Gary Sandy
Gary Sandy at Wilmington College, Ohio, September 2018
Born
Gary Lee Sandy

(1945-12-25) December 25, 1945 (age 78)
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1969–present
Known forAndy Travis role in WKRP in Cincinnati
SpouseLaura Soltis (1989–1995)
Websitegarysandy.com

Gary Lee Sandy (born December 25, 1945) is an American actor. He is best known for playing program director Andy Travis on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982).

Early life and education

Sandy was born in Dayton, Ohio, the son of Austin and Dolores Sandy.[1] He attended Fairmont High School in Kettering, Ohio, and lived in Moraine, Ohio. He later attended Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.[2]

Television

Sandy's early TV career included appearances on several soap operas in the early 1970s, and a number of appearances as a guest on shows including Medical Center, Barnaby Jones, and Starsky & Hutch.[3]

Sandy's most notable role was as Andy Travis, the new program director at a struggling radio station on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. The idea for the show was based on the real experiences of several people who had worked in the industry, including creator Hugh Wilson. [4]

Theater

In 1982, he replaced Kevin Kline as The Pirate King on Broadway in The Pirates of Penzance.[5][2] In 1986, he replaced Tony Roberts as Mortimer Brewster in the fiftieth anniversary production of Arsenic and Old Lace opposite Jean Stapleton, Marion Ross, Larry Storch, and Jonathan Frid, and continued the role in the North American tour.[6] In 1992, he played Billy Flynn in the Los Angeles production of Chicago alongside Juliet Prowse and Bebe Neuwirth. Beginning in 2001, he starred opposite Ann-Margret in a stage production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which toured for two years.[7]

He continues to perform in regional theater and has performed such roles as Elliot Garfield in The Goodbye Girl and Mike Hammer.[2][8] He has said that it bothers him being known for a '70s TV show.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Gary Sandy Biography (1946-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Breslauer, Jan (February 11, 1996). "THEATER: Stage Makes an Honest Man of Gary Sandy: The former 'WKRP in Cincinnati' star is happy to be where 'you either cut it or you don't.'". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ Poliafico, Chuck (July 3, 1980). "Actor digs 'WKRP in Cincinnati' role". The Summer Kent Stater. Vol. I, no. 3. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "Turkeys Away: An Oral History". November 21, 2012.
  5. ^ "Pirates of Penzance". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  6. ^ Christiansen, Richard (September 30, 1987). "'Arsenic And Old Lace' Still Brews Fun With A Little Kick". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  7. ^ Jones, Kenneth (February 14, 2002). "Ann-Margret's Best Little Whorehouse Celebrates One Year Feb. 14". Playbill.
  8. ^ DeYoung, Bill (January 18, 2018). "Don't touch that dial: A new 'radio' role for Gary Sandy of WKRP". Creative Loafing. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  9. ^ Smith, Gary (October 25, 2021). "'Does it bother me that I'm known today for a 1970s TV series? Absolutely.'". Welland Tribune. Retrieved October 25, 2021.

External links

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