JOHN DAVIDSON

Born December 13, 1941, John is one of 4 boys whose parents were both ordained American Baptist ministers. After a NYC modeling career enjoyed while a student at White Plains High School, John attended Denison University, where he spent 3 summer seasons with the Denison Summer Theater (30 shows) graduating with a BA in theater arts. Then on to Broadway, where he played Burt Lahr’s son in the musical, Foxy.

Television producer Bob Banner discovered John on Broadway and moulded his career in the late 60s. John starred in The Hallmark Hall Of Fame version of The Fantasticks, playing Matt. He received The Theater Guild Award for his portrayal of Curly in the Broadway revival of Oklahoma, and he hosted The Kraft Summer Music Hall with regulars George Carlin, Flip Wilson, and Richard Pryor. Banner was also responsible for a Columbia Records contract which led to 13 albums and brought John to the major Las Vegas showrooms (Caesar’s Palace, the Las Vegas Hilton, the MGM Grand, and the Desert Inn). During these years he also began starring in regional theaters, eventually playing Harold Hill in The Music Man, Starbuck in 110 In The Shade, Lancelot in Camelot, Billy in Carousel, I Do I Do, Will in Will Rogers Follies, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Charlie Anderson in Shenandoah, Cervantes in Man Of La Mancha, and Teddy Roosevelt in the one-man show, Bully.

On television, John has hosted That’s Incredible, The New Hollywood Squares, One Hundred Thousand Dollar Pyramid, The Tonight Show (80 evenings, more than any other singer), The John Davidson Daytime Talk Show, and various prime time specials and beauty pageants. He also played Sally Field’s husband in the television series, The Girl With Something Extra.

John’s feature film career began with the Walt Disney musicals, The Happiest Millionaire and The One And Only Genuine Original Family Band. These were followed by Airport 80, Edward Scissorhands, and The Squeeze.

John had his own theater for 3 years in Branson, before returning to Broadway to star in Rodger and Hammerstein’s new musical, State Fair, and in the off-Broadway production of High Infidelity with Morgan Fairchild. John is the author of the educational book, The Art Of The Singing Entertainer, and the play, Father/Son & Holy Ghost.

John and his wife, Rhonda, have 3 children -- John Jr., a business coach; Jennifer, an ice skater and skate school director; and Ashleigh, a Broadway-bound conservatory student in musical theater. John and Rhonda now live in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.