Gary Sandy's Biography
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Gary Lee Sandy was born on December 25th, 1945 to Austin and Delores Sandy in Dayton, Ohio. Gary attended Fairmont High School where he, in his senior year, was turned onto acting by his Speech teacher. This was actually an accident, because Gary, a student on the debate team, had made it to the semi finals, held at Ohio State University, but due to a technicality, Gary was kept from the competition. If Gary had been able to stay in the competition and if he had won, it would have meant a college scholarship. Luckily though, this gave him an open chance to try his hand at acting. His speech teacher entered Gary in the one act play competition, which Sandy took home a championship in drama and was also named All State Actor. Gary's father, Austin, wanted for Gary to become a sportscaster, a profession that Austin Sandy felt was very prestigious. Gary ended up enrolling at Wilmington College to study theatre. For three years Gary studied all the aspects of theatre and appeared in, somewhere around, 30 college play productions. Gary impressed his instructor at Willmington, Hugh Heliand, and Mr. Heliand suggested that Gary further his acting studies in New York. Gary declined, because he wanted to make his father happy, so he enrolled in an Atlanta broadcasting school. This proved to Gary that his heart was not in broadcasting, it was in acting. So, leaving the program, Gary went to New York and took his instructors advice and enrolled at the Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he studied under actor, William Devane, Knots Landing. Gary had to pay his tuition and living expenses by working as a Broadway ticket agent. After Gary graduated from the Academy, he went about a year without even one part. He got the chance to read for the role of a returning disillusioned Vietnam  vet (Tom Hughes) on As The World Turns. Gary said, in a TV Guide interview once "I'll never understand casting directors, they said I was too wholesome and bubbly for a Vietnam vet, but I'd be great as the malicious college roomate who hooks him on dope." Over about the next five years, Gary played a number of soap opera villians. Then came his most recognized role, the portrayal of Andy Travis on CBS' WKRP in Cincinnati. WKRP was never a big ratings winner, but it's proved to be a classic among viewers in syndication. Since WKRP's cancellation in 1982, Gary has gone back to his main love, theatre. In the time between then and now, Sandy has been in some 100 plays, both on and off Broadway. His most remembered performance was that of Pirates of Penzance. Also, during this time, Gary has made several Guest Starring apperances on many different television programs and movies. His most recent movie appearance was in the academy award winning film starring Al Pacino, The Insider.


Gary Sandy is a very talented actor who deserves more credit and recognition than he gets. He proves in all of his portrayals, that he can be the sweetest most loveable guy and then with the change of the channel, he can be the most malicious, psychopathic character you'll ever come across. His range as an actor is incredible, from television to movies to theatre, he is definitely one of a kind.