The Late Great Yaphet Kotto

He played Kananga in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die (1972). He played Parker, the chief engineer of the Nostromo in Alien (1979). He was as Lieutenant Al Giardello on the classic television show Homicide: Life on the Street. Yaphet Kotto was the consummate actor. Throughout his career he played villains and heroes and everything in between. What is more, he did all of them well. He was as at home acting in a Shakespeare play as he was a genre movie. There are not many actors who can do nearly everything, but Yaphet Kotto was one of them. Sadly, he died on March 14 1921 at the age of 81.

Yaphet Kotto was born on November 15 1939 in New York City. His mother was an American nurse and United States Army officer. She was of Panamanian and West Indian descent. His father was a businessman from Cameroon who had migrated to the United States in the 1920s, as well as a descendent of Cameroonian royalty. His father was Jewish and his mother had converted to Judaism.  His mother and father divorced when he was a child, so that he was raised by his maternal grandparents in the Bronx. Young Mr. Kotto dropped out of school at age 16. It was after working various odd jobs that he decided to take up acting after seeing Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront (1954).

He studied acting at the Actors Mobile Theatre Studio. He made his professional acting debut in Othello. He made his film debut in Nothing But a Man in 1964. He made his debut on Broadway in The Zulu and the Zayda. During the Sixties he appeared in the films The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), 5 Card Stud (1968), and The Liberation of L. B. Jones (1970). He appeared on television in the shows NBC Experiment in Television, Death Valley Days, Cowboy in Africa, Tarzan, The Big Valley, Bonanza, The High Chaparral, Hawaii Five-O, Mannix, Daniel Boone, The Name of the Game, and Gunsmoke. In 1968 he appeared on Broadway again in The Great White Hope.


In the Seventies Yaphet Kotto played two of his best known roles. He played Dr. Kananga, the villain in Live and Let Die, and Parker in Alien. He wrote, directed, and starred in The Limit (1972), in which he played a California highway patrol officer. On television he played Idi Amin in the TV movie Raid on Entebbe. He also appeared in the movies Man and Boy (1971), Bone (1972), Across 110th Street (1972), Truck Turner (1974), Report to the Commissioner (1975), Sharks' Treasure (1975), Friday Foster (1975), Drum (1976), The Monkey Hu$tle (1976), Blue Collar (1978), Brubaker (1980), and Othello (1980). He guest starred on the TV shows Night Gallery and Doctors' Hospital.

In the Eighties he appeared in the movies Fighting Back (1982), The Star Chamber (1983), Warning Sign (1985), Eye of the Tiger (1986), Prettykill (1987), Terminal Entry (1987), The Running Man (1987), Midnight Run (1988), The Jigsaw Murders (1989), A Whisper to a Scream (1989),  Ministry of Vengeance (1989), and Tripwire (1989). On television he starred on For Love and Honor. He guest starred on the TV series Fantasy Island; The A-Team; Hill Street Blues; Alfred Hitchcock Presents; Murder, She Wrote; and Father Dowling Mysteries. He appeared in such TV movies as The Park is Mine, Badge of the Assassin, Harlem, Desperado, and Prime Target.

In the Nineties Mr. Kotto appeared as Lt. Al Giardello on Homicide: Life on the Street. He also guest starred as Lt. Giardello on Law & Order. He guest starred on the TV shows Civil Wars, The Trials of Rosie O'Neill, and Seaquest DSV. He appeared in such TV movies as Chrome Soldiers, The American Clock, The Corpse Had a Familiar Face, and Deadline for Murder: From the Files of Edna Buchanan. He appeared in the movies Hangfire (1991), Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991), Extreme Justice (1993), The Puppet Masters (1994), Dead Badge (1995), Out-of-Sync (1995), Two If by Sea (1996), and Almost Blue (1996).

In the Naughts Yaphet Kotto appeared the TV movie Stiletto Dance and guest starred on the TV show The Wire. He made his last appearance on screen in the movie Witless Protection (2008).

Yaphet Kotto was an incredible actor and one who was very prolific as well. What is more, he never gave a bad performance, giving impressive performances when the material itself wasn't that good. He was extraordinary as the strait-laced Lt. Pope in Across 100th Street, outshining even screen legend Anthony Quinn. As inmate Richard "Dickie" Coombes, he gave another impressive performance. Yaphet Kotto displayed his talent on television as well. He was very convincing as Idi Amin in Raid on Entebee. On Homicide: Life on the Street he gave consistently good performances as the intelligent and articulate Al "Gee" Giardello on Homicide: Life on the Street. Throughout his career Yaphet Kotto played everything from Bondian villains to lawmen to medical doctors. What is more, he played all of them well.

