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CAST BIOS

EDWARD ASNER (Luke Spelman) – Versatile, committed, eloquent and talented are all adjectives that describe actor/activist Edward Asner.  Perhaps best known for his comedic and dramatic crossover as the gruff but soft-hearted journalist Lou Grant, the role he originated on the landmark TV news room comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show and continued in the newspaper-set drama Lou Grant, which earned him five Emmys and three Golden Globe Awards.  Asner received two more Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for the mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man and Roots.  His prolific and much honored acting career demonstrates a consummate ability to transcend the line between comedy and drama. 

One of the most honored actors in the history of television; Edward Asner has been the recipient of seven Emmy Awards and 16 nominations, as well as five Golden Globe Awards and served as National President of the Screen Actors Guild for two terms.  He was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1996.  Asner received the Ralph Morgan Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 2000, presented periodically for distinguished service to the Guild's Hollywood membership.  In March 2002, he was again honored by The Guild as the 38th recipient of the prestigious Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment, presented annually to an actor who fosters the highest ideals of the profession.

In addition to his professional versatility, Edward Asner has consistently served and committed himself to the rights of the working performer in addition to advocating for human rights, world peace, environmental preservation and political freedom.  A passionate and informed spokesperson for the causes he supports, Asner is a frequent speaker on labor issues and a particular ally for the acting industry's older artists.  Some of the many honors he has received throughout his career include the Anne Frank Human Rights Award, The Eugene Debs Award, Organized Labor Publications Humanitarian Award, ACLU's Worker's Right's Committee Award and the National Emergency Civil Liberties Award. 

Currently seen in the recurring role of the network CEO on “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” Edward Asner has more than 100 TV credits, which include starring in the series Off the Rack, The Bronx Zoo and Thunder Alley.  Numerous guest appearances include roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm, ER, Arliss, The Practice and The Dead Zone...  Besides commercials and numerous books on tape, he has lent his voice to popular cartoon shows such as The Simpsons, Spiderman and Boondocks.  Asner's dozens of motion pictures include They Call Me Mister Tibbs!, Fort Apache the Bronx, JFK, and the European production of Giovanni XXIII - the highest rated television mini-series in the history of Italian TV. He played the role of Santa Claus in the box office hit, Elf and co-starred with John Goodman, Olympia Dukakis and Jean Smart on CBS in Center of the Universe, and starred in the Hallmark Channel’s Original movie Out of the Woods.

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JOHN NEWTON (Cody Cullen) – John Newton costarred in such 1990's TV series as "Melrose Place", “Models, Inc.” and “The Untouchables.”  But many TV viewers will remember him as young Clark Kent in the late-80’s adventure series, “Superboy.”  More recently, he has had guest and recurring roles in such series as “Desperate Housewives,” “ER” and “Walker, Texas Ranger.”  The North Carolina native got his start in New York, studying and performing on stage for more than three years before moving to Los Angeles and working in TV and feature films.  His movie credits include “S.S. Doomtrooper,” “Operation Sandman,” “Goodbye America” and “Desert Kickboxer.”

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ALICE EVANS (Faith Spelman) – British-born Alice Evans’ breakthrough role with American audiences was opposite Glenn Close in the popular Disney movie “102 Dalmatians.”  Before that, Evans, who is fluent in three languages, starred mostly on French and Italian television.  After “102 Dalmatians,” she was the leading lady in the acclaimed BBC series “Best of Both Worlds.”  Having since moved to the States, she has appeared in such films as “Fascination,” “Four Corners of Suburbia” and “Blackball.”  She also has had guest or recurring roles in such TV series as “The Chris Isaak Show” and “CSI: Miami.”

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LOIS NETTLETON (Rosie Spelman) – Although Lois Nettleton is best known to American audiences for her work on television in everything from sitcoms to soap operas, her first love is the stage.  The former Miss Chicago made her Broadway debut in 1949’s “The Biggest Thief in Town.”  She understudied Barbara Bel Geddes as Maggie the Cat in the original 1955 production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” occasionally getting to play the role herself.  She was nominated for a Tony for her performance in “They Knew What They Wanted” and she is a three-time Emmy^® nominee. In addition to a regular role on TV’s “In the Heat of the Night,” she has guest-starred in more than 100 TV series, including “The Fugitive,” “Seinfeld” and “Crossing Jordan.”

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