William Christian (actor)

Last updated
William Christian
Born
William Leonard Christian [1]

(1955-09-30) September 30, 1955 (age 67)
Alma mater Catholic University of America
American University
OccupationActor
Years active1985–present
Spouse
Gail Samuel
(m. 2002)
Children2

William Leonard Christian (born September 30, [2] 1955) [3] is an American stage and television actor. [4] He portrayed Police Chief Derek Frye on the soap opera All My Children from 1990 to 2007, and currently portrays the role of TR Coates on Days of Our Lives . [5]

Contents

Early life and education

Born in Washington, D.C., Christian attended elementary school at St. Francis De Sales where he was first exposed to acting. He then attended Archbishop Carroll High School where he participated in the theater program. [6] Christian attended at the Catholic University of America, where he learned about theatre and earned his bachelor's degree. He then attended at the American University, where earned his master's degree [2] based on drama.

Career

Christian moved to New York in the early 1980s, for which he was a member of the Actors Information Project, where he performed in stage productions. He appeared in commercials such as American Express and Burger King, among others. Christian performed in the 1989 Off-Broadway revival of the play The Member of the Wedding , appearing with actress Esther Rolle. [7] Christian guest-starred in television programs including The Cosby Show , ER , Malcolm in the Middle , Spin City , Hand of God (four episodes), Matlock , [7] Desperate Housewives and Monk . [3] In 1990, he was cast in the recurring role of Dr. Marshall Redd on Another World . [7] He then went on to portray the role of Derek Frye on All My Children from 1990 to 2007. [5] For this, he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1991. [8] [9] In 1995, Christian had spoken out at the Youth Forum Against Violence at the Network Club, making a speech to young people in Springfield, Massachusetts. [10] In 1996, he appeared in the Off-Broadway revival of the play The Boys in the Band . [11]

Christian first appeared on Days of Our Lives in 2018, where he portrayed an uncredited role known as "minion". In 2022, he was cast as TR Coates on Days of Our Lives, first appearing in the January 26, 2022, episode. [12] [13] Christian was cast following discussions with co-executive producer Albert Alarr. [14] He presently resides in Boston, Massachusetts with his family, and attributes them for encouraging him to take on the role. [14]

Personal life

In 2002, Christian married Gail Samuel. [1] [15] In 2021, Samuel would become the first female president and CEO of Boston Symphony Orchestra. [16] The couple welcomed their first child in the summer of 2005. [17] They have two sons, Samuel and Orlando. [15] [18] Christian currently lives in Boston with his wife and sons. [19]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989 The January Man Tim
2004Nine LivesRalph
2009Three TakesBradleyShort film
Contradictions of the HeartRoss Direct-to-video film
2010The Au PairsMr. DietrichShort film
2019Words to Live ByLarryShort film
2020Love & OrgasmsCharlie Gray

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985 The Cosby Show Mr. RobertsonEpisode: "Vanessa's New Class"
1988 Tattingers OscarEpisode: "Pilot"
1989 Another World Marshall ReedRecurring role
1990 All My Children Derek Frye Series regular (1990–2005)
1997 Law & Order Shawn TaittEpisode: "Blood"
2001Detective ReganEpisode: "Bronx Cheer"
1999 Spin City ManEpisode: "Klumageddon (Part 1)"
2003 Malcolm in the Middle DonEpisode: "Daycare"
Without a Trace BernardEpisode: "The Bus"
2008SteveEpisode: "Closure"
2008 ER HaywardEpisode: "…As the Day She Was Born"
Moonlight Ryan GoldEpisode: "Click"
Prison Break MiddletonEpisode: "Safe & Sound"
Hannah Montana Edward JohnsonEpisode: "We're All on This Date Together"
Desperate Housewives EMT #1Episode: "Mirror, Mirror"
2009 Monk BrettEpisode: "Mr. Monk Makes the Playoffs"
2011 I'm in the Band PilotEpisode: "Weasels in the House"
2017 Hand of God Manny
Recurring role: 4 Episodes
Episode: "Telling Me Your Dreams"
Episode: "The Last Thing Left"
Episode: "What a Man Can Be"
Episode: "He Must Be"
A Neighbor's DeceptionDean O'BrienTelevision film
2018 Days of Our Lives MannyUnder-five
2022 TR Coates Series regular
2020 How to Get Away with Murder DOJ AttorneyEpisode: "Let's Hurt Him"
Another MotherDetective CatesTelevision film
The Bay Dr. Marques AbrahamEpisode: "A Pitched Battle"
2021 Good Girls Store OwnerEpisode: "The Banker"

