Thaao Penghlis

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Thaao Penghlis (Tony/ex-Andre, DAYS)

Vital Statistics

THE 411

One of four children whose parents immigrated to Australia from Greece, Thaao Penghlis was born in Sydney. Captivated by history and art, he originally dreamed of becoming an archaeologist, but his life took another turn when he moved to New York to study art history and fashion. There he met renowned drama teacher Milton Katselas, who encouraged him to pursue acting. Penghlis hasn't stopped studying with Katselas over 25 years later.

Penghlis made his New York stage debut in an off-Broadway production of Jockeys. Eventually, he worked as an assistant to Katselas, even relocating to Los Angeles when his mentor set up his studio and school at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Penghlis went on to direct plays there.

He forged a career doing prime-time guest spots and TV movies, but in 1980 Penghlis landed a role in the movie Altered States with William Hurt. He then segued to daytime, landing the short-term role of Victor Cassadine on GENERAL HOSPITAL before being cast as Count Antony DiMera on DAYS OF OUR LIVES in 1981.

In his spare time, Penghlis enjoys traveling the world and writing. He collaborates with former DAYS head writer Sheri Anderson Thomas. The pair have formed their own company, which is currently producing two of their scripts.

ET CETERA

Five Random Facts
—A film buff since the age of five, a young Penghlis used to sell beer bottles gathered from the streets of Sydney to earn money to buy movie tickets.
—Upon moving to New York, Penghlis joined Australia's mission at the United Nations.
—While working for designer Robert Meledandri, Penghlis and company did suits for Robert Redford and producer Robert Evans.
—Climbed to summit of Mt. Sinai.
—Taught Kelly LeBrock how to dance for a sequence in their 2007 film, The Mirror.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Other Soaps
SANTA BARBARA (Micah De Angelis, 1992-’93)
GENERAL HOSPITAL (Victor Cassadine, 1981)
TV Roles
MOON OVER MIAMI (Mr. Rose, 1993)
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (Nicholas Black, 1988-'90)
WHO'S THE BOSS? (Armando Shia, 1987)
MAGNUM, P.I. (Phillipe Fabre Dumout, 1986)
HOTEL (Eduardo Valli, 1985)
NERO WOLFE (1981)
HART TO HART (Assad, 1981)
CANNON (Prince Hassan, 1975)
KOJAK (Yanni Psalidas, 1975)
TV Movies
TRIBE (Captain John Brava, 1999)
MEMORIES OF MIDNIGHT (Spyros, 991)
THE LOOKALIKE (Nikos Lissandros, 1990)
EMMA: QUEEN OF THE SOUTH SEAS (Albert, 1988)
LES PATTERSON SAVES THE WORLD (Col. Richard Godowni, 1987)
UNDER SIEGE (Abu Ladeen, 1986)
THE SILENT LOVERS (Antonio Moreno, 1980)
Films
The Mirror (Nicholas Theophilus, 2007)
Altered States (Prof. Eduardo Eccheverria, 1980)
The Bell Jar (Marco, 1979)
Slow Dancing in the Big City (Christopher, 1978)

LOOK WHO'S TALKING

"You know all you've got to do is embrace the actor, and he'll give you anything. We're such whores, when it comes to affection and appreciation."— Soap Opera Weekly, 5/29/07

"I saw John Gielgud on Broadway and said, 'I have to be an actor.' I proceeded to go to classes, and I was terrible. I was too rigid.... It's taken me a long time to feel steady on my feet. I didn't grow up feeling that I was going to be a powerful human being."— Weekly, 11/23/04

"I do have the young people [in the cast] coming to me and saying that they like this character and the way I interpret him... It's what I used to feel when I worked with actors who stimulated me or made me better.”— Weekly, 12/24/02

"We lived in a small house and were very, very poor. My brother slept on the dining room table. But we had 'beginnings.' It's very hard to have beginnings in a rich family. Great beginnings come from struggles.— Weekly, 4/5/94

"I probably will [marry], but I don't think it's necessary or the answer to life. I don't think that we all have to be here to get married and have children to say, 'Well, I've done my job to society.'"— Weekly, 4/5/94

"I'm amazed when I open a magazine or book and see so many celebrities discussing their lives openly. I think to myself: What do I owe my audience? Certainly I owe them a performance, but I'm not sure that I owe them much more. I'm not the National Enquirer."— Soap Opera Digest, 4/24/84

OFFICIAL WEB SITE

www.thaaopenghlis.com

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