Jeff Fahey was born in Olean, New York, to Jane (Gallagher) and Francis Thomas Fahey, a clothing store owner, as the eldest of 13 children, with Irish heritage. At the tender age of 10, his family relocated to Buffalo, where he attended Father Baker's High School and graduated in 1972.
Following his graduation, Fahey embarked on a journey of self-discovery, traveling the world and taking on various odd jobs. He worked as a crewman on a fishing boat, drove an ambulance in Germany, lived in a kibbutz in Israel, and even spent time in India. This eclectic experience would later influence his approach to acting.
Upon returning to Buffalo, Fahey joined the Studio Arena Theatre, where he honed his craft and developed a passion for the performing arts. He eventually made his way to New York City, where he studied with renowned acting coach Myra Rastova and began performing in off-Broadway productions and television soap operas.
In the late 1980s, Fahey co-founded a production company, which produced several off-Broadway shows at the Raft Theatre on Theatre Row. His breakthrough role in motion pictures came in 1985, when he played the cold-blooded killer Tyree in Lawrence Kasdan's Silverado, opposite Brian Dennehy.
Fahey's impressive résumé also includes appearances in the acclaimed live television play The Execution of Raymond Graham (1985),the TNT mini-series "44 Days," and the daytime serial One Life to Live (1968),which he starred in for over two years.
In addition to his work in television and film, Fahey has had a successful career in theater. He has appeared in the Broadway revival of Brigadoon, toured with Oklahoma, performed in Paris in West Side Story, and even starred alongside Albert Finney in the London production of Orphans.