Related Research Articles

<i>The Young and the Restless</i> American daytime soap opera

The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City. First broadcast on March 26, 1973, The Young and the Restless was originally broadcast as half-hour episodes, five times a week. The show expanded to one-hour episodes on February 4, 1980. In 2006, the series began airing previous episodes weeknights on SOAPnet until 2013, when it moved to TVGN. As of July 1, 2013, Pop still airs previous episodes on weeknights. The series is also syndicated internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Seaforth Hayes</span> American actress (b. 1943)

Susan Seaforth Hayes is an American dramatic actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Julie Williams on the NBC drama Days of Our Lives, and her intermittent portrayal of Joanna Manning on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless. She began playing the role of Julie on Days of Our Lives in 1968, and is the only actor to appear on the show for all seven decades it has been on the air. Seaforth Hayes still regularly appears on Days as Julie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Reid</span> American actress (1914–2010)

Frances Reid was an American dramatic actress. Reid acted on television for nearly all of the second half of the 20th century. Her career continued into the early 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eileen Davidson</span> American actress, author and television personality

Eileen Marie Davidson is an American actress, author, television personality and former model. Davidson is best known for her roles in soap operas as Kristen DiMera and Susan Banks on NBC's Days of Our Lives and Ashley Abbott on CBS's The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamara Braun</span> American actress

Tamara Braun is an American actress known for her work on daytime television. She portrayed the role of Carly Corinthos on General Hospital from 2001–2005 and Reese Williams on All My Children from 2008 to 2009. In 2009, Braun won the Daytime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Ava Vitali on Days of Our Lives. She departed the series in 2008, briefly returning in the role of Taylor Walker during 2011. In 2015, Braun resumed the role of Ava as part of the series' 50th anniversary commemoration, remaining until 2016.

Vincent Michael Irizarry is an American actor. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1985 and 2002, and won in 2009.

Stacy Haiduk is an American actress. She starred as Lana Lang in the syndicated superhero series, Superboy (1988-1992) and as Katherine Hitchcock in the NBC science fiction series, seaQuest DSV (1993-1994). Haiduk also had leading roles in the short-lived NBC prime time soap opera, The Round Table (1992) and Fox supernatural horror series, Kindred: The Embraced (1996), and has appeared in a number of feature and made-for-television movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arianne Zucker</span> American actress and model

Arianne Bethene Zucker is an American actress and model. She is known for playing Nicole Walker on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives since 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Lowder</span> American actor (born 1980)

Kyle Brandon Lowder is an American actor and news anchor. He began his career in 2000, when he was cast in the role of Brady Black on the NBC/Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives; he remained in the role until his exit in 2005. Lowder went on to portray the role of Rick Forrester in the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful from January 2007 to January 2011. In 2018, he returned to Days of Our Lives as Rex Brady. Starting in July 2023, Lowder announced via his Instagram page that he will be the new morning co-anchor for CBS affiliate KTVN in Reno, Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryton James</span> American actor (born 1986)

Bryton McClure, also credited as Bryton James and mononymously as Bryton, is an American musical theatre, film and television actor. As a child actor, he played Richie Crawford on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters. He currently plays Devon Hamilton on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless in which he won two Daytime Emmy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Reynolds (actor)</span> American actor (born 1946)

James Reynolds is an American actor. He is best known for portraying the role of Abe Carver on Days of Our Lives, for which he won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2018.

Ronald David Carlivati is an American screenwriter. He is best known for his tenures as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital. He is currently serving a position as head writer for the Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sami Brady</span> Soap opera character

Sami Brady is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the Peacock streaming service, portrayed by Alison Sweeney since 1993. The character is first seen as a newborn baby in the episode of October 16, 1984, in which mom Marlena Evans gives birth to her and her twin brother Eric Brady. Initially played by a series of child actresses, Sweeney took over the role of Sami when the character was rapidly-aged from a pre-teen to a teenager, in January 1993, under the pen of head writers Sheri Anderson and James E. Reilly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandler Massey</span> American actor and singer (born 1990)

Chandler Abit Massey is an American actor and singer, best known for his portrayal of Will Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives.

