Don't hate me because I'm beautiful...
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Kevin Sorbo: "I was
an actor first. The whole modeling thing happened because I was dating
a model." (11.00 Science Fiction Weekly #194)
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DALLAS (circa spring/summer 1981 - circa spring/summer 1983) |
| Q. What has been your worst
date ever? Kevin Sorbo: I was just out of college and I went out to dinner with this woman. I didn't feel sparks, but we went back to her apartment to talk. I walked into her place and there was this weird Marlene Dietrich music playing. Very creepy. She had red fishnets hanging all over the place. Very spooky. All her furniture was red. Very weird. Then she sat me down on the red couch and said, "Kevin, we were lovers in a past life. I was the daughter of a Russian czar and you were a prince from a neighboring country. Now I need your seed so we can create the next world leader." I said, "Wait, I've got to get something out of my truck." Maybe she's still waiting. Honestly, I was pretty scared. (31.08.97 Chicago Sun-Times) |
| Kevin Sorbo: I had a chance to join a theatre group down in Dallas, Texas, of all places, theatre mecca of the world. I had two friends. You guys got room for rooming a couch? (13.01.03 Cityline, Canada TV) |
| Kevin Sorbo: I had a couple of friends who went to school at SMU [Southern Methodist University, Dallas]. (11.03 AskMen.com) |
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| Sorbo moved to Dallas to hang out with friends, but he also took acting lessons. (27.08.97 Orange County Register) |
| Kevin Sorbo: I moved down to Dallas and just got involved with a theatre group down there doing small commercials and local plays. I was too intimidated by the aspect of moving to New York or Chicago. Spending my first 22 years in Minneapolis, I was tired of the winters, sorry. I was just so sick of them. And I wasn't ready for New York, for those reasons, and Los Angeles just kind of intimidated me. So I moved down to Dallas. (13.01.03 Cityline, Canada TV) |
| Kevin went to Dallas to attend acting lessons. He hurried from one audition to the next but soon it became clear that the movie world wasn't exactly waiting for Sorbo. Because of his exceptionally tasty looks he was mainly cast for commercials and some modelwork. (3.12.96 Source unknown) |
| Kevin joined The Kim Dawson Modeling Agency (Dallas, TX) - the largest talent and modeling agency in the Southwest, full-service agency that represents female and male models for print, runway (catwalk modelling) and broadcast. |
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[In 1983] Sorbo landed his first acting job [on TV]: a two-line, walk-on part in an episode of "Dallas". (02-03.97 MrShowbiz) |
| Kevin Sorbo: "I had a slow start. I liked the theater but I didn't have money for acting lessons. I worked as a bartender and bouncer but I hated working in smoky nightclubs." (25.05.96 Tampa Tribune) |
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Q: You've also been a bouncer -- any good stories? -- Kevin Sorbo: Greasing happens all the time, I worked at this one place called Confetti, all the cowboys would come... worked from 5 in the afternoon to 4 in the morning. I made a small fortune... (11.03 AskMen.com) |
| Kevin Sorbo: (laughs) Yes, I use to be a
bouncer. Q: I'm sure you had to break up a few fights? KS: In Texas? You better believe it. Dallas? Forget it! O.V. [orientation visit] weekend, you were screwed. Two major colleges in a neutral city and they both just wanted to rip it apart. Q: Being a bouncer must have been good practice for being Hercules? KS: (laughs) Oh geez! Well, you know what, the truth is in there too. As Hercules does know - you can talk most people out of these fights that are potentially going to happen, and that's what I would do on Hercules and I did it as a bouncer as well. Talk people out of it. I'd just say "c'mon, you don't really want to do this?" So, you can. Too many guys want to go and throw fists right away. (07.97 Interview Renee Witterstaetter) |
| Vicki: How long were you a bouncer? Kevin Sorbo: Couple of years, and then I bartended. Vicki: If you had a party, you could mix a good drink. KS: Uh, no. I think that really turned me off the bars after doing that. I used to go out after studies in college, but I became a bouncer after college and I was in Dallas working at a theatre group, working till five in the morning, I thought, you know, I don't care about bars anymore. I'd rather go to a nice restaurant and have a conversation with a friend. I don't have the patience for it. (11.12.02 Vicki Gabereau show, Canada TV) |
| At age 24 while working with a stage troupe, taking acting classes and shooting commercials, Kevin fell in love with a model in downtown Dallas. He went everywhere with her and put aside his career. (Summer(?) 1997 Source unknown) |
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[Sorbo moved to Dallas and] More than a year later, he met and fell in love with a model who convinced him to move with her to Paris. (27.08.97 Orange County Register) |
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Kevin took off for Europe
and spent the next three and a half years traveling and working primarily
in Milan, Paris and Munich.
