Born: May 31, 1950 in Avalon, Catalina Island, California
Occupation: Actor, Director
Active: '80s-'90s
Major Genres: Drama, Thriller
Career Highlights: The Gathering, Red River, It's My Party
First Major Screen Credit: Jim, the World's Greatest (1976)
Biography
During his days of prominence in the '80s, handsome, powerfully built American actor Gregory Harrison became the unofficial poster boy of the Catalina Island chamber of commerce. As a native of that offshore isle, Harrison frequently guested on talk and variety shows, elucidating the natural wonders of both Catalina and the Avalon resort. A graduate of New York's Actors Studio, Harrison briefly supported himself as a nightclub doorman before securing small film and TV roles. Harrison's most memorable credits were for the small screen: He played Logan 5 on Logan's Run (1977), Michael Sharpe on the final 1989-90 season of Falcon Crest, and the title role in the brief 1990 sitcom The Family Man. Harrison's longest TV-series run was seven seasons (1979-86) as "Gonzo" Gates, the Vietnam-vet doctor on Trapper John MD (1979-86). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Gregory Neale Harrison (born May 31, 1950 in Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, California) is an American actor. He is probably best known for his role as Chandler in the 1987 cult favorite North Shore and as Pernell Roberts's young surgeon, Dr. George Alonzo 'Gonzo' Gates, on the CBS series Trapper John, M.D. (a role he played from 1979 to 1985). He was also the title character on the 1977-78 science fiction series Logan's Run, after which he played the role of Levi Zendt on the 1978 NBC miniseries Centennial and had a situation comedy on CBS called Family Man, in which he played a single-father fireman who was rearing three children.
Harrison's later role as stripper John Phillips in the 1981 TV movieFor Ladies Only made him a favorite with women and gay men in the 1980s. He spoofed that role in the 1986 miniseries Fresno where his character appeared shirtless at every opportunity. Harrison was a regular in the final season (1989-90) of Falcon Crest. In 1996, he starred opposite Eric Roberts in It's My Party, a film based on the true events of a man diagnosed with AIDS who planned a two-day party to say goodbye to his friends and family and then took his own life with pills.
For the last few years he has played the lead in a touring version of the musical Chicago and was the male lead in each film of the Au Pair trilogy.
Personal life
Since 1981, Harrison has been married to actress Randi Oakes (of CHiPs fame). The couple have four children, three girls and a boy. He lived in Gold Beach, Oregon, for 15 years and now resides in Eugene.[1] He enjoys surfing and golf.