Jack Coleman's first major role was in the soap opera, Days of our Lives, where he appeared from 1981 to 1982 as the character of Jake Kositchek (aka The Salem Strangler).[2] In 1982, he joined the cast of Dynasty when he took over the role of Steven Carrington, one of the first gay characters on television. The role was originally portrayed by Al Corley. Coleman played the role until 1988.

He was a regular on the short-lived series, Nightmare Cafe (1992), and appeared on the mini-series, Kingdom Hospital (2004). He made guest appearances in The Net (TV series), CSI: Miami, Nip/Tuck, Without A Trace and Entourage.[3] He co-starred as Alyson & Amanda Michalka's father in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Cow Belles. He was nominated for his performance in the play, Stand-up Tragedy at the Mark Taper Forum, and won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his performance in Bouncers. He wrote the screenplays for Studio City, which he produced and acted in, and Can't Help Falling, which he hopes to produce. Coleman is currently a main cast member of the hit science-fiction series, Heroes, where he plays Noah Bennet (a.k.a "(The Man With) Horn-Rimmed Glasses" or "HRG"). In regards to portraying the character, Coleman states, "It's a combination of the light and dark. I don't want to just be a moustache twirling villain.”

He is a sixth-generation descendant of American inventor, Benjamin Franklin.[1] He attended Solebury School and Duke University, where he decided to pursue acting as a career. After graduating from Duke in 1980, he attended the National Theater Institute. He married actress Beth Toussaint in 1996. They have a daughter, Tess, born in 1999.