Thursday, May 31, 2012

Olympian Greg Louganis Joins OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS as Recurring Special Guest Star

Olympic gold-medal athlete, actor, author and animal & gay rights activist Greg Louganis has joined the cast of the award-winning web sitcom OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS for a three-episode arc in its second season, producers have announced.

Louganis will play “Dirk Evans,” a formerly notorious ‘90s WeHo circuit boy who turns over a new leaf to marry one of the show’s regular characters in mid-season.

OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS follows four middle-aged gay best friends living in youth-obsessed West Hollywood.  Leon Acord, Jeffrey Patrick Olson, Curt Bonnem and David Pevsner star as the four friends; cabaret star Amanda Abel and Ryland Shelton co-star.

Louganis first shot to fame as an Olympic athlete in 1976, winning a Silver medal at age 16, he went on to become the only male to  win gold medals on both 3 meter springboard and 10 meter platform in consecutive Olympic Games (1984, 1988) – and is considered  the greatest diver in history. In 1995, he stunned the world with his courage when came out as a gay man on both Barbara Walters’ 20/20 and THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW.

He went on to tell his story in the autobiography Breaking the Surface, which was adapted into  a TV movie featuring Mario Lopez as Louganis.

He continues to work with the Olympics as Vice President of the U.S. Olympian Association, for animal causes, and as a tireless advocate  for diversity, GLBT and HIV issues.  He is also writing a new book about creative learning and peak performance.

As an actor, Louganis has appeared in the films D2: The Mighty Ducks, It’s My Party¸ Dirty Laundry and Touch Me.  He most recently  played himself in the cult hit comedy series PORTLANDIA starring Saturday Night Live’s Fred Armisen

“Greg is not only just a gay role model,” says show creator/actor Acord.  “He’s the epitome of the vital, attractive, over-40 gay man that our show is all about!  We are honored that he’s coming aboard!”

Written/created by Acord, and developed for the web by Arvin Bautista, the first season of OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS was honored as “Outstanding Dramedy  Program” and “Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Dramedy” at the 2012 LA Web Fest.

Old Dogs & New Tricks begins shooting Season 2 in late summer 2012 and will premiere Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013.  The show is raising funds via the  crowd-sourcing site IndieGoGo.  To help, please visit http://www.indiegogo.com/olddogsnewtricksseason2.

For info: OldDogsNewTricksTheSeries.com.

RELATED:
- Terri Garber To Guest Star On OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS
- Ian Buchanan Joins OLD DOGS & NEW TRICKS In Recurring Guest Role

No comments:

Post a Comment