Scott Clifton
Encyclopedia
Scott Clifton Snyder better known as Scott Clifton, is an American actor
, musician
, and video blogger. His early work has included television commercials and minor film and television roles, but his most recognized achievements have come from his highly publicised roles in soap opera
s. He is best known for playing Dillon Quartermaine
in General Hospital
(2003–2007), Schuyler Joplin in One Life to Live
(2009–2010), and Liam Cooper
in The Bold and the Beautiful
(2010–present). His role in The Bold and the Beautiful earned him a Daytime Emmy Award
in 2011.
Clifton is known on YouTube
for engaging in philosophical debate and discussion about, among other things, atheism
, ethics
(with special interest in Biblical ethics
), and criticism of Christianity
. He is commonly known online by the screen name
"Theoretical Bullshit".
, United States
. He was raised in the Greater Los Angeles Area
of southern California
, including the Santa Clarita Valley
and the San Fernando Valley
. He credits his acting career to an event at age nine, when his mother threw a copy of Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
book in his lap and told him to read it. Clifton initially resisted, but then fell in love with the work and soon had much of Hamlet
memorized. One of his mother's friends was an acting coach who volunteered to tutor him on weekends for a year.
At the age of ten, Clifton moved with his family to a new home in an Evangelical Christian
community. The culture shock Clifton experienced was dramatic. Raised in a secular home, Clifton was the community's only nonbeliever, and was not aware of his parent's own religious positions. When he inquired into this, he was surprised to discover they were non-practicing Zen Buddhists
, affiliating with the philosophy of the religion, but had raised him without dogma. Describing their secular parenting style, he has said, "they just raised me to think critically, and to love mystery, and curiosity, and to ask questions..."
In keeping with their style of parenting, his mother, Faye Snider, reports that neither she nor her husband imparted their Zen
beliefs on Clifton as he grew. They attempted instead to provide explanations for philosophical questions in simple terms he would understand as a child, rather than with complex spiritual beliefs he could not yet relate to.
Faye Snider relates an episode of Clifton's childhood in relation to this. Following the passing of his uncle, she attempted to explain to a then four-year-old Clifton the concept of death
in simple terms. When he asked what happened to a person after death, she said, "We go back to the Universe. It’s sort of where we came from before we were born. We go back to the raindrops and the flowers." Following the funeral, which Clifton did not attend, she presented him with a flower as a representation of his deceased uncle. She recalled a later conversation she overheard between Clifton and a young girl he played with. After the girl described the Christian concept of Heaven
to the boy, he responded, "That sounds absolutely silly. When we die, we go back to the flowers." While sympathizing with the girl, his mother was nonetheless proud and interpreted it as a sign of his comfort with mortality.
Evangelical children he met often questioned him regarding his lack of faith, as he was the only child in the neighborhood who was not a Christian. He recalled that he was used by the children as a "practice dummy for apologetics and evangelism... It was a rude awakening." Clifton later cited these early experiences with laying a foundation for his skeptical nature later in life.
Between the age of 15 and 16, Scott dropped out the eleventh grade
of high school in pursuit of his acting and musical career. He eventually earned his GED at a later point. "I got lucky," he has said. "I dropped out of high school and I made it."
, Undressed
, and Judging Amy
.
He then auditioned for General Hospital
but was rejected as not having the right look for what they were seeking. However, a few months later the producers called him back and cast him as Dillon Quartermaine
, son of Tracy Quartermaine
(played by Jane Elliot
).
Clifton was hired when his appearance and hair was cleanly cut, two months prior to when his first scene was to be taped. However, he was instructed not to cut his hair or change his appearance until his first day of work. His hair grew awkwardly longer, prompting him to apologize for its length. He later recalled the stylist assigned to him disregarded this, choosing to style his hair into a bouffant
that came to define his character. He has been repeatedly asked how his hair was coaxed into such a style, and referring to his hair during an interview, Ryan Seacrest
asked Clifton for hair product advice.
A cast member as of 2003, he became part of the General Hospital teen romances, and was paired with actress Lindze Letherman
who played Georgie Jones
. When Clifton's General Hospital contract expired in July 2007, he opted not to renew, but he has made two return appearances: once in November 2007, along with Wally Kurth
who plays Ned Ashton, for the funeral of Emily Quartermaine
; and again that following December for the funeral of Georgie Jones
. Scott's choice not to renew his contract was partially due to his desire to pursue new acting roles, which his contractual obligations to General Hospital left him little room for.
began within months of his decision. Although he continued to audition for new roles, the paucity of new projects created by the film and television industry left him facing increased competition from other actors, leaving him virtually unemployed during this period.
He also found himself facing new health issues, as his metabolism began to slow, causing him to became overweight. Facing a lifetime of poor eating habits, it took a great deal of effort to internalize simple guidelines to improve his health.
In late 2008, ABC
announced that Clifton would be joining the cast of One Life to Live
in the role of high school teacher Schuyler Joplin. Addressing his health, he ultimately needed to lose thirty pounds when he was hired. He further maintained his new weight by constantly walking to his destinations in the city of New York. His first air date was January 9, 2009. He has since had several key story lines with the character. Clifton's role in One Life to Live ended in 2010 when the storyline associated with his character concluded.
Moving back to Los Angeles, Clifton continued his new health practices and reduced his weight by an additional twenty-to-thirty pounds.
