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Jay R. Ferguson

Jay R. Ferguson

Actor, also producer · Born July 25, 1974 (52) · Dallas, Texas, USA

Jay Rowland Ferguson Jr. (born July 25, 1974) is an American actor. Best known as Taylor Newton in Evening Shade (1990-1994), Stan Rizzo in Mad Men (2010-2015), and Ben in The Conners (2018-present). Ferguson was born in Dallas, Texas. In 1989, Ferguson played Ponyboy Curtis in the television adaptation of S. E. Hinton's novel The Outsiders.[1] His notable television roles include Taylor Newton in four seasons of the CBS sitcom Evening Shade, Dr. Todd Hooper on Judging Amy, Rich Connelly in the 2005 NBC television series Surface, Agent Warren Russell on the Showtime series Sleeper Cell, Stan Rizzo on the AMC series Mad Men, and as Pat O'Neal, the father of the O'Neal family in the ABC series The Real O'Neals. His film roles include Billy in Higher Learning, Elmer Conway in The Killer Inside Me, and Keith Clayton in The Lucky One. In 2018, he played Chip Curry in the CBS sitcom Living Biblically. Since 2018, he has played Darlene's boss (and eventual lover), Ben, in The Conners.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 25, 1974 (52)
From
Dallas, Texas, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
32 on MovieCove · 45 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 20% in 30 days

What are Jay R. Ferguson's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
31%
Bonds
22%
Survival
17%
Society
15%
Morality
13%
Power
1%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 6 · Serious 4 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 10 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 6
Shadow
2 of 6
Hero
1 of 6
Trickster
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Warm
6
Melancholic
6
Dread
4
Hopeful
5
Other
11

How their films linger

Feel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet10
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jay R. Ferguson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jay R. Ferguson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

45 credits, 32 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Paper(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Randy

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Briarpatch(2019)

    Show 10 episodes · as Jake Spivey

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • The Conners(2018)

    Show 95 episodes · as Ben

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows

  • The Romanoffs(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Garner

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Living Biblically (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 13 episodes · as Chip Curry

  • The Real O'Neals(2016)

    Show 29 episodes · as Pat O'Neal

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • A Stand Up Guy(2016)

    as Manny

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • American Crime Story(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · as Agent Keith Evans, FBI

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Club Life(2015)

    as Steven

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Little Loopers(2015)

    as Todd

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Makings of You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Wallis

  • Back in the Day(2014)

    as Mark

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Ray Donovan(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Thomas Volcheck

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Mindy Project(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Drew Schakowsky

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • The Unknown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • The Lucky One(2012)

    as Keith Clayton

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Killer Inside Me(2010)

    as Elmer Conway

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Castle(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Dick Coonan

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Lie to Me(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Jimmy

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Easy Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • Mad Men(2007)

    Show 46 episodes · as Stan Rizzo

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Burn Notice(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as John O'Lear

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Swedish Auto(2006)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Sleeper Cell(2005)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Surface(2005)

    Show 15 episodes · as Rich Connelly

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Weeds(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Keith

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Medium(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Tommy Lehane

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Criminology 101 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Johnny

  • CSI: Miami(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Larry Hopkins

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • The Year That Trembled(2002)

    as Isaac Hoskins

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Glory Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 9 episodes · as Rudy Dunlop

  • Hollywood Palms(2001)

    as Riley

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The in Crowd(2000)

    as Andy

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Blue Ridge Fall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Shane

  • Judging Amy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 7 episodes · as Dr. Todd Hooper

  • Girl(1998)

    as Parker Blackman

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Pink as the Day She Was Born (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Actor

  • Campfire Tales(1997)

    as Cliff (segment "The Campfire")

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Price of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Beau

  • Higher Learning(1995)

    as Billy

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Evening Shade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 100 episodes · as Taylor Newton

  • Shattered Dreams(1990)

    as Older Dotti

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Twin Peaks(1990)

    Show 4 episodes · as Randall Headley

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Outsiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 13 episodes · as Ponyboy Curtis

  • The Bard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 44 titles, 43 of them dated from 1990 to 2025; peak year 2011.

Biggest box office

The Lucky One (2012)

$99M worldwide

Highest rated

The Real O'Neals (2016)

Midcredits 61st

Most popular right now

The Conners (2018)

Film career

19902025

Peak 2011 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting44 of 44: 44 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rd

By decade

1990s11 · acting2000s15 · acting2010s15 · acting2020s2 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 8 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Jay R. Ferguson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 29th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 15th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

15thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 32 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

The Conners (2018)

94th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Mad Men (2007)

Midcredits 98th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 41. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jay R. Ferguson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 41 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles41–53 · median 47 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 40 · moderateMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jay R. Ferguson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jay R. Ferguson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Kim Murphy shares the most, 2.

Actors

Cinematographers

Producers