Ilan Mitchell-Smith

Ilan Mitchell-Smith
Born Ilan Mitchell-Smith
(1969-06-29) June 29, 1969
New York City, New York, USA
Alma mater AB from UC Davis
MA from Fordham University
Ph.D. from Texas A&M University
Occupation actor
professor
Years active 1983–1991, 2011 (acting)
Spouse(s) Susannah Demaree (1995–present) (2 children)
Children

Asher Mitchell-Smith (b. 2000)


Eloise Mitchell-Smith (b. 1998)

Ilan Mitchell-Smith (born June 29, 1969) is an American academic and former actor best known as the co-star of the film Weird Science (1985).[1]

Acting career

Mitchell-Smith's very first passion was ballet. He studied as a child and even won a scholarship to dance with the School of American Ballet. While there on his scholarship, he was discovered by a casting director and his film career began in 1982 at age 12 when he played a younger version of the title character in Sidney Lumet's Daniel. After a starring role in the 1984 film The Wild Life, he was cast as Wyatt Donnelly in the 1985 teen classic Weird Science by writer/director John Hughes. The film focuses on two nerdy teenage boys who create a woman of their own (played by Kelly Le Brock), as they are unable to find girlfriends.

Mitchell-Smith starred in several other films and TV series, most notably The Chocolate War[2] and Superboy; none of these brought him the same degree of recognition. He decided to leave acting entirely in 1991, his final role being a guest appearance on Silk Stalkings. Recently Mitchell-Smith has done select voice over work (recording for two episodes -- "Moon Warriors" and "Heads Will Roll"—of Fox ADHD's "Axe Cop").

Academic career

Mitchell-Smith received his AB in Medieval Studies from UC Davis and his MA in Medieval Studies from Fordham University. He received a doctoral degree from Texas A&M University in 2005, and he is currently an associate professor in the English department at California State University, Long Beach.[3] For several years prior to his appointment at Cal State, he was a professor at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas.[4] Mitchell-Smith publishes on chivalry in the later Middle Ages, and he also publishes on cinematic, television, and video game versions of medieval culture.

Table top gaming

Mitchell-Smith has published on Dungeons & Dragons,[5] and is a staff writer for Talk Wargaming[6] and writes a column for Forces of Geek called "Playing the Nerd".[7] He works as a technical writer and editor for smaller independent game producers, and he is an active table-top gamer and an organizer of tabletop game events in Southern California.

Personal

Mitchell-Smith met Susannah Demaree at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California. They were married in 1995. They have two children, born in 1998 and 2000.

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ Hepola, Sarah (November 8, 2002). "A Hollywood Twist: What happens when a teen heartthrob leaves acting? Real toads life". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  2. ↑ Minow, Nell (2004-07-31). The Movie Mom's Guide To Family Movies. iUniverse. pp. 209–. ISBN 9780595320950. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  3. ↑ English Department Faculty, California State University Long Beach
  4. ↑ http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,20297762_20470154,00.html
  5. ↑ Mitchell-Smith, Ilan (June 16, 2009). "Chapter 11: Racial Determinism in the Interlocking Economies of Power and Violence in Dungeons & Dragons". In Carley, Robert. Coopting Culture. Lexington/Rowman & Littlefield Books. pp. 207–224. ISBN 978-0739125977.
  6. ↑ http://www.talkwargaming.com/search/label/Ilan%20Mitchell-Smith/ Talk Wargaming
  7. ↑ http://www.forcesofgeek.com/search/label/Written%20by%20Ilan%20Mitchell-Smith/ "Forces of Geek"
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