Episode 35 - Discussing His Devious Ways On Dynasty With Gordon Thomson - Part 1

On this episode of Hollywood Obsessed, host Tony Miros has a fascinating conversation with actor Gordon Thomson who is best known for playing the evil, yet dashing, Adam Carrington, on the 1980s prime-time soap opera “Dynasty”! During their fascinating conversation, Gordon talks about his start in the theater in Canada with Gilda Radner, Martin Short, and Eugene Levy, becoming a catalog model, moving to New York City to join the cast of the daytime soap opera “Ryan’s Hope” in the role of Egyptologist Aristotle Benedict White, how he got involved with the ABC Development Program, doing his screen test for Adam with Joan Collins and how winning the role on “Dynasty” changed his life forever. 

PLEASE NOTE: This interview was recorded on April 6, 2023 - three months before the SAG AFTRA strike began.

GORDON THOMSON

Gordon Thomson began acting while studying English at McGill University in Montreal. One of his earliest roles was "Sir Robin the Brave" in the 1971 version of the Muppet’s “Frog Prince”. He went on to appear in Canadian television and stage roles, including a stint in “Godspell” opposite Gilda Radner, Martin Short, and Eugene Levy. In his twenties, he also worked as a catalog model to supplement his acting earnings. 

His first main TV role was as Michael Stewart Jr. on the Canadian television serial “High Hopes” in 1978. He then appeared as Egyptologist Aristotle Benedict White on the ABC daytime soap opera “Ryan’s Hope” from 1981 to 1982. 

Having received acclaim for stage performances in productions including “Love's Labour's Lost”, “Godspell” and Joe Orton's “Loot”, he advanced to the ABC Talent Development Program. After auditioning for a police series pilot, he was instead cast as Dynasty's Adam Carrington. He debuted on “Dynasty” in October 1982, and remained with the series until its cancellation in May 1989. The role brought him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film in 1988. During the 1985–1986 season, he also appeared in three episodes of the “Dynasty” spin-off, “The Colbys.” 

Following his run in “Dynasty”, Gordon was quickly snatched up by the new daytime drama “Santa Barbara”. His daytime commitment kept him from reprising the role of Adam in “Dynasty: The Reunion”. When Santa Barbara wrapped production, Gordon went on to roles in “The Young and the Restless”, “Passions”, and “Sunset Beach”.

He reunited with his “Dynasty” co-stars in two non-fiction television specials; “After Dynasty” (part of the UK's “After They Were Famous” series) in 2002, and “Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar” in 2006. That same year, he had a role in “Poseidon” (a remake of “The Poseidon Adventure”) as well as the Academy Award-nominated film “Little Miss Sunshine”. 

From 2011-2014, Gordon appeared in a web-based series called “DeVanity”, and in 2015 starred in the series “Winterthorne”. His most recent and most exciting job was the title role in “The Liberator”. 

In 2017, he played the role of Parker Rutledge, a ruthless Washington power player, in the Passionflix romantic drama film “Afterburn Aftershock”, based on The New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Sylvia Day. That same year he came out as gay.

Gordon also guest hosted for Britain's ITV network on their then breakfast show “Good Morning Britain”, for which he covered celebrity events such as Wimbledon and Royal Ascot.

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