Kevin Bernhardt

Kevin Bernhardt is an American film writer, film actor, television actor, and producer. Bernhardt is best known as a screenwriter, with over 20 screenplays produced since the mid-1990s. His dozen lead actor/film roles before that included J.P. Monroe and his Cenobitic alter-ego in the 1992 Action/Horror film Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, Dean in Top of the World (1997), and Billy Knox in "The Immortals" (1995). Bernhardt had had series regular roles on Dynasty as Father Tanner McBride and General Hospital (1985–1987) as lady-killer (literally) Kevin O'Connor.

Bernhardt was born in Holly Hills, Florida, where he was adopted by Navy Damage Control Officer 'Red' Bernhardt and wife Beverly. His most memorable years there were spent at an African-American elementary school (Turie T. Small), as part of the integration which took place in the late 1960s. But his family relocated to a trailer park in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, where he completed high school and worked very hard to become an Eagle Scout.

Bernhardt attended college at the State University of New York at Binghamton on a National Merit Scholarship sponsored by the Eureka tent factory, where his mother worked. He supplemented his income in the Kroehler furniture factory. After completing a Bachelor's Degree in Economics in the winter of 1984, he immediately traveled to Los Angeles, where he passed the Series 7 exam and was hired by Robert Brandt and Company, the only fourth market securities trading firm in the country. But his true passion was the theater, and after six months successfully trading stocks between institutional investors, Bernhardt left it behind for a career as a screenwriter/actor.

He landed a contract role on General Hospital just a few weeks later, replacing then-popular daytime actor Jack Wagner during a contract dispute – in his coveted role as singer Frisco Jones. Wagner of course returned, but ABC then took the unprecedented step of creating a second and entirely different role for Bernhardt on the same show. He was the center of attention in the newly created 'Laurelton Murders' storyline, and with it General Hospital led the ratings for two years.

Though he preferred screen-writing, Bernhardt took acting seriously enough to study in the small master class taught by Stella Adler. And he continued to work steadily as an actor for several years; in TV with another contract role as a priest (with love interest Heather Locklear) on Dynasty, as well as several mostly 'bad-guy' leads in films such as Hellraiser III. His personal life also flourished with a marriage to Purple Rain star Apollonia. But once he saw his first screenplay produced – he decided to devote his undivided attention to screenwriting.

Since then his writing has attracted a diverse array of well-known actors, ranging from Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes, to Chris Rock and Charlie Sheen. This work also resulted in the first few breakthrough films for companies including Avi Lerner's NuImage-Millennium and Eli Samaha's Franchise Pictures.

Writer – film

• Shi (2011) (in production) (screenplay) – Patrick Tatopoulos to direct/Constantin to finance.
• The Genesis Code (2011) (in pre production) (screenplay) – Brad Anderson to direct/Myriad to finance.
• The Dove (2012) (in production) (screenplay) – Producers Paul Schiff and Tai Duncan
• Pretty Boy Floyd (2011) (in pre production) (screenplay) – Andy Davis to direct.
• Daughter of Destiny (2011) (in pre production) (screenplay) – Shekhar Kapur to direct.
• Blue Eyed Samurai (2012) (in production) (producer/screenplay) Marcel Langenegger to direct.
• Number One Son (2012) (in production) (screenplay) Tiger Eight China to produce.
• Mandrake (2011) (in production) (screenplay)
• The Charm School (2012) (in production) (screenplay) Based on the Nelson DeMille novel. Producer Phil Anschultz & Kennedy/Marshall
• Coup D'Etat (2012) (in production) (screenplay) Co-written with Abel Ferrara
• Elephant White (2010) (in post production) (screenplay) Starring Djimon Hounsou and Kevin Bacon. Directed by Prachya Pinkaew
• The Godmother (2009) (pre-production) (writer)
• Veronica (2009) (pre-production) (written by) Amy Redford to direct.
• John Rambo (2008) (uncredited screenplay rewrite). Sylvester Stallone.
• Peaceful Warrior (2006) (screenplay). Directed by Victor Salva. Starring Nick Nolte.
• Virginia (2005) (written by)
• One Last Dance (2003) (uncredited) Starring Patrick Swayze.
• Without a Word (2001) (uncredited screenplay rewrite)
• The Art of War (2000) (uncredited screenplay rewrite). Starring Wesley Snipes, Michael Biehn.
• Jill Rips (Jill The Ripper) (1999) (written by) Starring Dolph Lundgren.
• Fear of Flying (1999) (screenplay). Starring Craig Sheffer, Jennifer Beals.
• Diplomatic Siege (1999) (screenplay). Starring Peter Weller, Daryl Hannah
• Five Aces (1999) (uncredited). Starring Charlie Sheen.
• Sweepers (1998) (story). Starring Dolph Lundgren.
• Top of the World (1997) (uncredited screenplay writer). Starring Dennis Hopper, Peter Weller, Tia Carrere, Joey Pantoliano
• Natural Enemy (1997) (TV) (screenplay). Starring Donald Sutherland, Leslie Ann Warren.
• The Peacekeeper (1997) (uncredited screenwriter). Starring Dolph Lundgren.
• Hollow Point (1996) (uncredited screenwriter). Starring John Lithgow, Donald Sutherland, Tia Carrere.
• The Immortals (1995)(screenplay). Starring Chris Rock, Eric Roberts, Joey Pantoliano, Tony Curtis.

Producer

• Amazing Grace (2000)(producer)
• Top of the World (1997/1)(co-producer)
• The Immortals (1995)(co-producer)

Actor – film

• Top of the World (1997) -Dean, costarring Dennis Hopper, Peter Weller
• The Immortals (1995) -Billy Knox, costarring Chris Rock, Eric Roberts, Tony Curtis, Joey Pantoliano
• Treacherous (1993) -Damon Vasquez, costarring Adam Baldwin, Tia Carrere, C. Thomas Howell
• Beauty School (1993) -Colt
• Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) -J.P. Monroe / J.P. Cenobite, costarring Pinhead
• Midnight Warrior (1989) -Nick Branca
• Escuadrón (1988) -Sutherland, costarring Robert Forster, George Kennedy, Louis Jourdan, Kabir Bedi
• Kick or Die (1987) -Don Potter
• Le feu sous la peau (1985) -Raphael

Actor – television

• General Hospital (1984, 15 episodes) – Frisco Jones
• General Hospital (SERIES REGULAR 1984–1987, 310 episodes) – Kevin O'Connor

• Dynasty (1989)
• Catch 22 (May 10, 1989) TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• Blasts from the Pasts (May 3, 1989)TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• Here Comes the Son (April 26, 1989)TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• No Bones to it (April 12, 1989) TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• Tale of the Tape (April 5, 1989) TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• Sins of the father (March 26, 1989) TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• Grimes and Punishment (March 22, 1989)TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• The Son Also Rises (March 15, 1989)TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• Virginia Reels (February 22, 1989)TV episode -Father Tanner McBride
• All Hands on Dex (February 15, 1989)TV episode -Father Tanner McBride

• Superboy (2 episodes, 1989–1990) – Dr. Byron Shelley
• Run Dracula, Run (1990)TV episode -Dr. Byron Shelley
• Young Dracula (1989)TV episode -Dr. Byron Shelley

Miscellaneous crew

• The Peacekeeper (1997) (technical advisor)
• Hollow Point (1996)(story consultant)

External links

• Kevin Bernhardt at the Internet Movie Database