. His work on the show involved withholding secret information regarding future plot developments of his character, Liam Cooper. According to the narrative, Cooper's introduction to the program began with his quest to discover the true identify of his biological father, which potentially included several lead characters. Asked by the director if he wished to know the secret, or have it revealed to him in the course of portraying the story, Clifton agreed to hear the truth immediately. He then proceeded to with hold his knowledge from cast mates and backstage crew for a duration of several months as the storyline played out.
At times, Clifton even regretted that his character would not be the son of possible fathers. "Winsor
played those scenes so subtly and sweetly, that even though I knew what was going to happen, I was watching Winsor thinking 'God, I wish I were his son.'" Yet, despite his sentiments while shooting, Clifton has also praised the storyline and defended the ultimate fictional father figure, Bill Spencer, Jr., portrayed by Don Diamont
. The fictional father/son duo have consistently clashed in story lines, which has led to greater character conflict and storytelling potential.
Among his cast mates, he considers Kimberly Matula
and her boyfriend, and the makeup crew to be among his closest friends. He has expressed an interest working with his former General Hospital co-worker, Rick Hearst
, noting the lack of scenes he has had to perform with Hearst.
In an initial bid to launch his musical career, he uploaded several songs to the internet, and later compiled these songs among previously unpublished material on his first EP album, Untitled. He later released a second EP, Unbeautiful, as well as two full length albums, So Much for the Nightlife and Mannequin. Each was produced by Jeff Pescetto
.
techniques.
From the age of ten, Clifton participated in classes taught by his mother as a study subject, and later taught classes himself. She specifically cites his personal well being and success as an expression of her psychological theories in effective parenting.
. Clifton referred to her as "his sister and his equal." Mist succumbed to old age in early 2008, at the age of twelve, shortly after Clifton's last appearance on General Hospital. Clifton later recalled, "that was the greatest loss I've ever suffered in my life."
Confused for a cat enthusiast, Clifton has explained that he dislikes most cats, despite keeping some as pets. "I think most cats are jerks," he has explained, perceiving most as being either extremely independent or needy. In 2009, while living in New York to participate in One Life to Live, Clifton's constrained lifestyle clashed with his desire for a pet dog. Expressing his wish to have a new pet, his girlfriend persuaded him that his limited apartment space, and the difficulty of walking the dog, would prove too great a burden. The duo later happened upon an animal adoption center featuring kittens. "We were walking down Amsterdam Avenue, and there were these cages of rescue kittens, and she points to them and goes 'There's your dog'. So my cats are my dog." The dual cats, twin siblings, were named after the fictional characters Sawyer and Desmond
from the television series Lost
. Clifton has reported that Desmond died in July 2010.
This early investigation into Christianity, and the behavior of his peers, instilled into Clifton an early desire to probe and understand the effects of religion on society. "I started to see that these beliefs inform our politics, and they inform our relationships, and our ethics." He also came to dislike the social convention of leaving supernatural belief unscrutinized in public discourse, insisting that open dialogue was preferable. "I don’t believe you should keep your religion to yourself. If you believe that is true, then you should be allowed to argue for that. However, I deserve my right to question you." Despite his atheism, Clifton has expressed some minor affiliation with views held by the Zen philosophy of his parents.
, he occasionally creates video blogs hosted by YouTube
. These most commonly come in the form of monologuessome scripted, some spontaneousin which he outlines his views on religion and ethics
, or engages in debates promoting atheism
, presenting arguments against the existence of God
, or criticizing Christianity
and Biblical ethics
. He will also occasionally respond to other user created videos, or organize Q&A sessions with viewers. He has created a series of videos in response to William Lane Craig
after the well known Christian apologist
wrote a response to commentary made by Clifton. His choice of topics are usually spontaneous, with his low rate of production creating a backlog of videos he would like to make. However, in a rare instance of immediate relevance, he created a commentary on the ruling passed by Judge Vaughn Walker over Perry v. Schwarzenegger
, after being prompted for a comment on the federal constitutionality
of California Proposition 8.
Clifton originally only minded amusing videos when he first encountered YouTube. He has quipped, "I admit, I used YouTube for pretty much two things: watching skaters fall and hit themselves in the balls, and puppy videos. And that was what YouTube was to me." However, he eventually found a subculture of discussion within the website and wished to participate in it. On January 14, 2007, Clifton began operating his YouTube video blog. His choice of name, "Theoretical Bullshit", was a homage to a debate he held years earlier, during which his opponent declared that a statement Clifton made was "just a bunch of theoretical bullshit!" Clifton remembered the phrase fondly and chose it as his web alias.
Clifton's first video was posted two days later, on January 16, as a response to a question posed by a theist: "Anybody who does not believe in God, where do your values come from and where do your morals come from?" The video was well received, and according to Clifton, it appeared that none of its initial viewers were aware of his identity. Clifton has noted that many of his subscribers do not seem to be aware of his professional acting career, and he prefers to think that the majority of his subscribers follow his channel for the value of his message, rather than his celebrity status. Initially self-conscious and concerned that fans would discover his controversial views, and wishing to keep his internet activity separate from his career, he would occasionally delete comments drawing connections between his dual identities. He eventually reconsidered his hesitance and now openly acknowledges his identity. However, he does not actively promote the hobby, and few of his professional peers are aware of it.