<i>Days of Our Lives</i> American daytime soap opera (1965–present)

Days of Our Lives is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television network NBC from 1965 to 2022, is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965. A co-production of Corday Productions and Sony Pictures Television, the series was created by husband-and-wife team Ted Corday and Betty Corday. During Days of Our Lives' early years, Irna Phillips served as a story editor for the program and many of the show's earliest storylines were written by William J. Bell, who would depart the series in 1975 to focus full-time on The Young and the Restless, which he created for CBS in 1973. Following the 2007 cancellation of Passions, Days of Our Lives remained the only soap opera airing on NBC. On August 3, 2022, NBCUniversal announced that it would relocate the series exclusively to its Peacock streaming service beginning September 12 after 57 years on the network and leaving NBC as the only Big Three network without a daytime serial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Smith</span> American television actor (born 1988)

Freddie Matthew Smith is an American television actor. He is best known for his character Sonny Kiriakis, the first openly gay contract role on the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives. He also briefly portrayed Marco Salazar in the new franchise of 90210 aired on The CW.

Ben Weston (<i>Days of Our Lives</i>) Soap opera character

Ben Weston is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network, most notably portrayed by Robert Scott Wilson. The role was originated by Justin Gaston in 2014, as Ben Rogers, when the character was introduced as the new love interest of Abigail Deveraux, and was later revealed to be the estranged brother of Jordan Ridgeway.

Marci Miller is an American model and actress. She portrayed the role of Abigail Deveraux on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives from 2016 to 2018 and from 2020 to 2022. Miller's performance of Abigail has been met with critical acclaim, earning three Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

Zachary Atticus Tinker is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Fenmore Baldwin in the CBS Daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. In 2019, Tinker was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for his portrayal as the character. Tinker has also appeared in Law & Order True Crime, American Horror Story, NCIS: Los Angeles and Why Women Kill. In 2021, Tinker was cast as Sonny Kiriakis in the television miniseries Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem, a spinoff of the long-running NBC soap Days of Our Lives. In 2022, Tinker stepped into the role on the main series.

References

  1. 1 2 Di Lauro, Janet (January 26, 2022). "7 Things to Know About William Christian, Days of our Lives' TR Coates". Soap Hub . Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  2. 1 2 The Soap opera book: who's who in daytime drama. West Nyack, New York: Todd Publications. 1992. pp. 56–57 via Internet Archive.
  3. 1 2 "William Christian". AllMovie . Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  4. "Ebony (Vol. 47, No. 12)". Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company: 50. October 1992. ISSN   0012-9011 via Google Books.
  5. 1 2 Bowe, Jilian (January 21, 2022). "All My Children Vet William Christian Joins Days of Our Lives". Daytime Confidential. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  6. Mara Levinsky; Stephanie Sloane (January 28, 2022). "DAYS'S WILLIAM CHRISTIAN GUESTS ON DIGEST'S PODCAST". Soap Opera Digest (Podcast). American Media, Inc. Retrieved January 28, 2022.{{cite podcast}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 3 "Bill makes William nervous". The Province . Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. February 18, 1994. p. 85. Retrieved May 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  8. "Daytime Emmy Awards (1991) Winners & Nominees". Soap Opera Digest . Archived from the original on August 18, 2004. Retrieved May 9, 2022 via Wayback Machine.
  9. "Emmy nomination a 'surprise'". The Province . Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. May 17, 1991. p. 158. Retrieved May 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. Stephenson, B.L. (April 30, 1995). "Do the right thing, TV star tells teens - Forum urges student to use minds". The Republican . Springfield, Massachusetts. p. A15. Archived from the original on 2022-05-10. Retrieved May 10, 2022 via NewsBank.
  11. Hischak, Thomas (March 6, 2017). 100 Greatest American Plays. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 65. ISBN   9781442256064 via Google Books.
  12. "Who's Coming". Comings and Goings. Soap Opera Digest . Vol. 47, no. 4. United States: American Media, Inc. January 31, 2022. pp. 12–13.
  13. "All My Children Alum William Christian to Debut on Days of our Lives". MichaelFairmanTV. January 22, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  14. 1 2 "William Christian on Joining Days". Late-breaking News. Soap Opera Digest . Vol. 47, no. 5. United States: American Media, Inc. February 7, 2022. pp. 4–5.
  15. 1 2 "William Christian". A Noise Within. August 29, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  16. "The Interview: Boston Symphony Orchestra Head Gail Samuel". Boston . Metrocorp, Inc. September 28, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  17. peoplestaff225 (May 16, 2005). "All My Children's William Christian and wife expecting". People . Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  18. Castellanos, Camila (April 4, 2019). "Local Resident Instrumental in Advancing Philharmonic's Diverse Goals – Outlook Newspapers" . Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  19. "William Christian on Joining Days". Late-breaking News. Soap Opera Digest . Vol. 47, no. 5. United States: American Media, Inc. February 7, 2022. pp. 4–5.