Grant Aleksander
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Grant Aleksander (b. August 6, 1959, Baltimore, Maryland) is an American actor.
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[edit] Background
Born as Grant Kunkowski, Grant 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 Ramsey.
[edit] Film and television roles
[edit] Daytime
He is best-known for his work in daytime dramas (soap operas). 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.
[edit] Guiding Light
Aleksander portrayed Phillip Spaulding on the daytime drama Guiding Light from December 1982 to December 1984. He was temporarily 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 five (5) days a week for five (5) years. 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 speculated on a number of possible 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 a subsequent story in 2005 revealed that the character was alive. Subsequent attempts by producers to have him return in 2005 and 2006 have not met with success.[citation needed] Grant is currently a Director for "As the World Turns."
[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 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 include Who's the Boss? and The Fall Guy. Aleksander also played Nicholas Drake in the 1986 made-for-TV movie Dark Mansions.
[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 been nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards.
[edit] Animal rights advocacy
Aleksander, a vegetarian, 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.