, but failed to win on each occasion. Clifton has self-deprecatingly mocked himself as the "Susan Lucci
" of this award category, referring to the actress' large number of Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
. Reflecting on the experience of being nominated for an Emmy with no result, he has some discomfort with the kindness and congratulations from supporters, as he has tried to remain grounded and prepared for loss. "People are so nice and so complimentary... I have to work very hard to expect no Emmy." Regardless of his losses, he considers the nomination period prior to the award ceremony as the best part of the process, as each of the nominated actors can enjoy the period regardless of any future victory or loss.
Nominated once again for Outstanding Younger Actor in 2010, Clifton's loss to Drew Tyler Bell
was an awkward event. Clifton had anticipated his loss, aware that the material he had submitted to Daytime Emmy judges was not his best work, but was all he could provide. While congratulating Bell for the latter's victory, Clifton grew worried due to the category's maximum age requirement, which would only allow him a final chance for nomination in 2011. He would thereafter only be able to compete for the Outstanding Supporting Actor
category, which is known to be more competitive, and which he anticipates will further reduce his chances of earning an award.
Clifton's fifth and final nomination for the award in 2011 ended with award success for his portrayal of Liam Cooper in The Bold and The Beautiful. Assured in his loss that night, Clifton recounts that he slumped into his chair as the award category nominees were announced, hoping to avoid notice. Upon the announcement of his victory, he was "genuinely shocked", but quickly made his way to the stage to accept his award. Accepting the award, Clifton thanked on stage Bradley Bell
, executive producer of the show; the writers, directors, and producers of the series; and co-star Don Diamont. Due to time constraints, he continued backstage, thanking his agents; Bruce Ducat, his manager of ten years; his mother; and in reference to Father's Day
, thanked his own father, Ron Snyder. Clifton's award came as part of a larger series of victories for The Bold and The Beautiful, as the series cast and crew won eight of ten awards it was nominated for.
|2004
| General Hospital
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|-
|2005
| General Hospital
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|-
|2005
| General Hospital
| Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Lead Actor
|
|-
|2006
| General Hospital
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|-
|2010
| One Life To Live
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|-
|2011
| The Bold and the Beautiful
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|}
. Clifton has acknowledged his professional career in only two of his videos, each occasion being a response to submitted questions asking about his career and personal life. He has twice acknowledged his hobby outside of YouTube, each time remarking that he thinks the majority of his subscribers are unaware of his career. In September, 2010, Clifton claimed he had approximately 15,000 subscribers. His mother, Faye Snyder, corroborated this claim in her biographical treatment of his life, Scott's Story. The current number of subscribers can be viewed on Clifton's YouTube profile.
. Upon nomination, an actor must select scenes shot during the previous twelve-month period for submission for Daytime Emmy judges. For the category of Outstanding Younger Actor, an actor in question must be 25-years-old or younger at the time submitted scenes were shot. Because of these rules, Clifton was forced to submit material for the 2010 Daytime Emmy Awards from his early period of work on One Life to Live. He believed this material to be inferior to his later work on the series, but the preferred material fell outside of the twelve-month submission period and was not admissible. In contrast to this dilemma, he was faced with a difficult choice of submission material for his 2011 Daytime Emmy Award submission. In that year, his choice of submission material could have been selected from his 2010 work on either One Life to Live, which as previously mentioned he believed to be excellent, or his newer work on The Bold and The Beautiful. He ultimately chose to submit material from the latter source.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, and video blogger. His early work has included television commercials and minor film and television roles, but his most recognized achievements have come from his highly publicised roles in soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s. He is best known for playing Dillon Quartermaine
Dillon Quartermaine
Dillon Albert Quartermaine is a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera, General Hospital. He first appeared in 1992, and is the son of Paul Hornsby and Tracy Quartermaine. He also appeared briefly on ABC's now-defunct The City . Dillon was portrayed by actor Scott Clifton from 2003...
in General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
(2003–2007), Schuyler Joplin in One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
(2009–2010), and Liam Cooper
Liam Cooper (The Bold and the Beautiful)
-External links:* on Boldandbeautiful.com...
in The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
(2010–present). His role in The Bold and the Beautiful earned him a Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
in 2011.
Clifton is known on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
for engaging in philosophical debate and discussion about, among other things, atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
(with special interest in Biblical ethics
Ethics in the Bible
Ethics is the branch of philosophy which examines the question of what actions are morally right or wrong and why. The Bible contains numerous prescriptions or laws and many narrative accounts of ethical relevance.-Ethics in the Hebrew Bible:...
), and criticism of Christianity
Criticism of Christianity
Throughout the history of Christianity, many have criticized Christianity, the church, and Christians themselves. Some criticism specifically addresses Christian beliefs, teachings and interpretation of scripture...
. He is commonly known online by the screen name
User (computing)
A user is an agent, either a human agent or software agent, who uses a computer or network service. A user often has a user account and is identified by a username , screen name , nickname , or handle, which is derived from the identical Citizen's Band radio term.Users are...
"Theoretical Bullshit".
Early life and family
Clifton was born on October 31, 1984, the only child of Ron and Faye Snyder, in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was raised in the Greater Los Angeles Area
Greater Los Angeles Area
The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is a term used for the Combined Statistical Area sprawled over five counties in the southern part of California, namely Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Ventura County...
of southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, including the Santa Clarita Valley
Santa Clarita Valley
The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the Rancho San Francisco Mexican land grant...
and the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
. He credits his acting career to an event at age nine, when his mother threw a copy of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
book in his lap and told him to read it. Clifton initially resisted, but then fell in love with the work and soon had much of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
memorized. One of his mother's friends was an acting coach who volunteered to tutor him on weekends for a year.
