# Daniel Cosgrove
**Daniel Cosgrove** (full name Daniel Thomas Cosgrove) is an American actor born in 1970 in [New Haven, Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-haven-connecticut), best known for a career that has moved repeatedly between daytime soap operas and primetime television. He came to prominence as Scott Chandler on ABC's *All My Children* in 1996, played attorney Matt Durning on Fox's *Beverly Hills, 90210*, and earned two Daytime Emmy nominations for his portrayal of Bill Lewis on CBS's *Guiding Light*.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-cosgrove/) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0181822/awards/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970, New Haven, Connecticut[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970) |
| First soap role | Scott Chandler, *All My Children*, ABC, 1996–1998[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970) |
| Primetime breakthrough | Matt Durning, *Beverly Hills, 90210*, Fox, 1998–2000[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970) |
| Signature soap role | Bill Lewis, *Guiding Light*, CBS, from 2002[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/daniel-cosgrove/) |
| Emmy recognition | Daytime Emmy nominee, Outstanding Supporting Actor (2008) and Outstanding Lead Actor (2009), both for *Guiding Light*[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0181822/awards/) |
| Later daytime roles | Chris Hughes on *As the World Turns* (2010), Aiden Jennings on *Days of Our Lives* (2014–16), Ezra Boyle on *General Hospital* (from 2025)[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/daniel-cosgrove/) |
| Known film role | Richard Bagg, *Van Wilder* (2002)[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970) |
## Early life and start in acting
Before acting, Cosgrove worked as a model and as a bailiff for the New Haven County Sheriff's Department in [Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/connecticut).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970) He was working as a bailiff in the New Haven County sheriff's office when he was cast in his first major role.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-cosgrove/)
In November 1996 he assumed the role of Scott Chandler on ABC's *All My Children*, a part that required relocating to New York and that introduced him to daytime viewers.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-cosgrove/) • [5](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6779715/daniel-cosgrove/) While still playing the role during the day, he filmed his first movie appearance, a small part as a former college chum of [Paul Rudd](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-rudd)'s character in *The Object of My Affection* (1998).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-cosgrove/)
## Primetime and film
In the fall of 1998 Cosgrove moved to Los Angeles and joined the cast of Fox's *Beverly Hills, 90210*, playing Matt Durning, an idealistic lawyer whose life intertwines with the series' regulars; he stayed with the show for two years, through its final seasons.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-cosgrove/) • [5](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6779715/daniel-cosgrove/) • [6](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15617/daniel-cosgrove)
His best-known film role came in 2002 as the villainous Richard Bagg in *National Lampoon's Van Wilder*.[5](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6779715/daniel-cosgrove/) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970) Other film credits from this period include Campbell Morris in *Valentine* (2001) and Ted Gage in *They Crawl* (2001), along with television movies such as *Satan's School for Girls* (2000) and *The Way She Moves* (2001).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970) He also starred as Jon Lemonick in the ABC legal drama *In Justice* (2006).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-cosgrove/)
## Soap opera career
Cosgrove returned to daytime in 2002, making his *Guiding Light* debut as Bill Lewis.[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/daniel-cosgrove/) His time on the show ran in two stretches, 2002 to 2005 and 2007 to 2009, ending when the long-running CBS soap was canceled.[7](https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/27762/daniel-cosgrove-general-hospital-all-my-children-guiding-light/mraid.js/) The role brought him Daytime Emmy nominations in two consecutive years: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2008 and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2009.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0181822/awards/)
After leaving *Guiding Light*, he played the recurring role of Freddy Mason, a pro-golfer and fiancé of Karen Darling, on the ABC primetime drama *Dirty Sexy Money* in 2007.[5](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6779715/daniel-cosgrove/) In 2010 he joined *As the World Turns* as Dr. [Chris Hughes](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-hughes), beginning in March of that year, and later the same year returned to *All My Children* as Scott Chandler.[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/daniel-cosgrove/) • [8](https://www.thelist.com/1458686/whatever-happened-to-cast-as-the-world-turns/) From 2014 to 2016 he played Aiden Jennings on *Days of Our Lives*.[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/daniel-cosgrove/) In 2025 he returned to daytime once more, joining *General Hospital* as the politician Ezra Boyle.[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/daniel-cosgrove/)
## Later television work
Through the 2010s Cosgrove built a steady record of primetime guest and recurring roles. He played Dan Margolis on *[Billions](https://www.edgepedia.org/billions-tv-series)* across seven episodes from 2016 to 2021, Ron on the first season of Lifetime's *You* (2018), Chad on *Almost Family* (2019–20), and made single-episode appearances on *The Good Wife*, *Person of Interest*, *Unforgettable*, *The Blacklist*, *Elementary*, *Blue Bloods*, *[Bull](https://www.edgepedia.org/bull-2016-tv-series)*, *The Equalizer*, and *And Just Like That...*.[6](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15617/daniel-cosgrove) • [9](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/63845/filmo/)
## Personal life
Cosgrove is married to Marie, and the couple have four children: Lily (born 2000), Esmé (born 2003), Ruby (born 2005), and Finnian (born 2009).[4](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/daniel-cosgrove/)
## References
1. [Cosgrove, Daniel 1970–, Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television via Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/cosgrove-daniel-1970)
2. [Daniel Cosgrove – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniel-cosgrove/)
3. [Daniel Cosgrove – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0181822/awards/)
4. [Daniel Cosgrove News, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/daniel-cosgrove/)
5. [Daniel Cosgrove TV Schedule, Movies & Shows, On TV Tonight](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6779715/daniel-cosgrove/)
6. [Daniel Cosgrove, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/15617/daniel-cosgrove)
7. [Daniel Cosgrove Remembers Guiding Light, All My Children, Luke Perry & More, Remind Magazine](https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/27762/daniel-cosgrove-general-hospital-all-my-children-guiding-light/mraid.js/)
8. [Whatever Happened To The Cast Of As The World Turns?, The List](https://www.thelist.com/1458686/whatever-happened-to-cast-as-the-world-turns/)
9. [Filmografie von Daniel Cosgrove, FILMSTARTS.de](https://www.filmstarts.de/personen/63845/filmo/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › US and Americas daytime serials and characters › Daytime serial production and people*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license