John Schneider

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John Schneider
John Schneider, December 2007
Born	John Richard Schneider April 8, 1960 (1960-04-08) (age 49) Mount Kisco, New York, U.S.A.
Occupation	Actor, singer, screenwriter, film producer
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Tawny Godin, 1983–1986 Elly Castle, 1993–present

John Richard Schneider (born April 8, 1960) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with Tom Wopat, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.

Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a country music singer in the 1980s, releasing nine studio albums and a greatest hits package, as well as eighteen singles. This total includes "I've Been Around Enough to Know", "Country Girls", "What's a Memory Like You (Doing in a Love Like This)" and "You're the Last Thing I Needed Tonight", all of which reached the top of the Billboard country singles charts.

Biography

Early life

This section requires expansion with: more info.

Schneider was born in Mount Kisco, New York. He graduated from North Springs High School in Atlanta, Georgia.

Acting career

Schneider can be seen on several episodes of the FX Network show Nip/Tuck as Ram Peters, the CEO of a company. Also, from February to March 2008, he performed as Billy Flynn in the Musical Chicago on Broadway. Schneider is also known to television audiences as Jonathan Kent, the adoptive father of Clark Kent on the hit show Smallville, starring in 100 episodes before his character was killed off. Schneider also directed episodes of Smallville, including S3E20 and Talisman, which received a respectable 8.8 rating out of 10 on TV.com. Some Smallville episodes contain references to Schneider's other work in The Dukes of Hazzard. Schneider also guest starred for the latter half of Smallville: Season 5 appearing in the episodes 'Void' and 'Oracle'.

Schneider has appeared in many films and TV series such as the miniseries 10.5. He had a recurring role on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and guest-starred on such shows as Diagnosis Murder, Touched by an Angel, JAG and Walker, Texas Ranger. He also appeared in the off-Broadway play The Civil War as a Confederate soldier.

Schneider has also been mentioned in other media such as the South Park episode Terrance and Phillip: Behind the Blow, in which an episode of "Terrance and Phillip" was aired in place of the popular fictitious show "The John Schneider Variety Hour", causing outrage.

In 2007, he was among a series of celebrities involved in television ads for the Zaxby's restaurant chain.

In 2008, Schneider made an appearance on the series CSI: Miami in an episode titled "Tunnel Vision." He played the bad guy role.

In 2009, he made an appearance on the series C.S.I. in an episode titled "Kill Me If You Can." He played the spouse of a murder victim that was later confirmed as a suicide.

On 9th November 2009, Schneider appeared briefly in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, playing one of a couple that Larry David meets, in the episode titled Officer Krupke.

Schneider appeared in the first season of The Secret Life of the American Teenager, during the summer of 2008 and early 2009, in the role of Marshall Bowman. He declined to continue to the second season.

As of November 6, 2009, Schneider is set to play the lead in the new Australian action film,The Ninja, also starring Roger Cross, John Wesley Shipp, Tania Zaetta, Jeremy Kewley and Rob Baard.

On July 20, 2009, it was announced he would have a recurring role on 90210 as Liam's plastic surgeon stepfather.

Music career

This section requires expansion with: More info on each album, critical reception.

During the 1980s, Schneider parlayed his success as Bo Duke with a string of country music hits. His biggest hits include: "It's Now or Never" (#4 country and #14 pop, 1981; a remake of the Elvis Presley hit); "I've Been Around Enough to Know" (#1 country, 1984); "Country Girls" (#1 country, 1985); "What's a Memory Like You (Doing in a Love Like This)" and "You're The Last Thing I Needed Tonight" (both #1 country, 1986); "At the Sound of the Tone" (#5 country, 1986); and "Love, You Ain't Seen the Last of Me" (#6 country) in 1987.

John Schneider has recorded 10 albums to date, including works on Scotti Brothers Records and MCA Nashville. His co-star (on The Dukes of Hazzard), Tom Wopat, also enjoyed success on the country music charts. Schneider and Wopat sang several duets on the TV series, sometimes with co-star Catherine Bach. In fact, in the season 7 DVD boxset, the trio performed a remake of the show's theme song "Good Ol' Boys" in a music video as a tribute to their friend Waylon Jennings.

Personal life

Schneider became a born-again Christian after living with Johnny and June Carter Cash for a short time and speaking with Johnny about Christianity.^[1] In 1982, he co-founded, with Marie Osmond, the Children's Miracle Network to help suffering children. In 1995, he founded FaithWorks Productions in order to produce family-oriented videos and recordings.

Schneider has recently become involved in animal advocacy. He read from Karen Dawn's book Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking The Way We Treat Animals at its New York book launch. In a Washington Post Article he discussed the effects of the book and the people he met through the event on his life.^[2] He was moved to record a video in which he talks of his shock upon learning about the way animals are treated by human society, which is available on YouTube and on the book's website.^[3]

Both of John's parents are from a German-American background.^{[citation needed]} Schneider is the father of three children: daughters Leah and Karis, and son Chasen, who has Asperger syndrome.^[4] Schneider spends much of his spare time raising awareness and money for the research and treatment of Asperger syndrome. He has been married twice: currently to Elly Castle (July 11, 1993–present) and was married once before to former Miss America, Tawny Elaine Godin (1983–1986)

Schneider recently sold his "General Lee" (Dodge Charger on Barrett-Jackson car auction) to a Markwood car dealer and collector in Hardy County, West Virginia. On March 12, 2008 John was present in Moorefield, West Virginia to sign over the car and give autographs to fans. Schneider has recently produced, directed, and starred in his own film series, Collier and Company. He has great relations with his fans, even going to the point of hiring them to help with his film-maker career, such examples are Derek Russel and Grahm Hancock from the Smallville Podcast "Starkville House of El", and has appeared in interviews on the show, and had a cameo in the podcasts 50 1/2 episode celebration, "Banished", and occasionly solicites his roles on the podcast. Archived copies can be seen on www.smallvillepodcast.com

Filmography

Television

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

External links

• John Schneider's official website
• John Schneider at TV.com
• John Schneider at the Internet Movie Database
• John Schneider at the Internet Broadway Database
• John Schneider interview
• John Schneider Video
• John Schneider Thanking the Monkey Book Launch Video