James Read

Last updated
James Read
Born
James Christopher Read

(1953-07-31) July 31, 1953 (age 70)
Buffalo, New York, United States
Nationality American
Alma mater Pepperdine University
Occupation Actor
Years active1982–present
Known for North and South
Charmed
Days of Our Lives
Spouses
Lora Lee
(m. 1978;div. 1983)
(m. 1988)
Children3

James Christopher Read (born July 31, 1953) is an American actor. He played the role of George Hazard in the North and South television miniseries, [1] and had a recurring role as Victor Bennett on the supernatural series Charmed between 2001 and 2006.

Contents

Early life

Read was born in Buffalo, New York. His family moved to Niskayuna NY where he and his brother William Read III went to school. He started acting as a student of law at the University of Oregon where he graduated in 1976.[ citation needed ] He studied acting in New York City and then did several Off-Broadway and regional theaters such as The Denver Center Theatre Company , where he had a couple of leading roles and spent three seasons. In 1998, he earned his Master's degree in psychology from Pepperdine University.

Career

Read is best known for his role as George Hazard in the three North and South miniseries (1985, 1986 and 1994) based on the John Jakes trilogy of novels of the same name (his co-star, Patrick Swayze, taught him how to ride a horse), and for his co-starring role in the movie Beaches (1988).

He had a recurring role on The WB series Charmed as Victor Bennett and was also a regular during the first season of Remington Steele . Recently, he could be seen as Ken Davis on the ABC family drama Wildfire and as ambassador Franklin Fairchild on the 2010 television series Persons Unknown . In 2008, he directed an episode of "Wildfire". In 2009, he performed in Better Angels as Abraham Lincoln at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, California. Since 2014, he has played the role of drug lord Clyde Weston on the soap opera Days of Our Lives . [2] On May 30, 2018, Michael Fairman TV and Soap Opera Digest announced Read joined the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital on June 6, 2018, as Gregory Chase. [3] [4]

Personal life

Read married Lora Lee in June 1978, and their marriage ended in divorce in 1983. He then married former actress/attorney Wendy Kilbourne in 1988, and the couple has three children: a son, Jackson (b. 1990), and two daughters Willa (b. 1994; stillborn [5] ) and Sydney (b. 1995). The family resides in Santa Barbara, California.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983 Blue Thunder Policeman at Bridge
1984 The Initiation Peter
1988 Eight Men Out Claude "Lefty" Williams
1988 Beaches Michael Essex
1992 Love Crimes Stanton Gray
1997 Walking Thunder Abner Murdock
2001 Legally Blonde Elle's father
2001 Not Another Teen Movie Preston's father
2003 Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde Elle's father
2005 A Lot Like Love Brent Friehl
2009 Fame Alice's dad

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982 Cheers H. W. SawyerEpisode: "Friends, Romans, and Accountants"
1982–1983 Remington Steele Murphy MichaelsMain role (season 1)
1983 Trapper John, M.D. Ace BukowskiEpisode: "The Agony of D'Feet"
1983 Fantasy Island Eddie RandomEpisode: "Random Choices/My Mother, the Swinger"
1983HotelPikeEpisode: "Christmas"
1984JessieThe StreakEpisode: "The Lady Killer"
1984 Matt Houston Fletcher/Jason HaywoodEpisode: "The High Fashion Murders"
1985 Robert Kennedy and His Times Ted Kennedy Miniseries
1985 Lace II Daryl WebsterTelevision movie
1985Midas ValleyJosh LandauTelevision movie
1985 North and South George HazzardMiniseries
1986 North and South: Book II George HazzardMiniseries
1987 Shell Game Riley/John ReidRecurring role, 6 episodes
1987 Celebration Family James MarstonTelevision movie
1987 Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story Cary GrantTelevision movie
1990 Columbo Dr. Wesley CormanEpisode: "Uneasy Lies the Crown"
1990 Midnight Caller Richard ClarkEpisode: "Nighthawk's Got the Blues"
1990LolaPeter BalticTelevision movie
1990Web of DeceitPaul EvanstonTelevision movie
1990 Back to Hannibal: The Return of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn HughTelevision movie; credited as Read James
1991 Princesses Michael DecrowEpisode: "Pilot"
1992The President's ChildSenator James GuthrieTelevision movie
1994 North and South: Book III George HazzardMiniseries
1994 Heaven Help Us MaxEpisode: "The Last Great Hope"
1995 Murder, She Wrote Boyd VentonEpisode: "Death 'N Denial"
1995 The Other Woman Michael BryanTelevision movie
1995 When the Dark Man Calls Detective Michael LiebermanTelevision movie
1996 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Jack OlsenEpisode: "The Dad Who Came in from the Cold"
1996 Harvest of Fire ScottTelevision movie
1996Full CircleJudge CarterTelevision movie
1996 Home Improvement Captain JenkinsEpisode: "At Sea"
1997 7th Heaven Bill SandersEpisode: "Brave New World"
1997 The Cape JeffEpisode: "Just Like Old Times"
1997 Diagnosis Murder David McReynoldsEpisode: "Open and Shut"
1998IndiscretZachariah DoddTelevision movie
1999 Profiler James LoftonEpisode: "Las Brias"
2000 Touched by an Angel NickEpisode: "Millennium"
2001 Star Trek: Voyager Jaffen2 episodes
2001–2006 Charmed Victor Bennett Recurring role, 13 episodes
2002 Becker DanEpisode: "The Ex-Files"
2002 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch BenEpisode: "The Competition"
2002–2005 American Dreams George MasonRecurring role, 10 episodes
2005 Crossing Jordan Dean William HargraveEpisode: "Family Affair"
2005–2008 Wildfire Ken DavisMain role; also: director, episode "The Comeback"
2006 Pepper Dennis Mr. BrinkmanEpisode: "Dennis, Bulgari, Big Losers at ACoRNS"
2008 Cold Case Professor Robert Boreki '08Episode: "Glory Days"
2010 In Plain Sight Damon SchmidtEpisode: "The Born Identity"
2010 Persons Unknown Franklin FairchildRecurring role, 5 episodes
2010 All Signs of Death Westin NyeTelevision movie
2011 Castle Anton McHughEpisode: "Eye of the Beholder"
2012 CSI: NY Robert MonroeEpisode: "Late Admissions"
2014–2018,
2021–present
Days of Our Lives Clyde Weston Recurring role
2017 This Is Us Duffy CollinsEpisode: "Number One"
2018 NCIS Alan NewhallEpisode: "Dark Secrets"
2018 General Hospital Gregory ChaseEpisode #1.14096
2022 The Orville: New Horizons Admiral Paul ChristieEpisode: "Shadow Realms"

