Mark Salling

Mark Salling

Salling at a charity event in Bryant Park on December 3, 2009
Born Mark Wayne Salling
August 17, 1982
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Occupation Actor, singer, musician
Years active 1996–present

Mark Wayne Salling (born August 17, 1982)[1] is an American actor, singer-songwriter, composer, and musician. He is known for his role as Noah "Puck" Puckerman on the comedy television series, Glee.[2]

Early life

Salling was born in Dallas, Texas. He is the younger of two children of Condy Sue (née Wherry), a school secretary, and John Robert Salling, Jr., an accountant.[3][4] He was home-schooled at an early age. Salling was raised in a "strict Christian home"[5] and attended Providence Christian School and Our Redeemer Lutheran during elementary school. He attended, but did not graduate from Culver Military Academy, and later graduated from Lake Highlands High School in 2001, where he was a classmate of art rock musician Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent.[6] While he attended high school, he was a member of the school wrestling team.[7]

After graduating from high school, he attended the Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music in Pasadena, California and began studying guitar, giving guitar lessons to make a living.[3]

Career

Music career

Salling sings, writes, and produces his own music, and plays the piano, guitar, bass guitar, and drums.[3] His solo project (under the stage name "Jericho"), was debut album Smoke Signals, released on February 8, 2008,[8] under Jericho Records. On October 25, 2010, Salling released a rock/jazz album entitled Pipe Dreams, which was inspired by Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock.[9] It was released by Pipe Dreams Records, Salling's own label, in partnership with Fontana Distribution.[3] He is the composer, performer, and producer of each track.[3] The first single, "Higher Power", premiered on August 10, 2010.[10]

For the television show Glee he soloed and dueted on cover versions of various songs including, "Sweet Caroline", "Only the Good Die Young", "The Lady Is a Tramp", "Run Joey Run", "Beth", and "Good Vibrations."[11] During filming, Salling paid tribute to the cast of Glee by writing a song and creating a video entitled "Chillin' on Glee'", which featured various cast and crew members.[12]

Film career

Salling acted in Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996) with Naomi Watts, and also in The Graveyard (2006).

In 2008, he was cast as a regular character, Noah Puckerman, on Fox Broadcasting Company series, Glee.

On June 28, 2013, it was reported that Salling will not be returning as a regular on Glee '​s fifth season, but will instead be a recurring guest star on the series.[13]

Lawsuit

In January 2013, Salling was accused by a woman who claims he committed sexual battery by forcing sex without a condom.[14][15][16] He has denied the charges and has filed a countersuit for defamation of character.[17]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Note
1996 Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering James Rhodes Direct-to-video
2006 Graveyard, TheThe Graveyard Eric Direct-to-video
2011 Glee: The 3D Concert Movie Noah "Puck" Puckerman/Himself
2014 Rocky Road Harrison Burke
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Walker, Texas Ranger Billy Episode: "Rise To The Occasion"
2009–15 Glee Noah "Puck" Puckerman Main Role (Seasons 1-4)
Recurring Role (Seasons 5-6)[18]
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2009)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2010)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2011)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2012)
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Breakout Star Male (2010)
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Music: Group (2010) (shared with Glee Cast)
Nominated—Choice TV: Scene Stealer Male (2011)
2011 The Glee Project Himself Episode: "Sexuality"
2014 Rocky Road (TV Movie) —Harrison Burke

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
[19]
US Heat
[20]
US Indie
[21]
2008 Smoke Signals (released under stage name Jericho)
2010 Pipe Dreams
  • Released: October 25, 2010
  • Label: Fontana, Pipe Dreams Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
189 5 29
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Soundtracks

Singles

Year Single Peak Album
US
2010 "Higher Power" Pipe Dreams
"—" denotes releases that did not chart, or was not released.

References

  1. Mark Salling fan page
  2. Fox's official Glee page
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Mark Salling Bio". MarkSallingMusic.com. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  4. According to the State of Texas. Texas Birth Index, 1903–1997. Searchable at http://www.ancestry.com/
  5. "Glee Cast Channels Inner Madonna - Glee". Hollyscoop.com. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
  6. Clark, Annie. St Vincent Interview – Toro Magazine. Interview with Marko Prelic. Youtube.com. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  7. Chen, Eva. "Mark Salling: Naughty by Nature". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  8. Smoke Signals at Allmusic.com
  9. "Pipe Dreams by Mark Salling". iTunes. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  10. Stack, Time (August 10, 2010). "'Glee' star Mark Salling announces debut album and premieres new single: Listen to it here!". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  11. Glee: Sweet Caroline clip (02:21) on Hulu
  12. "Mark's Tribute to his Glee Family". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
  13. Glee Exclusive: 4 Original Cast Members Not Returning as Series Regulars for Season 5
  14. Mark Salling Sexual Battery: 'Glee' Star Sued By Ex-Girlfriend
  15. 'Glee' Star Sued For Alleged Sexual Assault
  16. Mark Salling Sued by Ex-Girlfriend for Sexual Battery
  17. Mark Salling: There Is ‘No Truth’ to Sexual Battery Lawsuit
  18. http://tvline.com/2013/06/28/glee-season-5-cast-heather-morris-mark-salling-not-returning/
  19. "Mark Salling Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  20. "Mark Salling Album & Song Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  21. "Mark Salling Album & Song Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved November 4, 2010.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mark Salling.