Jack Malone (Without a Trace)
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Special Agent John "Jack" Michael Malone (played by Anthony LaPaglia) is a character in the television program Without a Trace. He is the lead agent for the New York City FBI missing persons case squad. His formal departmental title is Supervisory Special Agent of New York District Unit C-8.[1]
Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[2] Jack's mother committed suicide when he was 16.[3] She attempted once before but Jack caught her and made her promise not to try again. She agreed but asked him not to tell his father. He has suffered intermittent guilt for not preventing her death and wishes he had told his father. At age 19, he enlisted in the US Army (at his father's urging) and served for 6 years in the 82nd Airborne Division before returning back to Pittsburgh, suffering from depression.[2] Jack tried to commit suicide once at age 26 by driving his car into a telephone pole, but when asked about it, he claims that he fell asleep at the wheel.[2] His wife, who knows the truth, later uses this information against Jack.[2] After taking a year off after leaving the service, Jack returned to college, where he received his bachelor's and his master's degree in psychology.[2] His marriage imploded after he had an affair with his subordinate, Agent Samantha Spade (Poppy Montgomery), and because of his long work hours. Although he later returned to his wife Maria, a lawyer, she left him at the end of the second season, moved to Chicago, and obtained full custody of their two daughters, Hannah and Kate. Jack's long work hours and troubled family history was used against him during the custody battle, though in the end he decided it would be better for them if they stayed with their mother.[2] He still remains in close contact with the girls but struggles with his relationship with Hannah. Hannah resents him for the divorce and frequently refuses to speak to him. He is concerned about the future of his relationships with his daughters.
In the fourth season, Jack dealt with the death of his father (played by Martin Landau) from Alzheimer's Disease and started a new relationship with Anne (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), the widow of a fellow agent. Soon after they started dating, he learned that Anne was pregnant, which was an unpleasant surprise to both of them.
In the fifth season, Jack is dealing with the aftermath of a hostage standoff involving Anne and with her unexpected pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage. The miscarriage abruptly ends their relationship.
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