Chris Potter (actor)

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Chris Potter
Chris Potter 2015.jpg
Potter at the 2015 CBC Con
Born
Christopher Jay Potter

(1960-08-23) August 23, 1960 (age 65)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OccupationActor
Years active1988–present
Spouse
Karen Potter
(m. 1985)
Children4

Christopher Jay Potter (born August 23, 1960) is a Canadian actor. He is primarily known for his roles on soap operas and prime-time television. Potter is known for his roles as Peter Caine, the son of Kwai Chang Caine (played by David Carradine) on the 1990s crime drama Kung Fu: The Legend Continues , Sgt. Tom Ryan in Silk Stalkings , Dr. David Cameron on the first season of Queer as Folk , the voice of Gambit in the X-Men: The Animated Series , and for his recurring role as con-artist Evan Owen on The Young and the Restless . His most prominent role is as Tim Fleming on the long-running Canadian drama Heartland .

Contents

Early life

The oldest of three children, Potter was born in Toronto, Ontario, to Ron Potter, an ex-pro-football player and insurance executive, and Judith Potter, a singer. [1] Potter was raised in London, Ontario and attended Oakridge Secondary School. His mother was interested, and got her son involved, in community theater. [2] He also developed an interest in sports and music. [1]

Potter wanted a career as a professional athlete; however, his father would not permit it. He later quit college to start a career as a rock musician. He discovered a love for the theater and became a professional stage actor. He also worked on an oil rig in Northern Canada, sold cars, and later became an insurance salesman. [2] He left the insurance company to start his career on TV, as an actor and a pitchman.

Career

After being a spokesman on many commercials in the 1980s, and his role in Material World, [2] he finally made his mark in TV playing David Carradine's son and crime-fighting partner, Det. Peter Caine on Kung Fu: The Legend Continues , after receiving a contract with Warner Bros. in 1992, and remained close friends with Carradine until his death in 2009. [3] His first role, in 1993, was a hit in both Canada and United States. From 1996 to 1999, he starred in the crime drama Silk Stalkings as Sgt. Tom Ryan [4] [5] He also provided the voice of Gambit for at least the first four seasons of X-Men: The Animated Series . [6]

Potter was featured in Rocket's Red Glare (2000). He appeared on the first season as Dr. David Cameron on Queer as Folk opposite Hal Sparks, and he starred in a mini-series A Wrinkle in Time (2003) for ABC. He also co-starred with Joely Fisher in Wild Card from 2003 to 2005. Potter also appeared in Spymate (2006). He also played Graydon Jennings in the movie Thrill of The Kill.

The following year, he landed another role opposite Amber Marshall in the CBC Television series Heartland playing the role of Tim Fleming. [3] Also in 2007, Potter joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in a recurring role as Evan Owen, playing opposite Judith Chapman, with whom he had previously appeared on an episode of Silk Stalkings ; Potter remained on The Young and the Restless until being written out in early 2008. [7]

From 2008 to 2014 Potter was in a series of TV movies featuring The Good Witch , portraying Jake Russell. On three of the films, The Good Witch's Charm , The Good Witch's Destiny and The Good Witch's Wonder , he was co-executive producer. One of his co-stars Catherine Disher had previously worked with him, on the X-Men and two episodes of KF:TLC. [8] Potter was unable to continue the role on the Good Witch television series because of scheduling conflicts with his work on Heartland . [9]

Personal life

Potter is married to Karen, and they have four children. [8]

Filmography

Films

Television

Chris Potter television credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1988 War of the Worlds FarmerEpisode: "The Walls of Jericho"
1989 Knightwatch TonnelliEpisode: "Cops: Part 2"
Street Legal Grant SimonEpisode: "Confession"
Katts and Dog Griff LewisEpisode: "Fatal Obsession"
1990-1992 Top Cops Various6 episodes
Material World Tim LyonsSeasons 1-3
1992 Counterstrike BillyEpisode: "The Three Tramps"
1992-1996 X-Men: The Animated Series Remy LeBeau / Gambit (voice)Regular role (5 seasons)
1993-1997 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Peter Caine Main role (4 seasons)
1995 Spider-Man: The Animated Series Remy LeBeau / Gambit (voice)2 episodes
1996The Nightmare StepbrotherAdrian WilliamsTelevision movie
1996-2000Legends of AchillesAchillesMain role
96 episodes
1996-1999 Silk Stalkings Detective Sergeant Tom RyanMain role (seasons 6-8)
1998The Waiting GameAdrian SevilleTV movie
1999 The Outer Limits Captain TurnerEpisode: "Stranded"
2000 Queer as Folk Dr. David CameronRecurring role (season 1)
Will & Grace MichaelEpisode: "Hey La, Hey La, My Ex-Boyfriend's Back"
2001 Final Jeopardy Jed SeigelTV movie
Touched by an Angel Michael ReillyEpisode: "Angels Anonymous"
2003 Andromeda Able LadroneEpisode: "The Right Horse"
Rush of FearSam BryantTV movie
A Wrinkle in Time Dr Jack MurryTV movie
2003-2005 Wild Card aka Zoe Busiek: Wild Card Dan LennoxCo-lead
2004 Open House David MorrowTV movie
Sex Traffic Tom HarlsburghTV movie
2004-2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Mr. Rice / Linus KcKellen2 episodes
2005 One Tree Hill Ray GreenEpisode: "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning"
Trump Unauthorized Fred Trump Jr., adultTV movie
2007 Superstorm Dan AbramsTV miniseries
The Young and the Restless Evan Owen12 episodes
2007-present Heartland Tim FlemingMain Cast
2008 The Good Witch Jake RussellTV movie
2009 The Good Witch's Garden Jake RussellTV movie
2010 The Good Witch's Gift Jake RussellTV movie
2010 A Heartland Christmas Tim FlemingTV movie
2011 The Good Witch's Family Jake RussellTV movie
2012 The Good Witch's Charm Jake RussellTV movie
2013 The Good Witch's Destiny Jake RussellTV movie
2014 The Good Witch's Wonder Jake RussellTV movie
2015 Angels in the Snow Charles MontgomeryTV movie
2024 X-Men '97 Nathan Summers / Cable (voice)5 episodes [10]

Director

Heartland
Silk Stalkings

References

  1. 1 2 Belanger, Joe (November 10, 2017). "Ex-Londoner Chris Potter has forged a long, successful career in TV". The London Free Press .
  2. 1 2 3 "Chris Potter – The New Kung Fu - The Legend Continues: Interview by Dwight Brown". Backkicks Martial Arts Encyclopdedia. June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Chris Potter : Canadian TV's Busiest Actor". jamesbawden.blogspot.ca. October 2, 2009. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  4. "TV Q&A -- 'Kung Fu' Canceled, But You Can Still See Potter | The Seattle Times". archive.seattletimes.com.
  5. "'STALKINGS' LIMPS TO END OF RUN". New York Daily News . April 16, 1999.
  6. "Saturday Morning Rewind: Cartoon Podcast". saturdaymorningrewind.podbean.com. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  7. "Spotlight on Y&R's Chris Potter". soapoperadigest.com. May 16, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Chris Potter Actor | Magazine Interview with Chris Potter". yourteenmag.com. October 25, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  9. "Why did Good Witch; kill off Jake? Catherine Bell explains". Zap2it. March 7, 2015. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  10. "'X-Men '97' exclusive look reveals legacy costumes, Theo James casting". EW.com.