Before the 1990s introduced us to cable TV, network television was king in the 1980s. Since there were only three networks at that time, everyone pretty much watched the same TV shows. There were a handful of crime dramas, primetime soap operas, sitcoms, and action-adventure shows at that time that gave us some marvelous TV hunks to ogle over week after week. Here are a few of my favorites that I still am obsessed with.
SCOTT VALENTINE - The handsome, muscular, native New Yorker with big hair, and a heart of gold is best known for his role as Nick Moore on the hit 1980s sitcom “Family Ties”.
After attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, he got as far as a screen test for the film “The Lords of Discipline” when he was hit, run over, and dragged by a truck on September 17, 1981, and his career was halted for three years as he recovered. He moved to Los Angeles and landed a recurring role on the TV series “Family Ties” as Nick Moore, the loveable but dim-witted boyfriend of Mallory Keaton from 1985 to 1989, for seasons 4 through 7.
His success as Nick on “Family Ties” led to three separate spin-offs. The first starred Valentine and actor Herschel Bernardi called “Taking It Home”. Filming was canceled when Bernardi died in 1986. The second spin-off placed Valentine's character in a Friends-like environment in New York City. The third was a pilot episode for a spin-off titled “The Art of Being Nick”; the episode aired once and co-starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus. And even though the pilot episode got good ratings the network still didn’t pick up the series.
To listen to my fascinating conversation with SCOTT VALENTINE about his incredible TV and film career - click on the links on the bottom of the page.
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TOM SELLECK - This unforgettable, macho, mustached, sex symbol began his career with bit parts in smaller movies, including “Myra Breckinridge”, “Coma”, and “The Seven Minutes”. He also appeared in several TV series, mini-series, TV movies and was the face of Salem cigarettes and Revlon's Chaz cologne.
Selleck's big break came when he was cast in the lead role of Thomas Magnum in “Magnum, P.I.” The series ran from December 11, 1980, to May 1, 1988, on CBS. The show consistently ranked in the top 20 U.S. television programs in the Nielsen ratings during the first five years of its original run, finishing as high as number three for the 1982–83 season. The show continued until 1988, lasting 8 seasons and 163 episodes, winning Tom an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1984.
During the Magnum years, Tom also starred as an acrophobic police detective in the action film “Runaway” and a stand-in father in “Three Men and a Baby”, which was the biggest hit in 1987. In 1989, he ended the decade by starring in the romantic comedy “Her Alibi “and crime drama “An Innocent Man.”
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LEIGH MCCLOSKEY - This blonde All-American hunk appeared in numerous television series and movies throughout the 1980s, including the popular primetime soap opera “Dallas” and a leading role in the Dario Argento-helmed supernatural horror film “Inferno”.
Leigh began his professional acting career playing Billy Abbott in the original miniseries “Rich Man, Poor Man”. He went on to star in three nighttime television series: “Executive Suite”, “Married: The First Year”, and then came his big break playing the role of Mitch Cooper (husband of Lucy Ewing Cooper) on the CBS nighttime soap opera “Dallas”. He was a series regular from 1980 to 1982 and made brief appearances in 1985 and 1988.
Between his character of Mitch being one of the few “good guys” on the show and his dreamy good looks, audiences ate him up week after week. His wedding to Lucy Ewing on Southfork Ranch was the third highest-rated episode of the TV series. Behind the “Who Done It" episode of "Dallas" that revealed who shot J.R.?, the famous 1980 cliffhanger, received the highest domestic ratings at that point with over 90 million American viewers!
NOTE - Leigh and I recently recorded an interview for two upcoming episodes of the Hollywood Obsessed podcast. Become a subscriber today so you don't miss them!
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ERIK ESTRADA- This handsome Latino hunk with the million-dollar smile made his film debut in 1970 alongside Pat Boone, in the independent film “The Cross and the Switchblade”.
Beginning in 1977, Estrada co-starred as Frank "Ponch" Poncharello in the TV series “CHiPs”. The hit crime drama originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. The series ran for 139 episodes over six seasons, plus one reunion television film in October 1998.
In 1979, Estrada was voted one of "The 10 Sexiest Bachelors in the World" by People magazine and was featured on the cover of the November issue. “CHiPs” was eventually canceled in 1983. In the 1980s, Estrada appeared in a string of low-budget films. He made a return to series television in a 1987 three-part episode of the police drama “Hunter.”
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LORENZO LAMAS - This sexy Latino hunk's first memorable role was as a jock in the 1978 musical film “Grease”, in which he dyed his hair blond. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he had guest-starring roles in several TV series including “Switch”, “Secrets of Midland Heights,” “Fantasy Island”, “The Love Boat” and “Hotel”. But it was the role of Lance Cumson, the irresponsible grandson of Angela Channing—played by Jane Wyman—in the primetime soap opera “Falcon Crest “ that made him a household name
“Falcon Crest” aired on CBS for nine seasons from December 4, 1981, to May 17, 1990. Lamas was nominated for a Golden Globe and two Soap Opera Digest Awards for his work on the series; he was the only actor to appear in all 227 episodes.
After “Falcon Crest” left the air he began carving out a niche for himself as an action-hero, showcasing his martial arts skills by starring in such movies as the Snake Eater trilogy (1989–1992), Bounty Tracker (1993), Gladiator Cop (1995), Terminal Justice (1996), and many similar
To listen to my fascinating conversation with Lorenzo click on these two links.
