Chad Allen
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
This slim, handsome, blond young actor has been working his way up in series and TV-movies since the early 1980s, occasionally making a hit with recurring and regular roles. Born in California, Chad Allen began acting early, with roles in such TV series as "St. Elsewhere" (NBC), as Ed Flanders' autistic son, "Webster" (ABC, 1985-86), "Highway to Heaven," "The Wonder Years" and "In the Heat of the Night." He also worked onstage in Los Angeles-area productions of "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All To You," "A Man Called Peter" and "Oliver!"
Allen got his first notable role as the headstrong pre-teen son of Deidre Hall (and younger brother of Shannen Doherty) on the heartwarming family drama "Our House" (NBC, 1986-1988). He also played the cooler of the two school friends competing for Staci Keanan on "My Two Dads" (NBC, 1987-1990). His most fulfilling role to date, however, was Matthew, the eldest (and most strong-willed) of the orphans adopted by "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" (CBS, 1993-98). The role gave Allen a showcase for his maturing talents. In 1996, his character was even elected sheriff.
Allen was a tiny tot when he made his first TV-movie, a bit in the drama "Not My Kid" (CBS, 1985). Slowly-growing roles followed in "The Bad Seed" and "A Death in California (both ABC, 1985) and "Code of Vengeance" (NBC, 1985). In 1986, Allen voiced the lead characters in the animated "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!" (CBS) and "Pound Puppies" (ABC). From then on, his roles were starring or co-starring: a "rental" in "Help Wanted: Kids" (ABC, 1986), a resident of "Camp Cucamonga" (NBC, 1990), a teen seduced into evil in "Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story" (CBS, 1991) and the son of potential murder victim Barry Bostwick in "Praying Mantis" (USA, 1993; Dr. Quinn herself, Jane Seymour, played the villainess).
Allen's only theatrical film thus far did not appeal to either critics or audiences: he played the heroic teen who tries to protect his family from a space alien in "TerrorVision" (1986). The politically active actor is involved in such groups as MADD, The American Diabetes Association, The Autistic Children's Foundation and Angel's Flight, a teen halfway house. He also appeared in a 1988 anti-drug special, "Straight Up" (PBS).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1982
Had recurring role as the autistic son of Dr. Westphal (Ed Flanders) on the NBC medical series "St. Elsewhere"
1985
Had featured role on the ABC sitcom "Webster"
1985
Made TV movie debut in "Not My Kid" (CBS)
1986
Film debut, "TerrorVision"
1986
Played Deidre Hall's son on the NBC family drama "Our House"
1986
Supplied voice of Charlie Brown in "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!" (CBS)
1989
Played regular role of Zach on the sitcom "My Two Dads" (NBC)
1993
Cast in regular role of Matthew, the adopted son of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" on the CBS family drama
1996
"Outed" by the tabloid <i>The Globe</i>
2001
Produced the L.A. staging of "Corpus Christi"
2001
Officially "came out" as homosexual in a cover story in <i>The Advocate</i>
2005
Portrayed gay detective Donald Strachey in "Third Man Out," the first installment of a series of films based on popular books written by Richard Stevenson
2006
Reprised role of Donald Strachey in the second installment "Shock to the System"
2007
Co-starred in "Downtown: A Street Tale," a drama about homeless teenagers
Family
Companions