At the age of ten, Clifton moved with his family to a new home in an Evangelical Christian
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
community. The culture shock Clifton experienced was dramatic. Raised in a secular home, Clifton was the community's only nonbeliever, and was not aware of his parent's own religious positions. When he inquired into this, he was surprised to discover they were non-practicing Zen Buddhists
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
, affiliating with the philosophy of the religion, but had raised him without dogma. Describing their secular parenting style, he has said, "they just raised me to think critically, and to love mystery, and curiosity, and to ask questions..."
In keeping with their style of parenting, his mother, Faye Snider, reports that neither she nor her husband imparted their Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
beliefs on Clifton as he grew. They attempted instead to provide explanations for philosophical questions in simple terms he would understand as a child, rather than with complex spiritual beliefs he could not yet relate to.
Faye Snider relates an episode of Clifton's childhood in relation to this. Following the passing of his uncle, she attempted to explain to a then four-year-old Clifton the concept of death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
in simple terms. When he asked what happened to a person after death, she said, "We go back to the Universe. It’s sort of where we came from before we were born. We go back to the raindrops and the flowers." Following the funeral, which Clifton did not attend, she presented him with a flower as a representation of his deceased uncle. She recalled a later conversation she overheard between Clifton and a young girl he played with. After the girl described the Christian concept of Heaven
Heaven (Christianity)
Traditionally, Christianity has taught Heaven as a place of eternal life and the dwelling place of Angels and the Throne of God, and a kingdom to which all the elect will be admitted...
to the boy, he responded, "That sounds absolutely silly. When we die, we go back to the flowers." While sympathizing with the girl, his mother was nonetheless proud and interpreted it as a sign of his comfort with mortality.
Evangelical children he met often questioned him regarding his lack of faith, as he was the only child in the neighborhood who was not a Christian. He recalled that he was used by the children as a "practice dummy for apologetics and evangelism... It was a rude awakening." Clifton later cited these early experiences with laying a foundation for his skeptical nature later in life.
Between the age of 15 and 16, Scott dropped out the eleventh grade
Eleventh grade
Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:...
of high school in pursuit of his acting and musical career. He eventually earned his GED at a later point. "I got lucky," he has said. "I dropped out of high school and I made it."
Early roles and success
Clifton started acting in commercials at the age of 16. His early roles included appearances on shows such as RoswellRoswell (TV series)
Roswell is an American science fiction television series developed, produced, and co-written by Jason Katims. The series debuted on October 6, 1999 on The WB and moved to UPN for the third season. The last episode aired May 14, 2002...
, Undressed
Undressed
Undressed is an American anthology series that aired on MTV from July 26, 1999 to September 5, 2002. The series was created and executive produced by British director Roland Joffé.-Synopsis:...
, and Judging Amy
Judging Amy
Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly...
.
He then auditioned for General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
but was rejected as not having the right look for what they were seeking. However, a few months later the producers called him back and cast him as Dillon Quartermaine
Dillon Quartermaine
Dillon Albert Quartermaine is a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera, General Hospital. He first appeared in 1992, and is the son of Paul Hornsby and Tracy Quartermaine. He also appeared briefly on ABC's now-defunct The City . Dillon was portrayed by actor Scott Clifton from 2003...
, son of Tracy Quartermaine
Tracy Quartermaine
Tracy Angelica Quartermaine Spencer is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera General Hospital...
(played by Jane Elliot
Jane Elliot
Jane Elliot is an American actress, known for her role as Tracy Quartermaine, a role she has played on General Hospital and The City ....
).
Clifton was hired when his appearance and hair was cleanly cut, two months prior to when his first scene was to be taped. However, he was instructed not to cut his hair or change his appearance until his first day of work. His hair grew awkwardly longer, prompting him to apologize for its length. He later recalled the stylist assigned to him disregarded this, choosing to style his hair into a bouffant
Bouffant
A bouffant is a type of hairstyle characterized by hair piled high on the head and hanging down on the sides.-History:The bouffant was a mainstream hairstyle in the mid-to-late 18th century in western Europe. It was thought to be created for Marie Antoinette, as she had relatively thin hair and...
that came to define his character. He has been repeatedly asked how his hair was coaxed into such a style, and referring to his hair during an interview, Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
asked Clifton for hair product advice.
A cast member as of 2003, he became part of the General Hospital teen romances, and was paired with actress Lindze Letherman
Lindze Letherman
Lindze Lanae Letherman is an American actress. She is known for her role as Georgie Jones Quartermaine on General Hospital.-Career:...
who played Georgie Jones
Georgie Jones
Georgianna "Georgie" Jones is a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera General Hospital. She is the daughter of supercouple Frisco and Felicia Jones. Georgie was portrayed by actress Lindze Letherman, who first appeared on the show in September 2002 and left in December 2007...
. When Clifton's General Hospital contract expired in July 2007, he opted not to renew, but he has made two return appearances: once in November 2007, along with Wally Kurth
Wally Kurth
Wally Kurth is an American singer and television performer. He is best known for his work on the soap opera General Hospital as the second Ned Ashton, which he portrayed from 1993 until 2007, and for his role as Justin Kiriakis on Days of our Lives a role he created in 1987 and played until he...
who plays Ned Ashton, for the funeral of Emily Quartermaine
Emily Bowen-Quartermaine
Dr. Emily Quartermaine is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. The role was originated on January 20, 1995 by Amber Tamblyn, who portrayed the role until July 11, 2001...
