Actor Biography - Richard Dean Anderson

Richard Dean Anderson is better known to the world as the popular mullet-haired TV character MacGyver. Despite the popularity of the character, he managed to avoid being typecast and even took on challenging roles on several movies. In his first TV movie ‘Ordinary Heroes’ he played a Vietnam soldier who became blind three days before returning home. Later, as though tired of playing a good guy he started to take on roles as a villain. Before becoming a celebrity, Richard Dean Anderson lived an ordinary life in Minneapolis with his parents and three siblings. He, like most kids in Minnesota, wanted to become a professional hockey player. Unfortunately, at the age of 16 he broke both his arms and made this dream impossible.   Continue reading...Although he did not fulfill that childhood dream, he continues to feel passionate about the sport. In fact he even played a hockey coach in the MacGyver episode ‘Thin Ice’ and was one of the initiators of the Celebrity All Star Hockey team. Aside from hockey, Richard Dean Anderson found a deep love for adventure, which was realized when as a teenager he took a 5,641-mile bicycle trip from Minnesota through Canada and Alaska. After this stint, he pursued his interest in acting and went to study drama at St. Cloud State University and Ohio University where he had a band called Ricky Dean and Dante. However, he left school before finishing his degree and went on taking odd jobs such as a mime, juggler and a performer in marine mammals shows. His first big break was when he played Dr. Jeff Webber in the soap opera ‘General Hospital’, but it was the show MacGyver that made him a TV star. According to him, he was able to get the role because he had asked to wear his reading glasses for the ‘cold read’. The producers found that this act was perfect for the unpretentious character MacGyver and decided to give him the part. The TV series ran for seven seasons and had two made-for-TV movies. After the series ended, Richard Dean Anderson returned to the small screen as Colonel Jack O’Neill in the sci-fi series ‘Stargate SG-1’. He left the show in 2005 when his role in the series had significantly decreased. This allowed him to spend more time with his only child, Wylie Quinn Annarose Anderson. Richard Dean Anderson has never married, but has a long-time partner Apryl Prose. He is known to be a private person, but he at times lets people in his personal interests such as his love for his “favorite people’, which in reality are dogs. Learn more about this TV actor in Richard Dean Anderson’s Official Website or MacGyver episode summaries.

Actor Biography - Chris Potter

Chris Potter, not to be confused with the jazz saxophonist, is a Canadian actor who gained worldwide popularity in shows such as 'Kung Fu: The Legend Continues' and 'Silk Stalkings'. Being the son of a pro-football player, it seemed unlikely for him to enter acting. Thanks to his mother who engaged him in Community Theater when he was a boy, Chris Potter discovered a love for acting. However, he did not truly consider pursuing an entertainment career. Continue reading...In fact, he worked as a stockbroker for a time and resolved to amateur theater production performances. His big break came when Martha Henry, a distinguished Canadian actress, cast him in the Canadian production of Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues. He later got a leading role in the television series Material World as a result of this. Chris Potter’s entertainment career continued to flourish in the 90’s. He played the son of David Carradine in the action TV series ‘Kung Fu The Legend Continues’. Later, he played the role of Tom Ryan opposite Janet Gunn as Cassandra St. John in the television show ‘Silk Stalkings’. It was believed that it was their characters that saved the show after the original cast left the series. In 2000 he starred in his first-ever feature film, ‘Rocket’s Red Glare’, where he won Best Actor in the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival Award. Later he returned to the small screen playing a doctor in Showtime’s ‘Queer as Folk’ where he later became the main love interest of Michael, one of the lead characters. This is not the only time he played a homosexual, as he guest-starred in ‘Will & Grace’ as Will’s ex-boyfriend. Chris Potter must be one of the most secure men you might know. There is no question about his gender orientation despite taking on gay roles. In reality, he is happily married to his wife Karen whom he has four children. His last regular television stint to date was in the Lifetime original series ‘Wild Card’ where he played opposite Joely Fisher in the role of Dan Lennox an insurance fraud investigator with a troubled past. It can be said that his solid fan base helped the show gain regular viewers. You can watch Chris Potter in the Canadian TV drama series Heartland. He plays the role of Tim Fleming. Also, watch out for Hallmark's The Good Witch's Wedding where Chris Potter once again teams up with Catherine Bell for the third installation of this successful series of TV movies.

Check out the Chris Potter celebrity photo gallery.

