Dakin Matthews

Melvin Richard "Dakin" Matthews (born November 7, 1940) is an American actor, playwright, theatre director, and theatrical scholar. Best known for his roles as Herb Kelcher in My Two Dads (1987–1989), Hanlin Charleston in Gilmore Girls (2000–2007), and Reverend Sikes in Desperate Housewives (2004–2012). Born in Oakland, California, Matthews originally aspired to become a Roman Catholic priest before pursuing a career in drama. He taught at the Juilliard School, where he mentored notable actors such as Kevin Kline and Patti LuPone. Matthews has also acted and taught at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, with Annette Bening being one of his students. He is currently an Emeritus Professor of English at California State University, East Bay.