; and again that following December for the funeral of Georgie Jones
Georgie Jones
Georgianna "Georgie" Jones is a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera General Hospital. She is the daughter of supercouple Frisco and Felicia Jones. Georgie was portrayed by actress Lindze Letherman, who first appeared on the show in September 2002 and left in December 2007...
. Scott's choice not to renew his contract was partially due to his desire to pursue new acting roles, which his contractual obligations to General Hospital left him little room for.
Unemployment and return to day time television
Leaving General Hospital soon emerged as a decision he came to regret. The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
began within months of his decision. Although he continued to audition for new roles, the paucity of new projects created by the film and television industry left him facing increased competition from other actors, leaving him virtually unemployed during this period.
He also found himself facing new health issues, as his metabolism began to slow, causing him to became overweight. Facing a lifetime of poor eating habits, it took a great deal of effort to internalize simple guidelines to improve his health.
In late 2008, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
announced that Clifton would be joining the cast of One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
in the role of high school teacher Schuyler Joplin. Addressing his health, he ultimately needed to lose thirty pounds when he was hired. He further maintained his new weight by constantly walking to his destinations in the city of New York. His first air date was January 9, 2009. He has since had several key story lines with the character. Clifton's role in One Life to Live ended in 2010 when the storyline associated with his character concluded.
Moving back to Los Angeles, Clifton continued his new health practices and reduced his weight by an additional twenty-to-thirty pounds.
The Bold and the Beautiful and Emmy victory
Within months, Clifton was hired by Bold and the Beautiful to play the role of Liam CooperLiam Cooper (The Bold and the Beautiful)
-External links:* on Boldandbeautiful.com...
. His work on the show involved withholding secret information regarding future plot developments of his character, Liam Cooper. According to the narrative, Cooper's introduction to the program began with his quest to discover the true identify of his biological father, which potentially included several lead characters. Asked by the director if he wished to know the secret, or have it revealed to him in the course of portraying the story, Clifton agreed to hear the truth immediately. He then proceeded to with hold his knowledge from cast mates and backstage crew for a duration of several months as the storyline played out.
At times, Clifton even regretted that his character would not be the son of possible fathers. "Winsor
Winsor Harmon
Winsor Harmon aka Winsor Dewey Harmon III, , is an American actor best known for his role as Thorne Forrester on the American soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. He took over the role from Jeff Trachta in December 1996.-Career:Harmon portrayed Del Henry on the program All My Children from 1994...
played those scenes so subtly and sweetly, that even though I knew what was going to happen, I was watching Winsor thinking 'God, I wish I were his son.'" Yet, despite his sentiments while shooting, Clifton has also praised the storyline and defended the ultimate fictional father figure, Bill Spencer, Jr., portrayed by Don Diamont
Don Diamont
Don Diamont is an American actor, best known for his long-running portrayal of Brad Carlton on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless. In 1990, he was chosen as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People Magazine, becoming the first daytime drama actor to receive the honor...
. The fictional father/son duo have consistently clashed in story lines, which has led to greater character conflict and storytelling potential.
Among his cast mates, he considers Kimberly Matula
Kimberly Matula
Kimberly Marie Matula is an American actress, best known for her role as Hope Logan on CBS’s The Bold and the Beautiful.-Filmography:* The Defenders as Mia...
and her boyfriend, and the makeup crew to be among his closest friends. He has expressed an interest working with his former General Hospital co-worker, Rick Hearst
Rick Hearst
Rick Hearst is an American actor, best known for roles in US soap operas.-Personal life:Born in Queens, New York in 1965 and raised in Dallas, Texas....
, noting the lack of scenes he has had to perform with Hearst.
Musical career
Clifton is also a singer, guitarist, and songwriter. As a teenager, he briefly worked at an amusement park prior to his acting success, where he attempted to form a band with a co-worker. This ended in failure when they were unable to recruit more bandmates.In an initial bid to launch his musical career, he uploaded several songs to the internet, and later compiled these songs among previously unpublished material on his first EP album, Untitled. He later released a second EP, Unbeautiful, as well as two full length albums, So Much for the Nightlife and Mannequin. Each was produced by Jeff Pescetto
Jeff Pescetto
Jeff Pescetto is a musical artist, who is most notable for collaborating with David Foster on the 1990 recreation of John Farnham's Australian single, "You're the Voice". Pescetto lended the vocals to Foster's pianism on the latter's River of Love album....
.
Parenting subject and teacher
Clifton's parents raised him in a style referred to as "Faith Parenting" by his mother, Faye Snyder. This placed trust in Clifton to develop without authoritarian control. A psychologist, Faye Snider founded The Institute for Professional Parenting (T.I.P.P.), a non-profit organization that conducts research in child psychology, and offers educational classes in parentingParenting
Parenting is the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of a child from infancy to adulthood...
techniques.
From the age of ten, Clifton participated in classes taught by his mother as a study subject, and later taught classes himself. She specifically cites his personal well being and success as an expression of her psychological theories in effective parenting.
Pet relationships
For most of his youth, Clifton had a notable pet, a female canine named Mist that was — according to Clifton — 87% Arctic wolfArctic Wolf
The Arctic Wolf , also called Polar Wolf or White Wolf, is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a mammal of the family Canidae. Arctic Wolves inhabit the Canadian Arctic, Alaska and the northern parts of Greenland....