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EUROPE
(circa
spring/summer 1983 - circa 09.86)
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MILAN
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PARIS
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MUNICH
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Kevin Sorbo: Well, I always wanted to be an actor. The Europe thing was an accident... I met a model, and I went down to Europe with her, for a couple of months, then I ended up spending three years there! (11.03 AskMen.com) |
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"Then I told my parents that I was going to go to Europe for three months and I stayed for three years," Sorbo recalls. He supported himself working as a model and sometime actor in Milan, Paris and Munich. (12.98 Xpose #29) |
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| Sorbo followed a girlfriend to Europe where he landed a brief modeling gig and plenty of commercial work. (07.97 People Online) | |
| Kevin Sorbo: "I was in love, so I put my life on hold for more than three years. But I did do a lot of commercials in Europe and hung out with actors." (16.10.96 Glitter # 2) | |
| While on a trip to Europe, his good looks and great physical shape brought him several modeling jobs, and soon he was doing dozens of commercials. ((08).95 Starbiz 95) | |
| Kevin Sorbo: My father instilled a sense of responsibility in me when I was a kid, and I understood it even better after modeling in Milan. (8.08.02 St. Paul Pioneer Press) | |
| Kevin Sorbo: Italy is one of my favorite countries in the world. I lived there for 8 months in Milano. It is the best language in the world. (28.08.97 Universal Chat) | |
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Mi
chiamo Kevin. Sono molto lieto di fare la Sua conoscenza.
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| Kevin Sorbo: I lived in Munich for a year and a half and I love being here. (20.07.01 Internet chat with RTL Newmedia) | |
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| Kevin Sorbo: I kept the sports going, and I started a 10-game basketball league in Germany. (11.03 AskMen.com) | |
| Kevin Sorbo: I still have a couple of friends there [in Germany] that I keep in touch with. (Source unknown) | |
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Kevin Sorbo: My [future] wife and I, we were there at the same time but didn't know it. We were living in the same country. [That has to be Germany? It was the first time they have just missed one another...] (13.01.03 Cityline, Canada TV) |
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Kevin Sorbo: I lived in Europe for three-and-a-half years. I fell in love with the architecture over there like most people do. I fell in love with the furniture lines they had over there, the design and things. <...> My wife and I both really liked that. We were both into heavily designed detailed wood. That's what we found when we were over in Europe. (13.01.03 Cityline, Canada TV) |
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| Kevin Sorbo: When I lived in Europe for three and one-half years I probably picked up Italian the best. I speak a little Italian. I speak a little German. I speak a little French. Very little of all of them. Am I fluent, heck no. But I can certainly understand things and phrases. I probably picked up Italian the best. My ear was best for Italian. (06.96 H:TLJ's Forum) | |
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Marilyn: Now I remember, when you were modelling you spent three years over in Europe. -- Kevin Sorbo: Milan, Paris, Munich, London, Zurich, all those places. (13.01.03 Cityline, Canada TV) |
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TVG: People would be surprised to find out that the man who plays Hercules also... -- Kevin Sorbo: ...Writes poetry. I've shown two or three people. I think some of it is pretty good. I think a lot of art comes from pain. Most of the writing I did was when I was in my 20s, and they were very confusing years in terms of relationships I was involved in, and in terms of finding my place in life. (01.02.97 TV Guide) |
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Kevin Sorbo is a glowing example of persistency. His philosophy? "You have to persevere," he says. "You have to do it. I have insecurities. But whatever I'm insecure about, I don't dissect it, but I'll go after it and say, 'What am I afraid of?' I bet the average successful person can tell you they've failed so much more than they've had success. I've had far more failures than I've had successes. With every commercial I've gotten, there were 200 I didn't get. You have to go after what you're afraid of." (15.05.98 site "Best of life" - "Persistency" by Sid E. Williams) |
