations in 1994 and 2012. In early 2025, Warner Bros. Television also launched an internal investigation after an anonymous SAG-AFTRA hotline complaint alleged inappropriate physical contact with minors on set. That investigation reportedly did not substantiate the claims.

(Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Awards and Nominations

Busfield was nominated for four Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for "Thirtysomething," winning in 1991. The series also earned him two Q Award nominations (from the Viewers for Quality Television Awards) for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series. For "Guest Artist," Timothy won awards from the Accolade Competition (Best of Show – Feature Film), Beloit International Film Festival (Best Feature Film), Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival (Best Independent Film), Myrtle Beach International Film Festival (Best Director and Best Feature Film), New York City Independent Film Festival (Best Director), Sacramento International Film Festival (Outstanding Feature Film), and SENE Film, Music and Art Festival (Best Feature Film).

For "One Smart Fellow," Busfield earned an Award of Excellence Special Mention at the Accolade Competition, a Best Short Film award at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival, a Best Family Narrative award at the Manhattan Film Festival, an Excellence Award at the Rincon International Film Festival, a Festival Prize for Best Film at the Sacramento International Film Festival, an Audience Award for Best Fiction Short at the Traverse City Film Festival, and Outstanding Arthouse, Best Ensemble Cast, and Outstanding Directing at the Zed Fest Film Festival. In 2018, he won an IndieFEST Film Award for Award of Excellence Special Mention – TV Pilot, a Jersey Shore Film Festival award for Best TV Pilot Drama, and a Manhattan Film Festival award for Best Comedic Drama Short for "Tenure," which he wrote.

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