. Clifton referred to her as "his sister and his equal." Mist succumbed to old age in early 2008, at the age of twelve, shortly after Clifton's last appearance on General Hospital. Clifton later recalled, "that was the greatest loss I've ever suffered in my life."
Confused for a cat enthusiast, Clifton has explained that he dislikes most cats, despite keeping some as pets. "I think most cats are jerks," he has explained, perceiving most as being either extremely independent or needy. In 2009, while living in New York to participate in One Life to Live, Clifton's constrained lifestyle clashed with his desire for a pet dog. Expressing his wish to have a new pet, his girlfriend persuaded him that his limited apartment space, and the difficulty of walking the dog, would prove too great a burden. The duo later happened upon an animal adoption center featuring kittens. "We were walking down Amsterdam Avenue, and there were these cages of rescue kittens, and she points to them and goes 'There's your dog'. So my cats are my dog." The dual cats, twin siblings, were named after the fictional characters Sawyer and Desmond
Desmond Hume
Desmond David Hume is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost portrayed by Henry Ian Cusick. Desmond's name is a tribute to David Hume, the famous empiricist author and philosopher. Desmond was not a passenger of Flight 815. He had been stranded on the island three years prior to...
from the television series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
. Clifton has reported that Desmond died in July 2010.
Religious views
Clifton identifies as having always been an atheist, citing a secular upbringing and an early sense of skepticism in religion. Encouraged to investigate Christianity by evangelical children in his childhood, he visited a church for a year, associated with Christian youth groups, and made a point of reading the entire Bible. He was ultimately unsatisfied with the experience, saying "as soon as I opened the book [the Bible], I knew I didn't believe in it. So I don't believe I was ever a member of any particular religion."This early investigation into Christianity, and the behavior of his peers, instilled into Clifton an early desire to probe and understand the effects of religion on society. "I started to see that these beliefs inform our politics, and they inform our relationships, and our ethics." He also came to dislike the social convention of leaving supernatural belief unscrutinized in public discourse, insisting that open dialogue was preferable. "I don’t believe you should keep your religion to yourself. If you believe that is true, then you should be allowed to argue for that. However, I deserve my right to question you." Despite his atheism, Clifton has expressed some minor affiliation with views held by the Zen philosophy of his parents.
Online activity
Clifton is commonly known online as "Theoretical Bullshit", separate from his professional career. Operating under this net handleUser (computing)
A user is an agent, either a human agent or software agent, who uses a computer or network service. A user often has a user account and is identified by a username , screen name , nickname , or handle, which is derived from the identical Citizen's Band radio term.Users are...
, he occasionally creates video blogs hosted by YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. These most commonly come in the form of monologuessome scripted, some spontaneousin which he outlines his views on religion and ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
, or engages in debates promoting atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, presenting arguments against the existence of God
Existence of God
Arguments for and against the existence of God have been proposed by philosophers, theologians, scientists, and others. In philosophical terms, arguments for and against the existence of God involve primarily the sub-disciplines of epistemology and ontology , but also of the theory of value, since...
, or criticizing Christianity
Criticism of Christianity
Throughout the history of Christianity, many have criticized Christianity, the church, and Christians themselves. Some criticism specifically addresses Christian beliefs, teachings and interpretation of scripture...
and Biblical ethics
Ethics in the Bible
Ethics is the branch of philosophy which examines the question of what actions are morally right or wrong and why. The Bible contains numerous prescriptions or laws and many narrative accounts of ethical relevance.-Ethics in the Hebrew Bible:...
. He will also occasionally respond to other user created videos, or organize Q&A sessions with viewers. He has created a series of videos in response to William Lane Craig
William Lane Craig
William Lane Craig is an American analytic philosopher, philosophical theologian, and Christian apologist. He is known for his work on the philosophy of time and the philosophy of religion, specifically the existence of God and the defense of Christian theism...
after the well known Christian apologist
Christian apologetics
Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections, and expose the perceived flaws of other world views...
wrote a response to commentary made by Clifton. His choice of topics are usually spontaneous, with his low rate of production creating a backlog of videos he would like to make. However, in a rare instance of immediate relevance, he created a commentary on the ruling passed by Judge Vaughn Walker over Perry v. Schwarzenegger
Perry v. Schwarzenegger
Perry v. Schwarzenegger is a federal lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California challenging the federal constitutionality of Proposition 8, a 2008 ballot initiative that amended the California Constitution to restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples,...
, after being prompted for a comment on the federal constitutionality
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
of California Proposition 8.
Clifton originally only minded amusing videos when he first encountered YouTube. He has quipped, "I admit, I used YouTube for pretty much two things: watching skaters fall and hit themselves in the balls, and puppy videos. And that was what YouTube was to me." However, he eventually found a subculture of discussion within the website and wished to participate in it. On January 14, 2007, Clifton began operating his YouTube video blog. His choice of name, "Theoretical Bullshit", was a homage to a debate he held years earlier, during which his opponent declared that a statement Clifton made was "just a bunch of theoretical bullshit!" Clifton remembered the phrase fondly and chose it as his web alias.