Actress Biography – Joely Fisher

Joely Fisher is the love child of crooner Eddie Fisher and singer-actress Connie Stevens. Her parents made her famous before she was even born having been the result of a love affair. Although Joely’s parents did marry, it did not last too long. Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens divorced when she was only two years old. They did however manage to have another child, Tricia Leigh Fisher. After the divorce, one might say that Joely Fisher had an unconventional childhood. Continue reading...She and her sister would accompany their mother on worldwide nightclub tours and had to attend various schools because of this. At the age of seven, she was already an entertainer performing onstage in Las Vegas with mother Connie Stevens. Three years later, she was to learn the existence of other siblings brought about by the popularity of her then famous half-sister Carrie Fisher who played Princess Leia in Star Wars. Life seemed to normalize when she reached adolescence when she and her sister attended Beverly Hills High School. However, rumors have it that aside from experimenting with alcohol, drugs and smoking she had to battle an eating disorder. In fact, it was at this time that she started to play roles as a “fat friend”. Later, she would attend the University of Paris. On her way to France, she stopped by New York where her alcoholic and drug addict father Eddie Fisher lived at that time. It was reported that she forced her way into his life despite his clearly not wanting to be part of hers. Joely left the university after only one semester and went on to Emerson College to study psychology, but this too she did not finish. Instead, she decided to pursue an acting career. Being the daughter of celebrities does not guarantee a career in Hollywood. Talented as she is, Joely Fisher struggled to land parts taking in small roles and enduring rejection from being turned down for thirty TV pilots. Luck did not come her way until she was 26 when she was cast as Ellen’s friend Paige Clark in the hit sitcom “Ellen”. This jumped started not only her acting career, but also her personal life. In 1996, she married the cinematographer Christopher Duddy. They now have two children, Skylar Grace Fisher-Duddy and True Harlow Fisher-Duddy. After the cancellation of Ellen in 1998, Joely turned to theater and played Sally Bowles in the national production of Cabaret. She also played opposite Matthew Broderick in the movie Inspector Gadget. In 2003, she starred in her very first lead TV role in Lifetime’s original series Wild Card where she was partnered with veteran TV actor Chris Potter. This television show allowed Joely Fisher to showcase her talents both in acting and singing. Unfortunately, the show only lasted two seasons. Her career seemed to have slumped once again appearing only as a guest star in television shows such as Desperate Housewives. However, luck did come her way again with the now hit comedy series ‘Til Death where she plays the wife of Brad Garrett.

Actor Biography - Dana Elcar

The late Dana Elcar is best known for his role as Pete Thornton in the popular classic TV show MacGyver. However, the character Pete Thornton was not introduced until the eleventh episode of the TV series. His first appearance in the show was in the pilot episode where he played the role Andy Colson. Dana Elcar is the son of Danish immigrants who settled in Michigan. His father worked as a butcher, while his mother as a nanny. Continue reading...He managed to attend the University of Michigan where he founded the Ann Arbor Theater. In the late 1940’s he joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Newfoundland, Canada. His acting career started in the early 1950’s appearing on television shows such as A Time to Live, Mission: Impossible, MacGyver, Law & Order, E.R. among others. While still in the show MacGyver, he developed the eye illness glaucoma and eventually went blind. This did not stop him from acting in fact his ailment was introduced in the show’s Pete Thornton character. Later on, he took on roles as a blind person on other acting engagements. He died in June 6, 2005, a day before the DVD for the second season of MacGyver was released. He is survived by his long-time companion Thelma M. Garcia and five children from three divorces.

Actress Biography - Elyssa Davalos

Elyssa Davalos is the daughter of the Greek-American actor Richard Davalos. During the 1980’s she guest starred on several classic television shows such as Knight Rider, Scarecrow and Mrs. King and MacGyver. It was in season 3 of MacGyver that she had recurring roles in the show. She first appeared as Lisa Kohler/Mrs. Lisa Kosov in the two-part episode Lost Love. Continue reading...Later in the season, she returns as Nikki Carpenter, a completely different character. Unfortunately, the character only lasted eight episodes. Rumor has it that the female fans disapproved of the pairing. Though some would argue that Paramount thought a permanent pairing did not work for the show. Her marriage with Jeff Dunas ended around the same time her role as Nikki Carpenter was discontinued in the show MacGyver. Elyssa Davalos continued with guest appearances on detective shows such as Matlock and Diagnosis Murder. Now, she’s better known as the mother of Alexa Davalos who played Kyra in the Chronicles of Riddick.