David Selby
 | This biography of a living person includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (October 2022) |
David Selby | |
|---|---|
 David Selby in 2011 | |
| Born | David Lynn Selby |
| Education | West Virginia University (Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts) Southern Illinois University (PhD) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Spouse |
Claudeis “Chip” Newman
(m. 1963) |
| Children | 3 |
David Lynn Selby is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for playing Quentin Collins on the daytime soap Dark Shadows (1968–71) and Richard Channing on the prime-time soap Falcon Crest (1982–90). Selby also had prominent roles in the television series Flamingo Road (1981–82) and the feature film Raise the Titanic (1980). Also a published writer, Selby has written several books, including novels, memoirs, and collections of poetry.
Early life
Selby was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, the son of Sarah E. (née McIntyre) and Clyde Ira Selby, a carpenter. He attended West Virginia University, earning degrees in theater, followed by a PhD from Southern Illinois University.
Midway through his time at WVU, Selby joined the cast of Honey in the Rock, a civil war drama at Grandview State Park.
Career
Early TV and film roles (1960s and 1970s)
In 1968, Selby joined the cast of the TV series Dark Shadows as ghost Quentin Collins. After the series' cancellation in 1971, Selby played Quentin Collins Night of Dark Shadows, the second feature film based on the show, released later the same year. He reprised the role from the series for a series of Dark Shadows audio dramas from Big Finish Productions, beginning in 2006.
In 1972, Selby co-starred with Barbra Streisand in the movie Up the Sandbox. He continued to appear in a number of film and television roles during the 1970s, including U-Turn (1973), The Super Cops (1974) and Rich Kids (1979), and episodes of The Waltons (1974), Police Woman (1975), and Kojak (1976). He was part of the cast in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries Washington: Behind Closed Doors (1977).
In 1979, Selby declined the role of Gary Ewing in the TV series Knots Landing.
1980s
Selby was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor for his role in the 1980 film Raise the Titanic, which was met with a negative reception from critics and audiences along with poor box-office takings.
In 1981, Selby played the villainous Michael Tyrone in the final season of the prime-time serial Flamingo Road. After its cancellation in 1982, he joined the cast of Falcon Crest as Richard Channing, the illegitimate son of Jacqueline Perrault's (Lana Turner) with Angela Channing's husband Douglas Channing. Originally considered an antagonist, Richard gradually became more of a protagonist, and by the final season, he was the central character of the show (in part due to the health-related absence of Wyman). Selby was nominated for six Soap Opera Digest Awards for his role of Richard, winning one. In all, Selby appeared in 209 episodes of the series.
Later career
Selby continued in numerous film and TV roles during the 1990s and 2000s, including Dying Young (1991), White Squall (1996) and Surviving Christmas (2004), and episodes of series such as Cold Case (2007) and Mad Men (2009).
To mark the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday in 2009, Selby appeared onstage with Barack Obama and portrayed Lincoln in a scene from the play The Heavens Are Hung in Black at the reopening of Ford's Theatre. Selby had also played Abraham Lincoln in a 1998 episode of the series Touched by an Angel, titled "Beautiful Dreamer".
Selby made an appearance in the 2012 film adaptation of Dark Shadows, one of four cast members from the original series to feature in the movie. The same year, he co-starred in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, a two-part direct-to-video animated film adaptation of the 1986 graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns, portraying Commissioner James Gordon.
In 2017, Selby had a recurring role in the drama Legion.
Writing
Selby is also an accomplished writer. His work includes the plays Lincoln and James and Final Assault as well as the poetry collections My Mother's Autumn and Happenstance. Novels he has written include Lincoln's Better Angel and The Blue Door. A Better Place combines memoir and social commentary to discuss Selby's upbringing. In 2010, he published My Shadowed Past, chronicling what it was like to work on Dark Shadows.
Awards
In 1998, West Virginia University awarded Selby its first Life Achievement Award from the College of Creative Arts. He received an honorary doctorate in 2004.
