Kiefer Sutherland
An actor with a gravelly voice and intense screen presence who defined the post-9/11 action hero as the relentless counter-terrorist agent Jack Bauer.
Born 1966 (age 60)·British and Canadian actor·Birthday: December 21·Generation X
Biography
Kiefer Sutherland arrived in Hollywood with a famous name but carved out a legacy entirely his own. The son of actors Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, he sidestepped easy early fame by choosing gritty, often troubled roles in films like 'Stand By Me' and 'The Lost Boys.' His career found its defining rhythm not in film, but in television, with the groundbreaking real-time drama '24.' As CTU agent Jack Bauer, Sutherland embodied a new kind of American anxiety—a man willing to sacrifice everything, including his own morality, in a race against the clock. The role earned him major awards and cemented his status. After the series, he avoided typecasting by exploring country music, producing, and returning to TV as an unlikely president in 'Designated Survivor.' With a voice that sounds like ground glass and a commitment to physical roles, Sutherland remains a compelling, weathered presence who transformed a high-concept TV show into a cultural touchstone.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Kiefer was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kiefer Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Kiefer's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for his lead role as Jack Bauer on the series '24.'
- Starred as President Tom Kirkman in the political drama 'Designated Survivor' for three seasons.
- Made his feature film directorial debut with the Western 'Forsaken' in 2015, starring alongside his father, Donald Sutherland.
- Released a country music album, 'Down in a Hole,' in 2016 and has toured with his band.
Did You Know?
He is named after writer-director Warren Kiefer, who gave his father, Donald Sutherland, his first major film role.
Sutherland was a nationally ranked rodeo calf roper in his youth and considered it as a career.
He owns a ranch in California's Santa Ynez Valley where he raises and trains cutting horses.
He was originally cast as the lead in 'The Fly' (1986) but was replaced by Jeff Goldblum after production delays.
“The idea of playing a character for 24 episodes, an hour each, in real time, was the most exciting creative opportunity I had ever been given.”
