Jay Karnes

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Biography

Recent Role:
Hamilton Bartholomew on Criminal Minds
Gender:
Male
Born:
6-27-1963
Birthplace:
Omaha, Nebraska
Jay Karnes played 'Detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach,' a recently divorced, by-the-book detective partnered with Claudette Wyms in The Shield.

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Karnes planned on being a lawyer when he grew up. He attended the University of Kansas at Lawrence majoring in Political Science. The summer of his senior year, as he began studying for the LSAT in preparation for law school, he decided to audition for the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival.





More Karnes was cast in "A Midsummer Nights Dream", and "Hamlet". It was his first paid acting job. He then shelved his law school plans and turned his focus and sights on the theatre.

Producer Joe Stern (Law & Order, Judging Amy) saw Karnes playing Mercutio in a Shakespeare L.A. production of "Romeo & Juliet" and cast him in The Matrix Theatre Company's production of "The Tavern", where he met his future wife, actress Julia Campbell.

After deciding to settle in Los Angeles to be with his wife, Jay began working steadily in film and television. His film work includes playing Martin Landaus son in "The Joyriders", and "The Next Best Thing" playing opposite Rupert Everett and Madonna. Jay has guest starred in numerous television shows including "Judging Amy", "Nash Bridges", "Ally McBeal", "Chicago Hope", "The Pretender", and "Star Trek, Voyager".

He has continued his work with The Matrix Theatre Company in productions of "The Seagull and Dangerous Corner". Jay most recently starred as Stanley Webber in The Matrixs production of Harold Pinters enigmatic "The Birthday Party".

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    10 Perfect
    Being in The Shield has really worked out for Jay Karnes as it brings forward how amazing and talented he is. hide show

    I've been watching The Shield for a while now, and I can't deny that my favorite actor on the show is no other than Jay Karnes. I was reading up about him and turns out that he was in a few plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival down in Ashland. I've been there a million times and the fact that he acted down there before he got famous makes him that much more awesome in my book. I really appreciate his acting abilities with his character Dutch on The Shield, and I find myself pushing for him every episode. I hope to start and acting career someday and I'm starting it in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Jay Karnes is really an inspiration for me and my generation. Keep it up!

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