text: Anthony "Tony" Almeida  is a fictional character portrayed by Carlos Bernard on the television series 24. Almeida appeared in a total of 126 episodes (including 24: Legacy), the second highest number of episodes of any character in the series, behind Jack Bauer (192, played by Kiefer Sutherland) and just ahead of Chloe O'Brian (125, played by Mary Lynn Rajskub). Despite initially having friction with Jack Bauer, he eventually develops a strong friendship with Jack and becomes one of the few people Jack trusts unconditionally with his life. However, the loss of his wife Michelle Dessler and unborn son at the hands of a government conspiracy drives him into despair and then rage. His descent into darkness and evil to seek revenge against those responsible for destroying his life is widely lamented by fans and showcases a dark contrast to Jack whose life has also been ruined by the government.
  Characterization
  Tony Almeida was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1972 to an Italian mother and a Spanish Portuguese father.  He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Engineering from San Diego State University and a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from Stanford University. He served in the United States Marine Corps and attended Scout Sniper and Surveillance and Target Acquisition training. He was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant and worked as a systems analyst before being hired by CTU. He was previously on more episodes than any other character, second to Jack Bauer, but was surpassed by Chloe O'Brien.
  Appearances