Frank Lupo Passes On

Frank Lupo, who co-created The A-Team, Wiseguy, and other shows with Stephen J. Cannell, died on February 18 2021 at the age of 66. The cause was cardiac arrest.

Frank Lupo was born on January 11 1955 in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School and majored in English at the New School in Manhattan. He moved to Los Angeles in the mid-Seventies and was hired by Universal. It was there that he met Stephen J. Cannell. In the late Seventies he wrote episodes of Sword of Justice, Battlestar Galactica, B.J. and the Bear, and Galactica 1980.

;In the early Eighties, he wrote episodes of Magnum P.I. and The Quest before writing several episodes of The Greatest American Hero, the first  series on which he worked with Stephen J. Cannell. He co-created the shows The A-Team, Riptide, Hunter, The Last Precinct, and Wiseguy with Mr. Cannell. He also created the series Werewolf. He wrote episodes of Stingray, Something is Out There, and Hardball.

In the Nineties he created the show Raven. He wrote episodes of the shows Walker, Texas Ranger; and Lawless. He wrote an episode of Painkiller Jane.

Mr. Lupo also served as a producer or executive producer on the shows Galactica 1980; The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo; The Greatest American Hero; The A-Team; Riptide; Hunter; Stingray; The Last Precinct; Werewolf; Something is Out There; Walker, Texas Ranger; and Fortune Hunter.

Frank Lupo was part of some well-remembered shows. The Greatest American Hero, The A-Team, and Wiseguy remain remembered to this day. And while some of the shows on which he worked might be considered guilty pleasures, he did work on some truly good TV series. Wiseguy, with a format consisting of serialized story arcs was well ahead of its time. It was also a character driven show at a time when many crime dramas were action-oriented. And while Frank Lupo was best known for his crime dramas, the short-lived sitcom The Last Precinct starring Adam West is a must-see. As a writer and producer, Frank Lupo created many hours of enjoyable television.

The Late Great Henry Darrow

Actor Henry Darrow was something of a pioneer. As Manolito "Mano" Montoya on The High Chaparral, he was both the first Puerto Rican star of an hour-long American series and one of the earliest Latinos to have a lead role on an American show. He would later become the first Latino to ever play Zorro. Throughout his career, Henry Darrow avoided playing stereotypes, instead playing a succession of often complex characters. Sadly, Henry Darrow died yeserday, March 14 2021, at the age of 87.

Henry Darrow was born Enrique Tomás Delgado Jiménez on September 15 1933 in New York City. His parents operated a restaurant in Bedford Village that was often visited by such movie stars as Humphrey Bogart and Tallulah Bankhead. When he was eight he played a woodcutter in a school play. It was then that he decided he wanted to be an actor. 

Henry Darrow was 13 years old when his family returned to their native Puerto Rico. He studied acting and political science at the University of Puerto Rico. In 1954 he won a scholarship to the Pasadena Playhouse. Among his classmates was future Laugh-In star Ruth Buzzi. Mr. Darrow made his film debut in an uncredited role in Curse of the Undead in 1959. In the late Fifties he appeared in the movies Holiday for Lovers (1959), Revenge of the Virgins (1959), The 3rd Voice (1960), and Cage of Evil (1960). He made his television debut in an episode of Cimarron City in 1959. That same year he guest starred in an episode of Wagon Train.

In the early Sixties Henry Darrow guest starred on the shows The Dick Powell Show, Stoney Burke, The Outer Limits, Channing, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He appeared in the movies Sniper's Ridge (1961), Man-Trap (1961), Summer and Smoke (1961), and The Glass Cage. Originally credited as Henry Delgado, he adopted the stage name "Henry Darrow" in the mid-Sixties in order to get a wider variety of roles. He guest starred on the shows Iron Horse, The Wild Wild West, T.H.E. Cat, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Daniel Boone before he began playing the role of Manolito Montoya on The High Chaparral. Although the series never ranked in the top thirty in the United States, it proved to be popular and lasted four seasons. The High Chaparral proved to be phenomenally popular in Europe, particularly Sweden. Mano was easily the most popular character on the show, and Henry Darrow even became a teen heartthrob in the United States. Mr. Darrow also appeared in the movie The Dream of Hamish Mose (1969).

In the Seventies Henry Darrow had regular roles on both The Dick Van Dyke Show and Harry-O. He guest starred on the shows Primus, The Man and the City, Night Gallery, Bearcats!, The Mod Squad, The F.B.I., The New Doctors, Kung Fu, Insight, Chase, Kojak, The Invisible Man, McMillan & Wife, The Streets of San Francisco, Sara, Jigsaw John, Baretta, The Six Million Dollar Man, Gemini Man, Kingston: Confidential, Hawaii Five-O, Wonder Woman, Police Woman, The Bionic Woman, Vega$, and The Righteous Apples. He was a guest voice on the animated series The Lone Ranger. He appeared on the mini-series Centennial. He appeared in the movies Cancel My Reservation (1972), Badge 373 (1973), Where's Willie? (1978), and Walk Proud (1979).

