Reba’s Ex

Background:

First coming to prominence as ‘Sandy’ Cory in the daytime soap “Another World” (1981-1985), American actor Christopher Rich acquired even more recognition while playing the recurring role of the dim-witted anchorman Miller Redfield in “Murphy Brown” (1995-1997). He has cemented his reputation as television star with his role as Reba’s ex-husband in the WB sitcom “Reba” (2001-?).

The wavy-haired player is also memorable for portraying the legendary husband of Snow White on ABC’s sitcom “The Charmings” (1987-1988), a single parent in the brief series “Almost Home” (1993) and a snooty medic in Fox’s comedy “The George Carlin Show” (1994-1995). In addition, he has acted in several television films and guest starred in many series, most notably in episodes of “Suddenly Susan” and “Alright Already” (both 1998).

Though his main interest is working on the small screen, Rich has made some silver screen appearances. His movie credits include Flight of the Intruder (1990), The Joy Luck Club (1993) and Seventh Veil (2003). On stage, Rich is perhaps most known for his starring turn as Dionysius in “The Bacchus” (1980) on Broadway.

On a private note, Rich has been married twice. He married first wife actress Nancy Frangione from 1982 until 1996. His current wife, Eva Halina, is a former Miss Poland and Olympic gymnast. Rich currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and his twin daughters, Daisy and Lily.


Wine Collector

Childhood and Family:

In Dallas, Texas, Christopher Rich Wilson was born on September 16, 1953. He started acted in plays while student at a high school in Rio Grande Valley and went on performing and studying acting at the University of Texas. Rich obtained a master’s degree in theater arts from Cornell University.

In 1982, Rich tied the knot with Another World co-star Nancy Frangione, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. He is now the wife of Eva Halina, 1985’s Miss Poland and an Olympic gymnast at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. His wife gave birth to twin girls, Daisy Grace and Lily Hanna, on March 30, 2004. When free from work, Rich likes collecting fine wines and books, as well as playing golf.


Murphy Brown

Career:

Starting acting in plays while in high school, the Dallas, Texas native, Christopher Rich, relocated to New York and began performing on stage. He appeared in numerous off-Broadway and regional productions and, in 1980, made his Broadway debut by starring as Dionysius in the Square production of “The Bacchus.” To subsidize plays he was producing, Rich joined the cast of the long-running daytime soap “Another World,” portraying Alexander ‘Sandy’ Cory. When introduced, his character was allocated to be the first ongoing gay male in daytime television, but producers made up their minds and changed direction of the character, making him a gigolo instead. Though he lost a chance to be a very unforgettable player in soaps, the actor made the most of the role until his exodus in 1985.

Summarizing his series triumph with a string of disastrous pilots, the handsome actor eventually scored a starring regular, as the celebrated husband of Snow White, on “The Charmings” (1987-1988), an ABC sitcom about a fairy tale family trapped in modern-day suburbia. The role gave him the prospect to do comedy, and he bumped up the challenge with a frequent stirred turn as the good-looking but foolish patriarch of a fish-out-of-water clan. He followed it up by making his debut in movies with a costarring role opposite Amanda Plummer in the independent romantic comedy Prisoners of Inertia, for writer-director Jeffrey Noyes Scher. Still in 1989, Rich also made a hilarious guest performance as boastful newsman Miller Redfield in the CBS sitcom “Murphy Brown,” a part he later reprised for a 1990 and 1991 episodes.

In addition to guest starring in several TV series such as “Baywatch” (1989),” Empty Nest” (1990), “ Sibs” (1992),” Almost Home” (1993) and “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr” (1993), Rich had a supporting role in the 1990 adventure film Flight of the Intruder and a featured turn as Tamlyn Tomita’s Angelo husband in Wayne Wang’s The Joy Luck Club (1993). During the same period, he also starred as well-liked comic book character Archie Andrews in the made-for-TV film Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again (1990), appeared in the NBC telefilm In the Line of Duty: Manhunt in the Dakotas (1991, also served as associate producer) and acted in the NBC two-part TV-movie Luck of the Draw: The Gambler Returns (1991, also a associate producer). In the short-lived series “Almost Home” (1993), he was memorable as a single father who recruited a nanny with a brood of her own.

Rich went on to gain good reputation with his regular role on the Fox sitcom “The George Carlin Show,” playing snobbish medic Dr. Neil Beck from 1994 to 1995. However, the blond actor did not create big impact until he returned to CBS’s sitcom “Murphy Brown” in a more fully-realized recurring role as the good looking but intellectually lacking news anchor Miller Redfield from 1995 to 1997. In 1998, he had a lead in the children’s TV-movie thriller R.L. Stine’s Ghosts of Fear Street, wrapped up a two-year-recurring role in NBC’s action serial “Nash Bridges” (1996-1998) and gave amusing guest performances in NBC’s “Suddenly Susan,” as a sexually harassing politician, and The WB’s “Alright Already,” as an astronaut who dates the show's protagonist (Carol Leifer).

2000 saw Rich make an episodic performance in the popular medical series “ER” and play supporting role Jack in the drama-made-for-TV-film Going Home, starring Jason Robards and Sherry Stringfield. His next big break arrived in the following year when he landed a regular role in the WB sitcom “Reba” (2001-?), costarring opposite country star turned actress Reba McEntire. There, he plays Brock Hart, the philandering former husband of the title character.

Aside from his series’ commitments, Rich could also be seen as Jefferson in a 2001 segment of the short-lived “The X-Files” spin-off “The Lone Gunmen,” and as Lawyer Melvin Palmer in a 2005 episode of “Boston Legal.” In 2003, he resurfaced on the wide screen with a supporting role in director Albert Q. Chetwyn’s Seventh Veil.


Awards:
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