Sean Whitesell was an actor, writer and producer who worked almost exclusively in television. He is best known for his work on the series Oz, Cold Case, Boston Public and Homicide: Life on the Street.

He began his career as a performer, before moving behind the camera. He landed roles on the series Law & Order, Flying Blind, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, The John Larroquette Show, Pacific Blue, Homicide: Life on the Street (in which he played recurring character Dr. Eli Devilbiss), and perhaps his most memorable part, as cannibal Donald Groves on HBO’s prison drama Oz. Whitesell appeared in eight episodes each of the latter two series, and ended his acting career in 2000, when he reprised his role as the doctor for Homicide: The Movie.

He became a staff writer for the same series in 1998, credited with writing 13 episodes in all. He also wrote and produced episodes for the series Oz, Boston Public, Cold Case, The Black Donnellys, House M.D., Memphis Beat, Borgia, Perception and The Killing. He also wrote episodes for The Beat and Borgia, and served as a producer on Push, Nevada.

He earned his first directing credit by helming the 2015 short film Eddie and the Aviator about a gravedigger who has a particularly bad day.

Whitesell was the brother of WME co-CEO Patrick Whitesell.

Sean Whitesell died December 31, 2015, in Los Angeles. He was 52.