Episode 27 - HERE
Episode 28 - HERE
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DAVID HASSELHOFF - If there was one male star from the 1980s that drove TV fans wild it was "The Hoff". Hasselhoff started his career portraying Dr. "Snapper Foster" on “The Young and the Restless” from 1975 to 1982, leaving the series as the show wrote out many of its original characters.
He was recruited by then-NBC-president Brandon Tartikoff to star in the action crime drama series “Knight Rider” from 1982 to 1986 as Michael Knight - a sleek and modern crime fighter assisted by KITT, an advanced, artificially intelligent, self-aware, and nearly indestructible car. Conceived and produced by Glen A. Larson, the show was an instant hit.
Even as episode plots in "Knight Rider" became more and more outlandish, the show continued drawing large audiences. In the end, it was the show's high production cost that ultimately led Universal to cancel the series after its fourth season.
In 1991, Hasselhoff reprised his role as Michael Knight in the television film “Knight Rider 2000 “as a sequel to the original series. The movie served as a pilot for a proposed new series, but despite high ratings, the plan was abandoned.
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BLAIR UNDERWOOD - This stunning 1980’s hunk made his debut in the 1985 musical film “Krush Groove” and from 1987 to 1994 starred as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series “L.A. Law”.
Underwood's 1985 appearance on “The Cosby Show” landed him a short stint for three months on the ABC soap opera “One Life to Live “as Bobby Blue. He later co-starred in the short-lived CBS crime drama series “Downtown” from 1986 to 1987, and guest-starred on “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” and “21 Jump Street”.
In 1987, Underwood, at the age of 23, was cast as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series “L.A. Law”. He received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 1991. The series ended in 1994.
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GREG EVIGAN - Eighties hunk Greg Evigan was a major heartthrob to the teen set. He began his career in theater, appearing in the Broadway production of “Jesus Christ Superstar”, followed by a stage production of the musical “Grease”, in which he portrayed the lead, Danny Zuko. He then made his feature film debut in the Connie Stevens film “Scorchy” (1976), then was cast as the lead in the comedy series “B. J. and the Bear”, in which he starred between 1979 and 1981. The role of B.J. gained him teen idol status and his handsome face graced the pages of Tiger Beat and just about every other teen magazine of the time.
After B.J. ended he continued to appear as a guest star on numerous television series throughout the 1980s before being cast as the lead Joey Harris in the comedy series My Two Dads (1987–1990) co-starring Paul Reiser and Staci Keanan. The popular sitcom premiered on NBC on September 20, 1987, airing three seasons through to April 30, 1990.
NOTE - Greg and I recently recorded an interview for two upcoming episodes of the Hollywood Obsessed podcast. Become a subscriber today so you don't miss them!
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JOHN JAMES - During the 80’s this handsome midwesterner hunk first appeared in the daytime soap opera “Search for Tomorrow” in the late 1970s. In 1981, he won the role of Jeff Colby in “Dynasty”, appearing in the very first episode, "Oil", and remaining on the mega-hit primetime soap opera until the final episode, “Catch 22 “in 1989. James played the same role in “The Colbys” between 1985 and 1987, and one last time in the 1991 TV movie, “Dynasty: The Reunion”.
“Dynasty” was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama every year from 1981 to 1986, winning in 1984. John was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in Dynasty in 1985 and appeared at the 1986 ceremony.
If you haven't listened to my two-part fun-filled conversation with John James yet...click on these two links.
Episode 9 - HERE
Episode 10 - HERE
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TOM WOPAT - During the 1980’s this handsome, dark-haired, actor/singer played "Luke Duke" on the long-running television action/comedy series “The Dukes of Hazzard”, alongside actor John Schneider.
Created by Gy Waldron, TV audiences tuned in every week to watch the Duke boys being chased in their fast muscle car the” General Lee” through country roads by the local cops in this fun action-comedy TV series. The show aired on CBS from January 26, 1979, to February 8, 1985, and ran a total of seven seasons consisting of 147 episodes. It was consistently among the top-rated television series in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
After the show was canceled, Wopat has worked regularly, most often on the stage in musicals and in supporting television and movie roles. He has also recorded several albums of country songs and pop standards, scoring a series of moderately successful singles in the 1980s and 1990s.
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ANDREW STEVENS - This handsome hunk with his killer eyes and sexy smile is the only child of actress Stella Stevens (“The Poseidon Adventure”). His TV career Stevens started when he starred in the TV miniseries “The Bastard” (1978) and its sequel “The Rebels” (1979), based on the John Jakes novels. He then appeared opposite Dennis Weaver and Susan Dey in the short-lived drama “Emerald Point N.A.S.” and as a playboy/tennis bum in “Columbo: Murder in Malibu”.
His big break came when he was cast as one of J.R. Ewing's stooges Casey Denault, on the hit primetime soap opera “Dallas”, for two seasons, beginning in 1987. He also played Ted Rorchek in the 1981-82 television series “Code Red”. But it was his leading role in author Jackie Collins's mega-hit miniseries “Hollywood Wives” (1985) that left TV audiences drooling for more.
NOTE - Andrew and I recently recorded an interview for two upcoming episodes of the Hollywood Obsessed podcast. Become a subscriber today so you don't miss them!
Facts for this blog are taken from Wikipedia
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To listen to my entertaining and frank conversation with actor SCOTT VALENTINE - star of the hit 1980’s sitcom “Family Ties” - click on these two links. Enjoy!
Episode 65 - HERE
Episode 66 - HERE
