Vincent Kartheiser
An actor who mastered the art of playing deeply flawed, ambitious men, most notably as the scheming ad executive Pete Campbell on 'Mad Men'.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American actor·Birthday: May 5·Generation X
Biography
Vincent Kartheiser has built a career on making the unlikable fascinating. A child actor from Minneapolis, he transitioned to adult roles without getting trapped in teen-hero typecasting. His breakthrough came not as a lead, but as the complex and morally ambiguous vampire Connor on 'Angel,' a role that hinted at his talent for layered antagonism. Then came 'Mad Men.' As Pete Campbell, the entitled, striving, and perpetually aggrieved accounts man, Kartheiser delivered a masterclass in subtlety. He made Pete's petty schemes, insecurities, and occasional flashes of humanity utterly compelling, earning critical praise and a dedicated fanbase for a character often at odds with the show's charismatic lead. Post-Mad Men, he has selectively chosen roles that challenge, from historical figures like William Bradford in 'Saints & Strangers' to the sinister Dr. Crane in 'Titans.' Off-screen, Kartheiser is known for an eccentric, deliberately simple lifestyle that stands in stark contrast to the materialistic worlds he often portrays on screen.
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.
Vincent was born in 1979, 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 Vincent Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Vincent's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
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
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the critically acclaimed role of Pete Campbell across all seven seasons of the landmark television series 'Mad Men'.
- Received a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination for Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries for his role as William Bradford in 'Saints & Strangers'.
- Starred as the vampire Connor in multiple seasons of the popular series 'Angel', a spin-off of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'.
- Played a young version of the villain Scarecrow (Dr. Jonathan Crane) in the HBO Max series 'Titans'.
Did You Know?
He and his former wife, actress Alexis Bledel, met on the set of 'Mad Men'.
Kartheiser famously lived in a small, sparsely furnished apartment in Los Angeles without a shower during the height of his 'Mad Men' fame.
He was a nationally ranked debater in high school.
He played the role of a young Nick in the film adaptation of 'The Crucible'.
“I think the best characters are the ones that are conflicted.”
