Grant Aleksander

Early life

Aleksander was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He was well known at McDonogh School as both a football player and a thespian. He attended the Washington and Lee University. Grant left Washington and Lee to pursue an acting career. Once Guiding Light was canceled, his plan to fulfill a lifetime dream was realized when he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre at W&L on May 24, 2012. He grew up as the youngest of three brothers.

Career

He is best known for his work in daytime dramas (soap operas). Among his appearances in daytime are a stint on Capitol for the 1986 season as dastardly "DJ Phillips", and the role of "Alec McIntyre" on All My Children from 1993 to 1996.

Aleksander portrayed Phillip Spaulding on the daytime drama Guiding Light from 1982 to 1984. He was temporarily replaced for a time by actor John Bolger, but returned to Guiding Light from 1986 to 1991, citing exhaustion from being front-burner five days a week for five years. He also dealt with the loss of both of his parents in the early 1990s, and took an extended sabbatical from the show. Aleksander again returned to the show in April 1996, and Phillip was once again involved in front-burner story, with ex-wife Beth, as well as new love interests Harley Cooper and Olivia Spencer.

The announcement in 2004 that Aleksander was let go by the show came as a great shock to fans and to the industry. Media reports speculated on a number of possible reasons, including Aleksander's high salary, and allegations that Aleksander was temperamental or had been feuding with the actress who portrayed his love interest.

It initially appeared that Phillip was murdered the same year, but a subsequent story in 2005 revealed that the character was alive. Subsequent attempts by producers to have him return in 2005 and 2006 did not meet with success.

In late 2008, it was announced by the official Guiding Light website that he would be reprising his role as Phillip Spaulding. Aleksander resumed the role on February 9, 2009 and played Phillip until the show ended in September 2009.

Aleksander played the bartender at "Mickey's Bar" in the 1986 movie Tough Guys, starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. In 2006, he appeared in two motion pictures, The Big Bad Swim and the American Civil War film Fields of Freedom.

He was also featured on several episodic television series, mostly in the 1980s and 1990s. His first appearance was in the ABC Afterschool Special, "A Very Delicate Matter". His guest starring roles include Who's the Boss? and The Fall Guy. Aleksander also played Nicholas Drake in the 1986 made-for-TV movie Dark Mansions.

Grant will return to Washington and Lee as a Guest Artist in the first "Dick Sessoms Honorary Production" of Shaw's "Mrs. Warren's Profession." Aleksander will play the role of Sir George Crofts and the University's Rob Mish will direct.

Awards

Aleksander has been nominated for seven Soap Opera Digest Awards, winning one in 1999, for "Favorite New Couple", with Beth Ehlers, who played his former love interest, Harley Cooper. He has been nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards, including in 2003 and 2004 for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series.

Personal life

Aleksander is married to attorney and former actress, Sherry Ramsey. They currently reside in New Jersey. He is a vegetarian, who is an active member of PETA (one of the instructional videos on the PETA website features Aleksander, warning people about the dangers of leaving an animal inside a car when temperatures are warm outside) and known for his activism in animal rights. Grant is a 1978 graduate of McDonogh School and a 2012 graduate of Washington and Lee University.