Patrick Dempsey

Noted for playing quirky and charmingly shy young men, contemporary American actor Patrick Dempsey became a rising star in Hollywood during the late '80s and '90s. A state downhill skiing champion in high school, he began performing nonprofessionally as a juggler, magician, and puppeteer. In 1981, the multi-talented youth placed second at the 1981 International Jugglers Competition, leading to a stage career in which he worked with different troupes around the U.S. Dempsey made his feature film debut playing a bit part in Heaven Help Us (1985). This led to his being cast as a regular on the short-lived TV series Fast Times the following year (based upon the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High). Dempsey then returned to feature films, where he worked steadily for several years. Although primarily a comic actor, he showed considerable talent for drama in the 1991 film Mobsters, and later received an Emmy nomination for his performance as Sela Ward's schizophrenic brother on ABC's Once and Again in 2001. Returning to his comedy roots, he starred as Reese Witherspoon's big city fiancé in 2002's Sweet Home Alabama. - All Movie Guide