Grant Aleksander
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Grant Aleksander (born Grant Kunkowski on August 6, 1959 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA) is an American actor.
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[edit] Personal life
Aleksander grew up as the youngest of three brothers. He attended Washington and Lee University.
He currently resides in New Jersey with his wife, attorney and former actress, Sherry L. Ramsey.
[edit] Film and television roles
[edit] Movie roles
Aleksander played the bartender at "Mickey's Bar" in the 1986 movie Tough Guys, starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas.
In 2006 he appeared in two major motion pictures, "The Big Bad Swim" and the American Civil War film Fields of Freedom.
[edit] Primetime
Aleksander was featured on several episodic television series, mostly in the 1980s and 1990s. His first appearance was in the ABC Afterschool Special "A Very Delicate Matter". His guest starring roles includes Who's the Boss? and The Fall Guy.
Aleksander also played Nicholas Drake in the 1986 made-for-TV movie "Dark Mansions."
[edit] Daytime
Aleksander is known for his work in daytime drama. Among his appearances in daytime are a stint on Capitol for the 1986 season as dastardly DJ Phillips, and the role of Alec McIntyre on All My Children from 1993 to 1996.
Aleksander is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the complex and tormented writer and businessman Phillip Spaulding on the daytime drama Guiding Light.
- His initial run as Phillip was from December 1982 to December 1984; the character was paired with heroine Beth and was part of the popular "Four Musketeers" storyline.
- Aleksander was replaced for a time by actor John Bolger, but returned to Guiding Light from October 1986 to February 1991. He left the show in 1991, citing exhaustion from being frontburner 5 days a week for 5 years (as Phillip was a favorite character of then-head writer Pamela Long). He also dealt with the loss of both of his parents in the early 1990s, and took an extended sabbatical from the show.
- Aleksander again returned to the show in April 1996, and Phillip was once again involved in front-burner story, with ex-wife Beth, as well as new love interests Harley Cooper and Olivia Spencer.
The announcement in August 2004 that Aleksander was let go by the show came as a great shock to fans and to the industry. Media reports suggested a number of reasons, including Aleksander's high salary, and allegations that Aleksander was temperamental, or had been feuding with the actress who portrayed his love interest.
It initially appeared that Phillip was murdered in November, 2004, but subsequent story in 2005 revealed that the character was alive. Although Aleksander had nothing but positive things to say about the show during his departure, subsequent attempts by producers to have him return in 2005 and 2006 have been declined.
[edit] Other achievements
Aleksander has been nominated for seven Soap Opera Digest Awards, winning one in 1999, for "Favorite New Couple", with Beth Ehlers, who played his former love interest, Harley Cooper.
He has also been nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards.
[edit] Animal rights advocacy
Aleksander is also known for his activism in animal rights. He is an active member of PETA; one of the instructional videos on the PETA website features Aleksander, warning people about the dangers of leaving an animal inside a car when temperatures are warm outside.
Aleksander and his wife own many animals, and are involved in animal issues in their area.
[edit] Trivia
- Among the roles Aleksander read for were Rodney Duke in the The Dukes of Hazzard and Steven Carrington on Dynasty (TV series). He was the producer's first choice for the role of Steven.
- Aleksander modeled in Italy during his college days.
- He maintains homes in four states, and maintains animals at each residence.
[edit] External link
- IMDb entry on Grant Aleksander
