Biography

While every bit as handsome as his more famous older brother, Chad Lowe has resisted becoming a standard issue teen idol, opting for a more unconventional career. In his relatively small body of work on stage, screen and TV, the compact, slender, green-blue eyed blond has conveyed an impressive seriousness and gravity that belies his pretty boy looks. As a frustrated 15-year-old, Lowe was encouraged to "pursue acting not only as a profession but as a way of life" by family friend Martin Sheen. He soon acquired an agent and landed his first acting job--a role in the TV-movie docudrama "Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac" (NBC, 1994)--just before his 16th birthday. Lowe acquitted himself well as the teen suicide son of Mariette Hartley and best friend of Charlie Sheen (in his telefilm debut) in the superior TV-movie "Silence of the Heart" (CBS, 1984). He also made his uncredited screen debut playing a computer hacker in a scene with his brother Rob in the college sports drama "Oxford Blues" (1984).
Lowe received his first major showcase as the star of the engaging teen sitcom "Spencer" (NBC, 1984-85) playing an eccentric, discontented and lusty 16-year-old high school student. Supported by veteran character players and lively if unambitious scripts, the young actor made a memorable impression. He departed the series after a mere six episodes either due to a salary dispute or creative differences (depending upon the source). Lowe subsequently focused on improving his craft with an acting coach and stage work. He returned to TV to play the estranged son of Elizabeth Taylor's emotionally fragile faded actress on the comeback trail in the TV-movie version of "There Must Be a Pony" (ABC, 1986). Lowe later co-starred with Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Urich in "April Morning" (CBS, 1988), a period coming-of-age drama set on the eve of the American Revolution, on the "Hallmark Hall of Fame". He next starred in "No Means No" (CBS, 1988), an award-winning presentation of "CBS Schoolbreak Specials", about date rape in which Bonnie Bedelia played his mother.

Lowe gained a devoted following and considerable acclaim and notoriety as a series regular on the third and fourth seasons of the landmark family drama "Life Goes On" (ABC, 1991-93). As Jesse McKenna, the HIV-positive artist boyfriend of Becca (Kellie Martin), he movingly portrayed the different stages of a high schooler simultaneously dealing with young love and a terminal illness. Lowe won a richly deserved 1992/93 Emmy for his portrayal. The socially conscious actor also became a fixture on AIDS-related TV specials and PSAs. He went on to appear in various TV-movies and miniseries as well as several theater production. Lowe also remained devoted to acting training.

As of the mid-90s, Lowe's film career was undistinguished even as he received good notices in some obscure and quirky low-budget genre features which quickly landed on video shelves. The Norway-lensed "Apprentice to Murder" (1988) paired him with a mystical Donald Sutherland in a brooding period suspenser set in 1928 Pennsylvania. In a lighter vein, "Nobody's Perfect" (1989), a disarming Swiss co-production, found him in drag trying to get close to the college co-ed of his dreams. "Highway to Hell" (1992) found him attempting to rescue his bride (Kristy Swanson) from the forces of darkness and "Siringo" (1995) put him in Western duds as a young deputy. With four indie features in the can for 1997 release, Lowe appeared poised to make a more serious stab at a feature acting career.

Lowe ended 1996 and began the new year with an eight episode story arc on the enduringly silly sleazefest "Melrose Place" (Fox), as an eccentric computer genius with eyes for Laura Leighton's Sydney.

Filmography

Red Betsy (2003) .... Orin Sanders
Intimate Portrait: Kellie Martin (2002) (TV) .... Himself
Unfaithful (2002) .... Bill Stone
2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards, The (2001) (TV)
Acceptable Risk (2001) (TV) .... Edward Welles
... aka Robin Cook's 'Acceptable Risk' (2001) (TV) (USA: complete title)
Audition, The (2000)
Take Me Home: The John Denver Story (2000) (TV) .... John Denver
"Popular" (1999) TV Series .... Luke Grant (1999)
Apartment Complex, The (1999) (TV) .... Stan Warden
"Now and Again" (1999) TV Series .... Craig Spence
Suicide, the Comedy (1998) .... JJ
... aka Intervention, The (1998) (USA)
Target Earth (1998) (TV) .... Commander Fauk, Alien Chief
Floating (1997) .... Doug
Others, The (1997) .... VTV Director
Do Me a Favor (1997) .... Marty
... aka Trading Favors (1997) (USA: video title)
Quiet Days in Hollywood (1997) .... Richard
... aka Way We Are, The (1997)
In the Presence of Mine Enemies (1997) (TV) .... Sergeant Lott
"Melrose Place" (1992) TV Series .... Carter Gallivan (1996-1997)
Me and My Hormones (1996) (TV)
Driven (1996) .... LeGrand
Dare to Love (1995) (TV) .... Stephen
Fighting for My Daughter (1995) (TV) .... Eric
Siringo (1994) (TV) .... Winton Powell
Candles in the Dark (1993) (TV) .... Jaan Toome
Highway to Hell (1992) .... Charlie Sykes
"Life Goes On" (1989/I) TV Series .... Jesse McKenna (1991-1993)
Captive (1991) (TV) .... Jeff Frost
Inconvenient Woman, An (1991) (TV) .... Kippie Petworth
So Proudly We Hail (1990) (TV) .... Billy Kincaid
Nobody's Perfect (1989) .... Stephen/Stephanie
True Blood (1989) .... Donny Trueblood
Apprentice to Murder (1988) .... Billy Kelly
No Means No (1988) (TV) .... Michael Wells
April Morning (1988) (TV) .... Adam Cooper
There Must Be a Pony (1986) (TV) .... Josh Sydney
"Spencer" (1984) TV Series .... Spencer Winger
Silence of the Heart (1984) (TV) .... Skip Lewis
Oxford Blues (1984)(uncredited) .... Computer Hacker
Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac (1984) (TV) .... Al Hamilton
... aka Flight No. 90 (1984) (TV)
... aka Florida Flight 90 (1984) (TV)