Dane Witherspoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dane Witherspoon
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|---|---|
| Born |
Richard Dane Witherspoon
December 27, 1957 Denton, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | March 29, 2014 (aged 56) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1981–1997 |
| Spouse(s) |
Tracy K. Shaffer
(m. 1989; div. 2011) |
| Children | 2 |
Dane Witherspoon (born December 27, 1957 – died March 29, 2014) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles in popular daytime TV shows called soap operas. He played Joe Perkins in Santa Barbara in 1984. He also appeared as Tyler McCandless in Capitol from 1985 to 1986.
Becoming an Actor
Dane Witherspoon was born in Denton, Texas. He loved acting from a young age. When he was 19, he became the youngest student ever accepted into the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco. This was a big achievement! At ACT, he performed in many plays, from classic works by Shakespeare to more modern ones. He also spent a season acting at the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
After finishing his acting studies, Dane moved to Hollywood. This is where many actors go to find work. He soon got small roles in popular TV shows like The Waltons and Eight Is Enough. These early roles helped him gain experience.
His TV and Film Roles
In 1984, Dane Witherspoon got his first big role in a soap opera. He played the original character of Joe Perkins in Santa Barbara. This show was very popular. After a few months, another actor took over the role of Joe Perkins.
But Dane quickly found another job in daytime TV. He joined the cast of Capitol as Tyler McCandless. He played this character for about a year, from 1985 to 1986. Besides his TV work, Dane also appeared in a few movies. These included "Chameleons" in 1989 and "Seedpeople" in 1992. In 1997, he acted in a TV movie called "Asteroid".
His Family Life
Dane Witherspoon met actress Robin Wright when they were both trying out for roles in Santa Barbara. They later got married in 1986. However, their marriage ended in 1988.
Later, Dane married Tracy Shaffer, who was also an actress and a writer. They had two sons together.
Later Life and Passing
Even though he continued acting for some years, Dane Witherspoon eventually decided to stop. He retired from acting and moved to Denver, Colorado. He lived there until he passed away on March 29, 2014, at the age of 56.
See also
In Spanish: Dane Witherspoon para niños