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Night of Dark Shadows | Quentin Collins/Charles Collins | |
| 1972 | Up the Sandbox | Paul Reynolds | |
| 1973 | U-Turn | Scott Laithem | |
| 1974 | The Super Cops | Robert Hantz | |
| 1979 | Rich Kids | Steve Sloan | |
| 1980 | Raise the Titanic | Dr. Gene Seagram | nominated — Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor |
| 1981 | Rich and Famous | Doug Blake | |
| 1991 | Dying Young | Richard Geddes | |
| 1993 | The Shot | Gordon Sunshine | |
| 1994 | Intersection | Richard Quarry | |
| 1995 | Headless Body in Topless Bar | Bradford Lumpkin | |
| 1996 | White Squall | Francis Beaumont | |
| 1996 | D3: The Mighty Ducks | Dean Buckley | |
| 2004 | Shadow of Fear | Mr. Steve Palmer | |
| 2004 | Surviving Christmas | Horace Vangilder | |
| 2004 | The Affair | Vincent | |
| 2006 | End Game | Shakey Fuller | |
| 2007 | Spin | Rob Polan | |
| 2010 | Inhale | Henry White | |
| 2010 | The Social Network | Gage | |
| 2012 | Dark Shadows | Party Guest | |
| 2012 | Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Part 1 | Commissioner James Gordon (voice) | |
| 2013 | Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Part 2 | ||
| 2013 | Are You Here | Karl Stevens | |
| 2015 | Equals | Leonard | |
| 2017 | Newness | Artie Hallock | |
| 2017 | Smartass | Herman | |
| 2019 | Back Fork | Bill | |
| 2019 | Loon Lake | Emery Janson/Pastor Owen Janson |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-1971 | Dark Shadows | Quentin Collins | 312 episodes |
| 1974 | The Waltons | Joshua Williams | episode: "The Romance" |
| 1975 | Police Woman | Nate Fesler | episode: "No Place to Hide" |
| 1975 | ABC's Wide World of Entertainment | Jack 243 | episode: "The Norming of Jack 243" |
| 1976 | Kojak | Sgt. Jimmy O'Connor | episode: "An Unfair Trade" |
| 1977 | Washington: Behind Closed Doors | Roger Castle | miniseries |
| 1977 | Telethon | Roy Hansen | TV movie |
| 1978 | Family | Michael Kagan | episode: "More Than Friends" |
| 1979 | The Night Rider | Lord Thomas Earl | TV movie |
| 1979 | Love for Rent | Phil | TV movie |
| 1980 | Doctor Franken | Dr. Mike Foster | TV movie |
| 1981-1982 | Flamingo Road | Michael Tyrone | 18 episodes |
| 1982-1990 | Falcon Crest | Richard Channing | 209 episodes Soap Opera Digest Award: Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role: Prime Time (1989) n Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award: Outstanding Actress/Actor in a Comic Relief Role on a Prime Time Serial; Outstanding Villain on a Prime Time Serial; Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role on a Prime Time Serial (1986) nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award: Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role: Prime Time (1988) nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award: Outstanding Villain: Prime Time (1990) |
| 1988 | King of the Olympics: The Lives and Loves of Avery Brundage | Avery Brundage | TV movie |
| 1992 | Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive | Shag Williams | TV movie |
| 1992 | Lady Boss | Martin Swanson | miniseries |
| 1997 | Soldier of Fortune | Xavier Trout | TV movie |
| 1997-1999 | Soldier of Fortune, Inc. | 9 episodes | |
| 1997 | Alone | Paul | TV movie |
| 1997 | Promised Land | Rowdy Sullivan | episode: "Cowboy Blues" |
| 1998 | Touched by an Angel | Abraham Lincoln | episode: "Beautiful Dreamer" |
| 2001 | Ally McBeal | Mr. Rohr | episode: "I Want Love" |
| 2002 | The Griffin and the Minor Canon | The Griffin (voice) | TV movie |
| 2002 | Thieves | Donovan | episode: "The Green and the Black" |
| 2005 | Larva | Fletcher Odermatt | TV movie |
| 2006 | The Black Hole | Ryker | TV movie |
| 2007 | Tell Me You Love Me | Arthur Foster | 9 episodes |
| 2007 | Cold Case | Dom Barron '07 | episode: "Boy Crazy" |
| 2008 | Raising the Bar | Richard Patrick Woolsey III | episode: "Richie Richer" |
| 2009 | Mad Men | Horace Cook, Sr. | episode: "The Arrangements" |
| 2011 | Deck the Halls | Luke Reilly | TV movie |
| 2013 | Rizzoli & Isles | Senator Malcolm Humphrey | episode: "We Are Family" |
| 2016 | Dr. Del | Grover | TV movie |
| 2017-2018 | Legion | Brubaker | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Castle Rock | Josef Desjardins | episode: "The Box" |
| 2020 | Chicago Fire | Tim Larson | episode: "A Chicago Welcome" |
| 2020 | NCIS: New Orleans | Red | episode: "Relentless" |
References
External links
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- Male actors from New York City
- Male actors from West Virginia
- American male film actors
- American male soap opera actors
- American male stage actors
- Living people
- Morgantown High School alumni
- People from Mount Pleasant, New York
- Southern Illinois University alumni
- West Virginia University alumni
- People from Morgantown, West Virginia