Terry Lester
Encyclopedia
Terry Lester was an American actor.
Lester was born in Indianapolis, Indiana
, graduating from high school at Southport High School
, and began an acting career while at DePauw University
in Greencastle, Indiana
. His acting career consisted of musical theater, concert performances, numerous primetime TV guest roles. He had a season starring in the 1976 children's series Ark II
. This was followed by roles in Airport 1975
and the 1978 Kiss
movie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
.
Lester's big break came when he joined CBS
daytime soap The Young and the Restless
in 1980. He originated the role of Jack Abbott, a scoundrel who never met a woman (including his own father's wife) he didn't want to take to bed. Lester was so popular that The Young and the Restless creator William J. Bell
wrote an entire family for him. The Young and the Restless was going through a transition period at this time and many fans believe that Lester's star quality helped the show build more viewers and eventually rise to #1 in the daytime soap ratings.
In spite of his massive popularity, by the end of the decade Lester felt his role on the show was steadily declining. In 1989 he not only quit The Young and the Restless but took the rare step of going to the daytime press and singling out Bill Bell's young daughter, Lauralee Bell
(who played ingenue Christine Blair), for his dwindling storyline. He felt the excess airtime given to her came at the expense of him and other actors. Lester was replaced by one-time All My Children
star Peter Bergman
, who has played Jack ever since. Lester switched to NBC
to take over the role of Mason Capwell on Santa Barbara
for a year. In 1992, he joined As the World Turns
to play the charming Royce Keller, who was soon revealed to be suffering from multiple personalities which caused him to kill his own sister. The role was very complex, causing raves for Lester, but the headwriter behind the story, Douglas Marland
, died suddenly in 1993, and Lester again found his screentime diminishing. He left the series in 1994.
The remainder of his professional life consisted of a few shots in primetime shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger
and Star Trek: Voyager
along with various tours in musicals and plays. To the shock of many fans, friends, and family members, Lester died at home of multiple heart attacks
in 2003.
Lester kept his personal life under wraps, but a 2002 In Magazine LA article on former soap star Thom Bierdz
claimed that Lester, along with Michael Corbett
and Bierdz, made up a trio of gay actors who worked on The Young and the Restless in the 1980s. http://www.column-of-life.com/thombierdz.html
Lester was born in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, graduating from high school at Southport High School
Southport High School
Southport High School is a high school located at 971 East Banta Road in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Located in Perry Township, on the south side of the city, Southport is a part of the Metropolitan School District of Perry Township....
, and began an acting career while at DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
in Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle, Indiana
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It was founded in 1821 by Scots-Irish American Ephraim Dukes on a land grant. He named the settlement for his hometown of Greencastle, Pennsylvania...
. His acting career consisted of musical theater, concert performances, numerous primetime TV guest roles. He had a season starring in the 1976 children's series Ark II
Ark II
Ark II is an American live-action science fiction series aimed at children that aired on CBS beginning in 1976 as part of its Saturday morning line-up...
. This was followed by roles in Airport 1975
Airport 1975
Airport 1975 is a 1974 disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 film Airport. It stars Charlton Heston and Karen Black and is directed by Jack Smight....
and the 1978 Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
movie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park
Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park is a 1978 television film, starring American hard rock band Kiss...
.
Lester's big break came when he joined CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
daytime soap The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
in 1980. He originated the role of Jack Abbott, a scoundrel who never met a woman (including his own father's wife) he didn't want to take to bed. Lester was so popular that The Young and the Restless creator William J. Bell
William J. Bell
William J. Bell was the creator and executive producer of the soap operas The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.-Personal life:...
wrote an entire family for him. The Young and the Restless was going through a transition period at this time and many fans believe that Lester's star quality helped the show build more viewers and eventually rise to #1 in the daytime soap ratings.
In spite of his massive popularity, by the end of the decade Lester felt his role on the show was steadily declining. In 1989 he not only quit The Young and the Restless but took the rare step of going to the daytime press and singling out Bill Bell's young daughter, Lauralee Bell
Lauralee Bell
Lauralee Kristen Bell is an American soap opera actress. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, and attended The Latin School of Chicago.The daughter of soap opera creators William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, and sister to Bill Bell, Jr...
(who played ingenue Christine Blair), for his dwindling storyline. He felt the excess airtime given to her came at the expense of him and other actors. Lester was replaced by one-time All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
star Peter Bergman
Peter Bergman
Peter Bergman is an American soap opera actor best known for his portrayals as Dr. Cliff Warner on All My Children, as well as Jack Abbott on The Young and the Restless.-Biography:...
, who has played Jack ever since. Lester switched to NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
to take over the role of Mason Capwell on Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara (TV series)
Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on July 30, 1984, and last aired on January 15, 1993. The show revolved around the eventful lives of the wealthy Capwell family of Santa Barbara, California...
for a year. In 1992, he joined As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
to play the charming Royce Keller, who was soon revealed to be suffering from multiple personalities which caused him to kill his own sister. The role was very complex, causing raves for Lester, but the headwriter behind the story, Douglas Marland
Douglas Marland
Douglas Marland was an American actor and writer of soap operas.-Career:He began his soap opera career as an actor, appearing on the Irna Phillips series The Brighter Day and As the World Turns. He also did odd jobs on the side as a director for small theatre groups...
, died suddenly in 1993, and Lester again found his screentime diminishing. He left the series in 1994.
The remainder of his professional life consisted of a few shots in primetime shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television action crime drama series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, and starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division. The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full...
and Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
along with various tours in musicals and plays. To the shock of many fans, friends, and family members, Lester died at home of multiple heart attacks
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in 2003.
Lester kept his personal life under wraps, but a 2002 In Magazine LA article on former soap star Thom Bierdz
Thom Bierdz
Thom Bierdz is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Phillip Chancellor III on the daytime drama The Young and the Restless, appearing from 1986 to 1989, returning for a "dream sequence" in 2004, and in a surprising twist, returned to the role in May 2009.-Phillip Chancellor...
claimed that Lester, along with Michael Corbett
Michael Corbett (actor)
Michael Corbett is an American actor best known for his work in daytime soap operas.Corbett's was cast as Michael Pavel Jr. on Ryan's Hope. by a casting director who had seen him in a play. He would play Michael Pavel Jr...
and Bierdz, made up a trio of gay actors who worked on The Young and the Restless in the 1980s. http://www.column-of-life.com/thombierdz.html