Theater

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009Better Angels Abraham Lincoln play at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, California
2012 King Lear Albanyplay at the Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Massachusetts
2012 The Tempest Antonioplay at the Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Massachusetts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Christopher (actor)</span> American actor (1972–2023)

Tyler Christopher Baker was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Nikolas Cassadine and Connor Bishop (2004–2005) on the ABC soap opera General Hospital.

Ingo Rademacher is a German-Australian television actor best known for his role of Jasper "Jax" Jacks on the American daytime soap opera General Hospital, which he played in multiple stints from 1996 to 2021. In 2012, he played Officer Sacks in the film Alex Cross. Rademacher placed 5th on the 16th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikolas Cassadine</span> Fictional character

Nikolas Cassadine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. Originated by actor Tyler Christopher in 1996, he left the show on July 14, 1999. Due to Nikolas' importance on the soap, he was immediately replaced by Coltin Scott on July 20, 1999. Scott left the role on April 16, 2003, as Christopher made his return on April 21, 2003. Chris Beetem temporarily played the role in 2005. Christopher vacated the role on July 28, 2011, after he was let go from the series. Christopher once again reprised the role on a recurring basis in honor of the soaps' fiftieth anniversary; he was later upgraded to a series regular. Actor Nick Stabile took claim of the role in June 2016 in Christopher's absence. In 2019, Marcus Coloma was cast in the role as a series regular, with Adam Huss temporarily stepping in 2021–2023. Coloma departed in January 2023. In August 2023, Huss returned to the role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dillon Quartermaine</span> Fictional character from General Hospital

Dillon Quartermaine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Corinthos</span> Fictional character from the original ABC Daytime soap opera, General Hospital

Morgan Corinthos is a fictional character from the original ABC Daytime soap opera, General Hospital, last portrayed by Bryan Craig. Morgan is the first biological child of Sonny and Carly Corinthos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Miller (actor)</span> American actor (1979–2023)

William John Miller II was an American actor. He was recognized for his work on American soap operas, including his award-winning work as Billy Abbott on The Young and the Restless and his dual portrayals of Jason Morgan and Drew Cain on General Hospital.

Sean Blakemore is an American actor who is portraying Shawn Butler on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital, a role he began playing on January 21, 2011 on a recurring basis. Blakemore was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role on General Hospital in 2012 and won the award in 2016. On April 6, 2011, he signed a contract with ABC to continue his role full-time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valentin Cassadine</span> Soap opera character

Valentin Cassadine is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network. The character was initially conceived in 2009 by head writer Robert Guza Jr., as a previously unknown member of the wealthy Cassadine family looking to wreak havoc on both the Cassadine and Spencer families. However, initial plans for the character's introduction were delayed and completely abandoned by 2010. In 2016, it was announced that All My Children alumnus James Patrick Stuart had joined the cast in the mystery role of Theo – who is revealed to be Valentin. Valentin is known for being the most evil of the Cassadine sons, having been disowned by his father at a very young age. At one point, he poisons his mother Helena.

