Grant Aleksander

Grant Aleksander (born Grant Aleksander Kunkowski; August 6, 1960)<ref name="thegreat" /> is an American actor. He is best known for playing the role of Phillip Spaulding on the CBS Daytime soap opera Guiding Light, off and on from 1982 until the show's cancellation in 2009. He received a Soap Opera Digest Award and four Daytime Emmy Award nominations for his role on Guiding Light.

Early life

Aleksander was born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Timonium.<ref name="soapoperaweekly">Template:Cite journal</ref> He is the youngest of three sons.<ref name="thegreat">Template:Cite journal</ref> He attended McDonogh School, where he played football. He became interested in acting after a drama teacher encouraged him to try out for a school play.<ref name="soapcentral">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After high school, he enrolled at Washington and Lee University, where he starred in productions of The Owl and the Pussycat, The Glass Menagerie, The Crucible, and Hamlet. He also appeared on stage in Baltimore, starring in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He left Washington and Lee to study at New York University and the Circle in the Square Theatre.<ref name="soapbook">Template:Cite book</ref> He eventually returned to Washington and Lee, earning his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre in 2012.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career

After moving to New York, Aleksander worked as a waiter and tried modeling. He appeared in an ABC Afterschool Special, A Very Delicate Matter, in 1982.<ref name="soapcentral" /> He landed his big break when he was cast as Phillip Spaulding on Guiding Light. He initially played the role from 1982 to 1984, before leaving to pursue other opportunities.<ref name="soapoperaweekly" />

Aleksander landed guest starring roles on Hardcastle and McCormick, Who's the Boss?, and The Fall Guy. He appeared in the TV movie Dark Mansions and the film Tough Guys. Returning to soaps, he had a brief stint as DJ Phillips on Capitol in 1986.<ref name="soapcentral" /><ref name="encyclopedia">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He returned to Guiding Light as Phillip Spaulding in 1986 and stayed until early 1991.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> He decided to leave due to burn out from the show's fast paced schedule, as well as grief from the recent deaths of his parents.<ref name="soapoperaweekly" /> In 1993, Aleksander joined the cast of the ABC Daytime soap opera All My Children as Alec McIntyre.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> He stayed with AMC until 1996.

Aleksander returned to Guiding Light in 1996 and continued playing the role of Phillip until 2004, when he was abruptly dismissed from the show.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Media reports speculated on a number of possible reasons, including his high salary, and allegations that Aleksander was temperamental or had been feuding with the actress who portrayed his love interest. Aleksander said the dismissal was storyline dictated.<ref name="goodnight">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After being killed off, it was revealed in May 2006 that Phillip Spaulding was still alive. However, the character didn't appear on camera again until Aleksander returned in February 2009.<ref name="soapcentral08">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He stayed with Guiding Light until its final episodes in September 2009.

During his time away from Guiding Light, Aleksander directed episodes of As the World Turns.<ref name="soapcentral08" /> In 2006, he appeared in the film The Big Bad Swim, co-starring with Paget Brewster.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also had a role in Fields of Freedom, a historical film about the battle of Gettysburg.<ref name="goodnight" /> In 2008, he guest starred on Life on Mars, playing a soap opera doctor.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Aleksander joined the cast of the web series Tainted Dreams in 2013, playing Adam Clark.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In late 2014, he returned to Washington and Lee University as a Guest Artist in the first "Dick Sessoms Honorary Production" of George Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Aleksander starred in Mary, Mary at Cape May Stage in 2015.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also appeared Off Broadway in Perfect Crime in May and June 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Aleksander met his wife, attorney Sherry Ramsey, when they were cast in a play together as students at Washington and Lee University.<ref name="soapoperaweekly" /> They were married on September 19, 1987.<ref name="soapcentral" />

Aleksander and his wife have rescued many animals and are supporters of PETA.<ref name="soapoperaweekly" />

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	Tough Guys	Bartender at Mickey's
2006	The Big Bad Swim	Paul Pierson
	Fields of Freedom

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1982	ABC Afterschool Specials	Larry Milligan	Episode: "A Very Delicate Matter"
1982–2009	Guiding Light	Phillip Spaulding	Contract role
1985	Who's the Boss?	Guss McGee	Episode: "Hunk of the Month"
	Hardcastle and McCormick	Biff Anderson	Episode: "Mirage a Trois"
1986	The Fall Guy	Cliff	Episode: "Beach Blanket Bounty"
	You Again?	Waiter	Episode: "Uncle Randy"
	Dark Mansions	Nicholas Drake	Television film
	Capitol	D.J. Phillips
1993–1996	All My Children	Alec McIntyre	Contract role
2002	A Wedding Story: Josh and Reva	Phillip Spaulding	Uncredited
2008	Life on Mars	Soap Opera Doctor	Episode: "Tuesday's Dead"

Web series

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2014-2017	Tainted Dreams	Adam Clark	12 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Title	Result	Ref.
1998	Daytime Emmy Award	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series	Guiding Light	Template:Nom	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1999	Soap Opera Digest Award	Favorite New Couple (Phillip and Harley)	Guiding Light	Template:Won (Shared with Beth Ehlers)	<ref name="soapcentral" />
2003	Daytime Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	Guiding Light	Template:Nom	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004	Daytime Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	Guiding Light	Template:Nom	<ref>31st Daytime Emmy Nominees - Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series Template:Webarchive</ref>
2005	Daytime Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	Guiding Light	Template:Nom	<ref>32nd Daytime Emmy Nominees - Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series Template:Webarchive</ref>

External links

• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0017875

 | name/{{#if:{{#invoke:ustring|match|1=0017875|2=^nm}}
   | Template:Trim/
   | nm0017875/
   }}
 | {{#if: {{#property:P345}}
   | name/Template:First word/
   | find?q=%7B%7B%23if%3A+%0A++++++%7C+%7B%7B%7Bname%7D%7D%7D%0A++++++%7C+%5B%5B%3ATemplate%3APAGENAMEBASE%5D%5D%0A++++++%7D%7D&s=nm
   }}
 }}{{#if: 0017875  {{#property:P345}} | {{#switch: 
 | award | awards = awards Awards for | biography | bio = bio Biography for
 }}}} {{#if: 
 | {{{name}}}
 | Template:PAGENAMEBASE
 }}] at IMDb{{#if: 0017875{{#property:P345}}
 | Template:EditAtWikidata
 | Template:Main other

}}{{#switch:{{#invoke:string2|matchAny|^nm.........|^nm.......|nm|.........|source=0017875|plain=false}}

 | 1 | 3 =  Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning
 | 4 = Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning

}}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:IMDb name with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|showblankpositional=1| 1 | 2 | id | name | section }}