Jeff Perry is a veteran character actor easily recognized as Cyrus Beene by devoted fans of the drama series "Scandal" (ABC, 2012- ). The Illinois native began acting at young age and founded the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1974, along with fellow Chicago-area actors Gary Sinise and Terry Kinney. Sticking primarily to stage work with Steppenwolf, Perry eventually made a push to land screen roles, and began appearing in TV guest spots during the late 1980s. In 1993, he had a recurring part on the popular series "L.A. Law" (NBC, 1986-1994) which led to more television stints, notably his regular role on the cop show, "Nash Bridges" (CBS, 1996-2001). While mixing in occasional film and theater productions, Perry remained most visible on TV, finding his signature part as Cyrus Beene, the White House Chief of Staff on the surprise hit series "Scandal," a program that finally allowed him to display his full versatility.