Kelly Hager Thiebaud is an American actress and model best known for her portrayal of Dr. Britt Westbourne on ABC daytime soap opera, General Hospital, for which she won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Craig</span> American actor

Bryan Allen Craig is an American actor. He is best known for playing Morgan Corinthos in the soap opera General Hospital and Joaquin Perez in Good Trouble.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madeline Reeves</span> Soap opera character

Madeline Reeves is a fictional character on the long-running ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, portrayed by Donna Mills, who made her appearance on March 14, 2014. The casting was announced in January 2014. Madeline was introduced as the estranged mother-in-law of Dr. Silas Clay and mother of Silas' comatose wife Nina Reeves and, biological aunt of Nathan West — whom she raised as her own. Madeline is also revealed to be the estranged sister of established character Dr. Liesl Obrecht having remade herself. Mills wrapped her initial stint in May 2014. Though the character was supposed to be short-term, Mills reprised the role of Madeline from October 2014 to January 2015. The character once again resurfaced in May 2015. Her returns have centered on Madeline's attempts to get back in her son's good graces and get her hands on the family fortune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Paevey</span> American actor and model (born 1984)

Ryan Jacob Paevey-Vlieger, better known as Ryan Paevey, is an American actor and model, best known for his role as Nathan West on the ABC soap opera General Hospital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levi Dunkleman</span> Soap opera character

Peter Harrell, Jr. commonly known by the pseudonym Levi Dunkleman is a fictional character from the original ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital, played by Australian actor Zachary Garred. The character was introduced in April 2014 by executive producer, Frank Valentini under head writer, Ron Carlivati as a quirky environmentalist from Australia going by the name Levi Dunkleman. "Levi" comes to town as the new boyfriend of the recently returned Maxie Jones and he develops a rivalry with her roommate and potential love interest, Nathan West. Levi has heavy influence in Maxie's life which doesn't sit well with Nathan or Maxie's stepfather, Mac Scorpio. Levi proceeds to isolate Maxie from her friends and family by sabotaging her chances of regaining custody of her daughter and getting Nathan kicked out of their apartment. To keep Levi from being deported, Maxie agrees to marry him. On their wedding day, Nathan exposes that Levi has been after her mother, Felicia 's Aztec jewelry and Levi takes Maxie hostage. On August 26, 2014, it is revealed onscreen that Levi is the son of Felicia's late fiancé, Peter Harrell played by Judson Scott from 1984 to 1985.

Nathan West (<i>General Hospital</i>) Fictional character from General Hospital

Nathan West is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network, portrayed by Ryan Paevey. Created by head writer Ron Carlivati, Nathan was introduced in late 2013 by Frank Valentini as a love interest for Maxie Jones. In January 2018, Paevey announced he had opted to leave the serial of his own decision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pierson Fodé</span> American actor

Pierson Dane Fodé is an American actor, Internet personality, and model known for his roles as Brooks on Disney Channel's Jessie and Ely in the 2015 romantic comedy film Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List. Fodé has gone on to portray Thomas Forrester on the CBS drama series The Bold and the Beautiful, as well as make appearances in Tacoma FD, Dynasty and The Real Bros of Simi Valley. Fodé previously starred in a CW pilot, "Glamorous".

Chloe Lanier is an American actress. She is best known for her role on the ABC soap opera General Hospital as the villainous Nelle Benson. For her portrayal, Lanier was nominated for three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series, winning in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter August</span> Fictional character

Peter August is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network, portrayed by Wes Ramsey. Peter is introduced as a media publisher in 2017, and is soon revealed to be the previously unknown son of Cesar Faison and Alex Marick. However, he was believed to be the son of Anna Devane, Alex's twin sister.

Joshua Swickard is an American model and actor. In 2018 he began playing the role of Harrison Chase in the ABC daytime soap opera, General Hospital. Swickard also starred in films A California Christmas (2020) and its sequel, A California Christmas: City Lights (2021), and Holiday in the Vineyards (2023).

References

  1. Armstrong, Lois (May 12, 1986). "Returning in North and South, James Read Steers His Career, and Love Life, in the Right Direction". People . Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  2. "Days Recap: Four Dollar Haircut". Soaps.com . March 10, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  3. Fairman, Michael (May 30, 2018). "James Read to GH as Finn and Chase's Dad". Michael Fairman TV . Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  4. "James Read to GH". Soap Opera Digest . May 31, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  5. Abcarian, Robin (1994-07-17). "When the Perfect Pregnancy Goes Haywire". Los Angeles Times . ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved 2018-07-18.