Laurence Henry Lau (born May 10, 1954) is an American television and stage actor, best known for his roles in several soap operas. He has also been credited in film.
Early life and education
Lau was born in Long Beach, California, and raised in Lake Oswego, Oregon. He attended Columbia University and Brigham Young University.
Career
One of his first roles was on the TV comedy/drama Eight Is Enough in 1980. He first became popular by playing the role of Greg Nelson on All My Children (1981–1986), Other notable soap roles include NBC's Another World as Jamie Frame (1986–1990), and ABC's One Life to Live as attorney Sam Rappaport (2001—2003), taking over from actor Kale Browne.
In 2007, Lau played Greeber in Scituate, a play written by Martin Casella and directed by David Hilder, at TBG Arts Mainstage in New York City. Soap opera critic for Atlantic Canada's Breakfast Television Matthew Borden claimed that this role would solidify Laurence as a big time soap opera actor.
On May 20, 2008, Lau returned to All My Children as Greg Nelson to catch up with old pals Jesse and Angie Hubbard and brother-in-law Tad Martin.
On August 17, 2008, Lau joined the cast of As the World Turns in the recurring role of Brian Wheatley. Following the end of his stint on ATWT, Lau booked the pilot Upstate, which filmed on location in Syracuse, New York. However, the pilot was not picked up by a network in time for the next television season.
Lau also made appearances on primetime television shows including ABC's The Love Boat, CBS' The Waltons, God of Carnage, and Psycho Therapy. He played Steve Heidebrecht in the national tour of August: Osage County, which starred Estelle Parsons, and has had numerous roles Off-Broadway and at regional theaters throughout the U.S.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2000
|Return to the Secret Garden
|Tom Carter
|
|-
|2001
|The Penny Promise
|George Hampton
|
|-
|2002
|Jumping for Joy
|Will White
|
|-
|2004
|Family Solitaire
|Billy
|
|-
|2023
|The Ballad of a Hustler
|Mr. Duke
|
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1980
|Paris
|Kevin Fritz
|Episode: "Fitz's Boys"
|-
|1980
|Eight Is Enough
|Larry
|Episode: "Generations"
|-
|1980
|The Waltons
|Young G.I.
|Episode: "The Pledge"
|-
|1981
|Happy Days
|Phil
|Episode: "Bride and Gloom"
|-
|1981
|The Best Little Girl in the World
|Mark
|Television film
|-
|1981
|ABC Afterschool Special
|Wally
|Episode: "Tough Girl"
|-
|1981–2009
|All My Children
|Greg Nelson
|39 episodes
|-
|1982
|Fantasies
|Delivery Boy
|Television film
|-
|1982
|The Love Boat
|Webb Jones
|Episode: "The Man in the Iron Shorts"
|-
|1986–1989
|Another World
|Jamie Frame
|48 episodes
|-
|1998
|Frasier
|Steven
|Episode: "Where Every Bloke Knows Your Name"
|-
|1998
|Mike Hammer, Private Eye
|Deputy
|Episode: "A New Leaf: Part 2"
|-
|1998
|Diagnosis: Murder
|Greg Hutchens
|Episode: "Dead in the Water"
|-
|1999
|Brimstone
|Brad Armstrong
|Episode: "Lovers"
|-
|2000
|Martial Law
|Warren Hargrove
|Episode: "Scorpio Rising"
|-
|2000
|JAG
|Dr. Lawrence Gettis
|3 episodes
|-
|2001-2003
|One Life to Live
|Sam Rappaport
|Episodes from May 8, 2001-April 9, 2003
|-
|2004
|Law & Order
|Pancho Diamond
|Episode: "The Dead Wives Club"
|-
|2005
|Franklin Charter
|Larry Drake
|Television film
|-
|2008–2009
|As the World Turns
|Brian Wheatley
|29 episodes
|-
|2011
|Too Big to Fail
|Greg Fleming
| rowspan="2" |Television film
|-
|2012
|Ghoul
|Reverend Moore
|-
|2013
|Elementary
|Robert Baumann
|Episode: "A Landmark Story"
|-
|2015
|The Bar Mitzvah Club
|Cecil's Dad
|Television film
|-
|2018
|Blue Bloods
|Wayne Green
|Episode: "Legacy"
|-
|2021
|The Good Fight
|Lawyer
|Episode: "And the Clerk Had a Firm..."
|-
|2021
|Harlem
|Kurt Curtis
|Episode: "Winter Solstice"
|}
References
External links
- Sam Rappaport profile from OLTL Online
- Greg Nelson profile from The AMC Pages