Clifton's first video was posted two days later, on January 16, as a response to a question posed by a theist: "Anybody who does not believe in God, where do your values come from and where do your morals come from?" The video was well received, and according to Clifton, it appeared that none of its initial viewers were aware of his identity. Clifton has noted that many of his subscribers do not seem to be aware of his professional acting career, and he prefers to think that the majority of his subscribers follow his channel for the value of his message, rather than his celebrity status. Initially self-conscious and concerned that fans would discover his controversial views, and wishing to keep his internet activity separate from his career, he would occasionally delete comments drawing connections between his dual identities. He eventually reconsidered his hesitance and now openly acknowledges his identity. However, he does not actively promote the hobby, and few of his professional peers are aware of it.
Film and television performances
- (2002): Terminal ErrorTerminal Error (film)Terminal Error is a 2002 sci-fi thriller starring Michael Nouri, Marina Sirtis, Matthew Ewald and Timothy Busfield.-Plot:Elliot, an ex-employee of a computer firm wants revenge and befriends the boss Brad's son Dylan giving him an MP3 file containing a computer virus...
as Jock - (2004): Arizona SummerArizona SummerArizona Summer is a family oriented story revolving around Brent Butler , a wiser-than-his years youngster. A modern day Tom Sawyer. The majority of the story takes place at a boys and girls camp owned and operated by Travers , who has spent a lifetime of quietly helping adolescents become...
as Brooke - (2006): as Mike Kohler
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roswell Roswell (TV series) Roswell is an American science fiction television series developed, produced, and co-written by Jason Katims. The series debuted on October 6, 1999 on The WB and moved to UPN for the third season. The last episode aired May 14, 2002... |
2001 | Evan | Guest appearance
|
| Undressed Undressed Undressed is an American anthology series that aired on MTV from July 26, 1999 to September 5, 2002. The series was created and executive produced by British director Roland Joffé.-Synopsis:... |
2001 | Caleb | Guest appearances
|
| Judging Amy Judging Amy Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly... |
2002 | Thomas Delancey | Guest appearance
|
| General Hospital General Hospital General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns.... |
20032007 | Dillon Quartermaine Dillon Quartermaine Dillon Albert Quartermaine is a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera, General Hospital. He first appeared in 1992, and is the son of Paul Hornsby and Tracy Quartermaine. He also appeared briefly on ABC's now-defunct The City . Dillon was portrayed by actor Scott Clifton from 2003... |
Soap Opera Digest Award Soap Opera Digest Awards The Soap Opera Digest Awards were an awards show held by the daytime television magazine Soap Opera Digest. The awards were founded in 1984 to replace the less-lavish Soapy Award; those awards shows had run since 1977. The Soap Opera Digest Awards are meant to promote excellence in the soap opera... for Outstanding Younger Lead Actor, 2005Nominated: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 12th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1985. The award category was originally called the Outstanding Young Man in a Drama Series... , 2004Nominated: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series, 2005Nominated: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series, 2006 |
| One Life to Live One Life to Live One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social... |
20092010 | Schuyler Joplin | Nominated: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 12th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1985. The award category was originally called the Outstanding Young Man in a Drama Series... , 2010 |
| The Bold and the Beautiful The Bold and the Beautiful The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987.... |
2010present | Liam Cooper Liam Cooper (The Bold and the Beautiful) -External links:* on Boldandbeautiful.com... |
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 12th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1985. The award category was originally called the Outstanding Young Man in a Drama Series... , 2011 |
Television appearances
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soap Talk Soap Talk Soap Talk was a television talk show on SOAPnet hosted by Lisa Rinna and Ty Treadway. It debuted in 2002 and ended in 2006. The reason for the show's cancellation was due to SOAPnet expanding their programming away from a soap opera-related focus to expand their network's ratings and declining... |
20032006 | Talk show
|
| 1 Day With 1 Day With 1 Day With is an American reality series which premiered on Soapnet in September 2004. Soap actor Wally Kurth follows a daytime soap actor around throughout their day... |
2004 | Reality Show. Season No.1 Episode No.3 (2004-09-18) |
| Soapography | 2004 | Documentary (2004-6) |
| Family Feud Family Feud Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people... |
2005 | Game show. "Naughty vs. Nice" (2005-11-07) |
| The View | 2006 | Talk show. Episode No.526 (2006-02-08) |
| 33rd Daytime Emmy Award Nominations Announcement 33rd Daytime Emmy Awards The 33rd Daytime Emmy Awards, commemorating excellence in American daytime programming from 2005, was held on Friday, April 28, 2006 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. This was the first time that the Daytime Emmys were held outside of New York. ABC televised the ceremonies in the United States... |
2006 | Daytime Emmy nominee co-announcer with Alexa Havins Alexa Havins Alexa Carole Havins is an American actress. She first came to prominence in 2003, when she became the originating actor in the role of Babe Carey Chandler on the daytime drama All My Children... (2006-02-08) |
Other media
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life in General | 2008 | Fritz Snyder | Web television Web television Web television, also commonly referred to as web TV, not to be confused with WebTV, Internet television or catch up TV, is an emerging genre of digital entertainment that is distinct from traditional broadcast television... series created during the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West .... . |
| Summer Nights | 2009 | Himself | SOAPnet promotional music video. Various soap opera actors perform "Summer Nights", from the Grease Grease (film) Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway... soundtrack. |
Studio albums
| Year | Albums | Notes |
|---|---|---|
So Much for the Nightlife
|
||
| Mannequin
|
Extended plays
| Year | Albums | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Untitled
|
||
| Unbeautiful Unbeautiful (album) Unbeautiful is the debut album of Lesley Roy. It was released on September 30, 2008 by Jive Records.-Background:Lesley Roy began recording her album during 2007. She started promoting her first single and she did live performances. She performed on The Today Show and The Early Show.-Album:The... |
Other appearances
| Year | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | ABC: A Holiday Affair
|
A compilation of Christmas themed music by various ABC soap opera actors.
|
Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor
Between 2004 and 2010, Scott Clifton had been nominated four times for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama SeriesDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 12th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1985. The award category was originally called the Outstanding Young Man in a Drama Series...
