 Kevin Sorbo | |  | | (Actor - Hercules, The Legendary Journeys; Andromeda; Meet the Spartans; Kull the Conqueror) | |  | |  Kevin Sorbo has enjoyed success on television for over 20 consecutive years, a feat rarely accomplished by an actor. Sorbo quickly rose to stardom in the title role of the hit series, “Hercules, the Legendary Journeys”. The immense popularity of the 5 initial 2-hour tele-films in 1993 resulted in the launch of a weekly series by 1994. The series not only became a breakout hit by becoming the number one first-run program in syndication, it also passed “Baywatch” as the most watched TV show in the world airing in 176 countries. The innovative action hour revitalized the entire action/adventure genre on television and fostered two spin-off series, “Xena, Warrior Princess”, and “Young Hercules”. Sorbo also directed two episodes of the show, and co-wrote one installment.
Following the success of “Hercules”, Sorbo went on to star in the lead role as “Captain Dylan Hunt” in “Gene Roddenberry’s, Andromeda”. The series, based upon writings from the late “Star Trek” creator’s archives, debuted as the number one hour show in first run syndication and held that spot throughout it’s five year run from 2000-2005. The show was seen in over 150 countries around the world.
In 1997, Sorbo made his feature film debut in “Kull, the Conqueror”, a prequel to “Conan, the Barbarian”. Other films include, “Walking Tall, The Payback”, “Walking Tall, Lone Justice, “The Last Chance Café”, “Something Beneath”, “Clipping Adam”, and “The Avenging Angel”, which aired in the summer of 2007 and was the third highest rated movie in the history of Hallmark. A sequel is planned. “What If….” an independent film which will air in theaters fall of 2010, co-stars Kristy Swanson and John Ratzenberger.
Other movies include “Meet the Spartans” for 20th Century Fox, “Never Cry Werewolf” and the western, “Prairie Fever”. 2009 was an extremely busy year for Kevin as he completed three films for the newly re-branded SyFy Channel. In September of ’09 “’Fire From Below” and “Lightning Strikes” were released and “Flesh Wounds” will air in Spring of 2010 for the network. Also out in the fall of ’09 was the ABC Family film, “Tommy and The Cool Mule”. Two feature films due for an early 2010 release are “Paradox” and “Tales of an Ancient Empire. Just completed at the end of 2009 are the movies “The King of Mykonos”, an Australian comedy, and “Julia X”, a 3D thriller. Both movies will be out in the summer of 2010.
Sorbo has guest starred on the hit shows “Just Shoot Me”, “According to Jim”, “Hope and Faith”, “Two and a Half Men, USA networks “Psych”, and had recurring appearances on “Dharma and Greg”, and on Fox’s “The OC” in 2006-2007. In 2005, he signed an unprecedented development deal with ABC/Touchstone Television that resulted in the creation of “Bobby Cannon”, a half-hour comedy pilot written by Barry Kemp of “Coach” and “Newhart” fame. He recently shot a guest appearance on CBS’s hit sitcom, “Gary Unmarried”. Kevin has added Executive Producer duties to his already full schedule with the sitcom “Wolf Canyon” which was shot in the fall of 2009 and will air in 2010 and the sale of “Legendary” to the SyFy Channel with Co-Creator David Eick.
Electronics Media Magazine named Sorbo TV’s third most bankable star behind Oprah and Regis.
Kevin’s charitable foundation, for which he is the spokesman and has chaired since 1997, A World Fit For Kids, is a non-profit organization that provides gang, drug, and dropout prevention to teens through mentoring programs serving 12 schools and over 12,000 students in the Los Angeles school district. The program was awarded the Governors Gold Star for being the most successful after school program in the state of California in 1997.
Sorbo was also named national spokesperson as successor to Arnold Schwarzenegger for The Afterschool Alliance in 2003, a non-profit organization working to ensure that all children have access to safe, enriching afterschool programs.
A native of Mound, Minnesota, Sorbo is a sports enthusiast and an avid golfer. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Sam, and their three young children. | | | | | | | | |
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