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page is on the move |
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Roles he got
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Commercials
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Print ads
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LOS ANGELES
(circa 09.86 - 12.86)
| Kevin Sorbo: When we broke up, I went to California in 1986. (16.10.96 Glitter #2) |
| Kevin Sorbo: "I had this David Letterman gap between my teeth. I didn't get it closed until I was 28." (14.06.99 People) |
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Kevin joined the Blanchard Modeling Agency (Los Angeles, CA). Founder of this Agency, Nina Blanchard was a true pioneer in the modeling industry, the most famous model agent in Hollywood. Part of her agenda was working out development deals with the studios for models turned actors. "Do you really have to be the most beautiful, or just the most professional? or is it a combination of both? or neither? -- Nina Blanchard: "For men, 6' to 6' 2-1/2, 18 to 23." Nina will take someone 25 or 26 if they are established (worked in Europe, etc.). "I handle people who sell. It all has to do with what the Fashion Industry is looking for." (© 1996-98 Canoco Publishing) |
| Kevin Sorbo: "No, I wasn't spotted because of my looks. Most people said 'Hey kid, you won't make it'." (3.12.95 Orange County Register) |
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Kevin Sorbo: "They'd say, 'If you were 18 or 19 maybe we could take you and shape you and form you, but you'll never make it.' So I just busted my butt. I remember, when I was first here the main thing I heard was, 'You're too tall.' This business is so easy to be cynical about things and to say negative things because the chances of you making it are so small. They truly are. If you can put up with the rejection, if you can put up with all the crap that goes with it, maybe there's a chance but you have to really believe in yourself. I believed in myself." (12.98 Xpose #29) |
| Q: Now tell us about the worst
date you ever had. Kevin Sorbo: Oh, that's very easy. I had just moved to Los Angeles at the end of 1986 to pursue acting, and I met this woman. I'm not going to name names, but she's an actress in Hollywood. We went out to dinner and she spent every ounce of her energy boucning around from producer to producer at other tables, and they would look over and check me out and go, "who's that loser?" It was a three-hour dinner, but she only spent 20 minutes at the table. It was like this is what Hollywood is all about, all these phonies. When she finally came back, I said "Excuse me, I'm going to the bathroom". Then I cut back through the kitchen, got my car and snuck out. I stuck her with the bill. (3.11.96 New York Sunday Daily News) |
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AUSTRALIA (12.86 - 06.87) |
| Kevin Sorbo: My very first commercial booked in Los Angeles shot in Sydney. I asked the clients I was with, how long is my visa good for? They said good for six months. See you later. So I stayed. I had shot the commercial in December and stayed until June. I lived in Bone Beach. (13.01.03 Cityline, Canada TV) |
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Kevin Sorbo: I got a commercial assignment in Australia and I liked the country so I ended up staying another six months, did a couple of plays and a lot of commercials. (16.10.96 Glitter v.5 #2) |
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He moved to Australia where he stayed for six months continuing his acting studies and appearing in commercials. (12.98 Xpose #29) |
| Looks like during his stay in Australia Kevin was working with the Vivien's Model Management (Sydney, Australia) - a large prestigious modeling agency. |
| Kevin Sorbo: I lived in Sydney, and Sydney was great. I've always wanted to go to Australia. I'd always been interested in it. I remember all those National Geographic specials. I did seven commercials and traveled around the Great Barrier Reef. I absolutely love it down there. (2.12.96 TVGuide) |
| Kevin Sorbo: "I moved in with two Swedish nannies. They were 19 and 21, I think." He laughed, recalling how pretty they were. (20.01.01 Entertainers with Byron Allen, TV - thanks Sovka!) |
| What is a nanny? -- Nannies usually have some type of formal training or have had a lot of experience with children. Nannies usually work full time and are available 24 hours a day. They get 1 or 2 days off per week. |
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© 2004-2005 KSJAA - Please, don't borrow contents without permission