, but failed to win on each occasion. Clifton has self-deprecatingly mocked himself as the "Susan Lucci
Susan Lucci
Susan Victoria Lucci is an American actress and entrepreneur, best known for portraying Erica Kane on the daytime drama All My Children. The character is considered an icon, and Lucci has been called "Daytime's Leading Lady" by TV Guide, with New York Times and Los Angeles Times citing her as the...
" of this award category, referring to the actress' large number of Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award which has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys ceremony since 1974...
. Reflecting on the experience of being nominated for an Emmy with no result, he has some discomfort with the kindness and congratulations from supporters, as he has tried to remain grounded and prepared for loss. "People are so nice and so complimentary... I have to work very hard to expect no Emmy." Regardless of his losses, he considers the nomination period prior to the award ceremony as the best part of the process, as each of the nominated actors can enjoy the period regardless of any future victory or loss.
Nominated once again for Outstanding Younger Actor in 2010, Clifton's loss to Drew Tyler Bell
Drew Tyler Bell
Drew Tyler Bell is an American actor and dancer.-Career:Bell is perhaps most known for his role as Thomas Forrester in The Bold and the Beautiful, which he held from 2004 until 2010, for which he won the 2010 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series...
was an awkward event. Clifton had anticipated his loss, aware that the material he had submitted to Daytime Emmy judges was not his best work, but was all he could provide. While congratulating Bell for the latter's victory, Clifton grew worried due to the category's maximum age requirement, which would only allow him a final chance for nomination in 2011. He would thereafter only be able to compete for the Outstanding Supporting Actor
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 6th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1979....
category, which is known to be more competitive, and which he anticipates will further reduce his chances of earning an award.
Clifton's fifth and final nomination for the award in 2011 ended with award success for his portrayal of Liam Cooper in The Bold and The Beautiful. Assured in his loss that night, Clifton recounts that he slumped into his chair as the award category nominees were announced, hoping to avoid notice. Upon the announcement of his victory, he was "genuinely shocked", but quickly made his way to the stage to accept his award. Accepting the award, Clifton thanked on stage Bradley Bell
Bradley Bell
Bradley Bell is an American television writer and producer. Bell is a six-time Daytime Emmy Award winner and is executive producer and head writer for The Bold and the Beautiful, an American soap opera.-Career:...
, executive producer of the show; the writers, directors, and producers of the series; and co-star Don Diamont. Due to time constraints, he continued backstage, thanking his agents; Bruce Ducat, his manager of ten years; his mother; and in reference to Father's Day
Father's Day
Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
, thanked his own father, Ron Snyder. Clifton's award came as part of a larger series of victories for The Bold and The Beautiful, as the series cast and crew won eight of ten awards it was nominated for.
List of awards and nominations
|-|2004
| General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|-
|2005
| General Hospital
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|-
|2005
| General Hospital
| Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Lead Actor
Soap Opera Digest Awards
The Soap Opera Digest Awards were an awards show held by the daytime television magazine Soap Opera Digest. The awards were founded in 1984 to replace the less-lavish Soapy Award; those awards shows had run since 1977. The Soap Opera Digest Awards are meant to promote excellence in the soap opera...
|
|-
|2006
| General Hospital
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|-
|2010
| One Life To Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|-
|2011
| The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987....
| Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series
|
|}
See also
Footnotes
. Clifton has expressed as an adult that he was never a member of any particular faith as a child. Contrary to this, his mother recalled overhearing Clifton, as a child, being asked by another child about his religious affiliation. She recalls his response as, "I’m Zen." Raised without religion, Clifton didn't learn of his parent's affiliation as Zen Buddhists until the age of ten.. Clifton has acknowledged his professional career in only two of his videos, each occasion being a response to submitted questions asking about his career and personal life. He has twice acknowledged his hobby outside of YouTube, each time remarking that he thinks the majority of his subscribers are unaware of his career. In September, 2010, Clifton claimed he had approximately 15,000 subscribers. His mother, Faye Snyder, corroborated this claim in her biographical treatment of his life, Scott's Story. The current number of subscribers can be viewed on Clifton's YouTube profile.
. Upon nomination, an actor must select scenes shot during the previous twelve-month period for submission for Daytime Emmy judges. For the category of Outstanding Younger Actor, an actor in question must be 25-years-old or younger at the time submitted scenes were shot. Because of these rules, Clifton was forced to submit material for the 2010 Daytime Emmy Awards from his early period of work on One Life to Live. He believed this material to be inferior to his later work on the series, but the preferred material fell outside of the twelve-month submission period and was not admissible. In contrast to this dilemma, he was faced with a difficult choice of submission material for his 2011 Daytime Emmy Award submission. In that year, his choice of submission material could have been selected from his 2010 work on either One Life to Live, which as previously mentioned he believed to be excellent, or his newer work on The Bold and The Beautiful. He ultimately chose to submit material from the latter source.
External links
- Official Scott Clifton Website
- Scott Clifton, at Tuesday Afternoon, an online philosophy newsletter and podcast. Scott Clifton acts as a contributing editor.