UC alumni among stage and screen heartthrobs, University of Cincinnati

UC alumni among stage and screen heartthrobs

UC's original heartthrob

Hugh O'Brian, att. '42-43

Actor who appeared in 104 TV shows and sang on the Ed Sullivan, Dinah Shore and Jackie Gleason variety shows. Best known as Wyatt Earp (1955-61), O'Brian once staged and directed a company of "Guys and Dolls" that toured Vietnam, Thailand and Japan for the troops. Born as Hugh Charles Krampe, the actor was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1992. He left UC to join the Marine Corps. Finally married at age 81. (Read more.)

Hugh O'Brien in a peasant shirt, looking quite young.

Marine O'Brian 1943

Hugh with his shirt open talking to Otto Preminger

Otto Preminger and O'Brian shooting the movie "Harm's Way" in 1965.

1964

1965. Photo/Bettman/CORBIS

Hugh sitting on the ground leaning back on one arm

1959

Hugh on the beach wearing his swimsuit and leaning of his surfboard.

From "Love Has Many Faces," 1965. Columbia Pictures.

Wyatt Earp promo shot with Hugh wearing his outfit and cowboy hat.

O'Brian as Wyatt, 1957. Photo/Sid Avery.

O'Brian photo on the cover of an album in which he sings Wyatt Earp songs.

Gone, but not forgotten

Tennessee Ernie Ford, att. CCM '39-40 (1919–91)

Grammy-winning singer, composer and TV series host. Known as Ernest Ford as a student, he received an Emmy nomination in '55 for Most Outstanding New Personality, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1990. He appeared on more than 100 TV programs and recorded 18 soundtrack titles. His biggest hit "Sixteen Tons" has been credited for kicking off the Rock and Roll era of the 1950s. (Read more.)

Up close shot of a handsome Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Tennessee's face on the front of TV Guide

A middle-aged and handsome Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Another head shot of an attractive T. Ernie Ford.

An older, but still handsome, Tennessee.

A more common face for Ford.

Still going strong

Lee Roy Reams, CCM ’64, MA (CCM) ’82, HonDoc ’98

Broadway actor, dancer, choreographer and director. Once hailed by the New York Times as "Broadway's song and dance man nonpareil," Reams received both Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in '81 for his role as Bill Lawlor in "42nd Street." He's worked steadily ever since. (See UC Magazine's giant photo gallery on Reams.)

Lee Roy Reams marches with Lauren Bacall marching in the rear.

Lee Roy Reams with Lauren Bacall in the show "Applause" in 1970.

Lee Roy lined up with Helen Hayes and Carol Channing.

Lee Roy Reams at an evening event with Helen Hayes (left) and Carol Channing.

Lee Roy takes a giant leap into the air to jump over a group of performers in 42nd Street in 1981.

Lee Roy leaps over performers in "42nd Street" in 1981.

Lee Roy on the cover of Cabaret magazine.

Lee Roy daneing on the stage while wearing a service uniform.

Lee Roy dances his way through "42nd Street," the play that earned him nominations for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.

More than just a voice

Dorian Harewood, CCM '72

Actor and singer with more than 170 film credits in all, many of them animated films in which viewers only hear his talented voice. He has not only been a California Raisin, but the voice of Coach Johnson, a recurring character in Disney's animated series “Handy Manny.” His big break came in 1979, when he appeared in all five episodes of the miniseries "Roots: The Next Generation," playing the leading character Simon Haley, father of Alex Haley. (Read more about his work.)

Dorian Harewood portrait in black and white.

1988

1976 in movie "Sparkle"

Dorian wearing a union soldier uniform from the Civil War.

Dorian playing a Buffallo Soldier in an episode of "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman."

Athletic actor

Rodney Van Johnson, Ed '85

An actor who appeared as T.C. Russell, a high school coach, on the NBS soap opera "Passions" (1999-2007) and as Trey Stark on the CBS soap opera "The Young and the Restless" (1998-99). In 2013-14, he also did a stint on a reality TV show "Raising Whitley," a real life soap opera on the Oprah Winfrey Channel. In 2002, UC inducted him into its Track and Field Athletic Hall of Fame, in honor of the many scshool records he broke, as well as his success in qualifying for the Olympic trials. As a new Bearcat, Van Johnson had vowed to break the school's high-jump record, which he did on his very first meet, clearing 6'18". He later set a new record of 7'3". He also set school records in 100-meter dash, 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay. He still holds the record in both the high jump and the 100-meter dash. (Read more about Van Johnson.)

Rodney in a white shirt, looking serious.

A promo shot for the show "Passions."

Rodney in a blue sweater on a set of his NBC soap opera Passions.

On the set of the soap opera "Passions."

Multi-talented stage and screen actor

Aaron Lazar, MFA (CCM) '00

A featured actor on Broadway, in the movies and on TV. Right after graduation, Lazar first broke onto Broadway in “Phantom of the Opera.” In 2006, he landed the role of Enjolras in the revival of "Les Miserables," for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. Around 2008, he began picking up TV roles. He now has a recurring role on the "Onion News Network." And in 2013, his movie career launched him into “J. Edgar” and in “"The Wolf of Wall Street" in 2013. (Read more.) (Watch his video.)