David Selby
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David Selby | |
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![]() David Selby in 2011 | |
Born | David Lynn Selby February 5, 1941 |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1968–present |
Spouse |
Claudeis Newman (m. 1963) |
Children | 3 |
David Lynn Selby (born February 5, 1941) is an American film, television and stage actor. He is best known for playing Quentin Collins in the daytime soap opera Dark Shadows (1968–71), and Richard Channing in the prime-time soap opera 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.[1] He attended West Virginia University in his hometown, earning Bachelor of Science and Master's degrees in theater, followed by a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University.
Midway through his career at WVU, Selby joined the cast of Honey in the Rock, a new civil war drama at Grandview State Park near Beckley, West Virginia, where he portrayed the Rev. Gordon Battelle, a Methodist minister who advocated for separation from Virginia.
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" in the second feature film based on the show, Night of Dark Shadows, released later the same year. (He would again reprise the role from the series for a new 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 films and television guest 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 also part of an all-star 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, which went to Ted Shackelford.
1980s
Selby was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor for his role in the 1980 film Raise the Titanic, which despite its established cast — including Jason Robards and Alec Guinness — 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 NBC prime-time serial Flamingo Road. Immediately after its cancellation in 1982, he joined the cast of Falcon Crest as Richard Channing, the son of matriarch Angela Channing (played by Jane Wyman). Originally considered an antagonist of the series, 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, second only to co-star Lorenzo Lamas, who was the only actor to feature in all 227 episodes.
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 historic 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 FX's Marvel Comics X-Men 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 West Virginia 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 | Film debut |
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 | Guest | |
2012 | Batman: The Dark Night Returns, Part 1 | Commissioner Gordon (voice) | Direct-to-video |
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 (also Grant Douglas) | 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) 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
- ^ "David Selby Biography (1941-)". Filmreference.com. 1963-08-10. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
External links
- 1941 births
- 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
- Broadway 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