In the Eighties Henry Darrow provided the voice of Zorro on the animated series The New Adventures of Zorro and later played the role of the elder Zorro on the comedy Zorro and Son. Mr. Darrow played the role of Don Alejandro de la Vega on a third Zorro project, the 1990-1993 series Zorro. He also had regular roles on the shows Me and Mom, and Santa Barbara. He guest starred on the shows Born to the Wind, Secrets of Midland Heights, B.J. and the Bear, The Incredible Hulk, American Playhouse, Quincy M.E., Cassie & Co., Benson, Dynasty, Hart to Hart, Tales of the Gold Monkey, Dallas, Jennifer Slept Here, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, The Fall Guy, Airwolf, Cover Up, Magnum P.I., The Fisher Family, Knight Rider, T. J. Hooker, Fresno, Easy Street, Ohara, Simon & Simon, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The Golden Girls. He appeared in the movies Beyond the Universe (1981), St. Helens (1981), Birds of Paradise (1981), Losin' It (1983), Mission Kill (1985), The Hitcher (1986), W.A.R.: Women Against Rape (1987), In Dangerous Company (1988), L.A. Bounty (1989), and The Last of the Finest (1990).

In the early Nineties Henry Darrow continued to appear on both Santa Barbara and Zorro. Late in the decade he became a regular on The Bold and the Beautiful. He guest starred on Silk Stalkings, Time Trax, Nurses, Sisters, Empire, Star Trek: Voyager, Babylon 5, Night Man, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, and Family Law. He appeared in the movies Maverick (1994), Criminal Passion (1994), Tequila Body Shots (1999), and Enemy Action (1999).

In the Naughts Mr. Darrow continued to appear on The Bold and the Beautiful. He guest starred on Just Shoot Me and One Tree Hill. He appeared in the films Runaway Jury (2003), Angels with Angles (2005), and Primo (2008). His last feature film appearance was in Soda Springs (2012).

Henry Darrow was a co-founder of both  the Nosotros Organization and the Screen Actors Guild Ethnic Minority Committee.

I think there can be no doubt that Henry Darrow will always be remembered as Mano on The High Chaparral. He was a remarkable character, one who loved comfort and the pleasures of life, but at the same time was willing to risk his life for others. Mano's jokes and smiles always hid a much more serious side to the character. What is more, Henry Darrow did an excellent job of playing Mano, making him one of the best character to emerge on American television in the Sixties. While Mr. Darrow may be best remembered as Manolito, he played a wide array of characters. He was a drug kingpin in Badge 373, about as far from Mano as one could get. He played a deposed noble, Archduke Maurice, in the Wild Wild West episode "Night of the Tottering Tontine." In the Night Gallery episode "Cool Air" (based on the Lovecraft story of the same name), he played a physician trying to postpone his own death. Henry Darrow was a remarkable actor who had a gift for imbuing every character he played with a personality all his own.

The Late Great Michael Stanley

It is safe to say that Michael Stanley was to Cleveland what Bruce Springsteen is to New Jersey, although he would never have the mainstream success that Mr. Springsteen did. That having been said, he was a superstar in Cleveland and had a fiercely loyal following elsewhere. He had a gift for storytelling in his songs and his lyrics were often intelligent. He certainly was not afraid of big words. At the same time, his music was populist in nature. Michael Stanley was recognizably from the middle class in the Midwest, and his fellow citizens of Cleveland loved him for it. Sadly, Mr. Stanley died at age 72 on March 5 2021 from lung cancer.

Michael Stanley was born Michael Stanley Gee on March 25 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, Francis Stanley Gee, was a local radio personality. He was still attending Rocky River High School when he began playing in bands. He played in a group called The Sceptors and then The Establishments. After graduating high school, he attended Hiram College, where he majored in sociology and comparative religion. It was while he was at Hiram College that he played in a band called The Tree Stumps. The Tree Stumps would be signed to ABC Records and their name would be changed to Silk. Their only album, Smooth as Raw Silk, was released in 1969.

Michael Stanley's first, self-titled solo album was released in 1973. It was followed the same year by Friends and Legends. He formed The Michael Stanley Band in 1974. Their first album, You Break It...You Bought It!, was released in 1975. The Michael Stanley Band proved popular, although they never reached the heights of mainstream success as some other artists. They would have two top forty hits, "He Can't Love You" (which peaked at no. 33 in 1979) and "My Town" (which peaked at no. 39 in 1983). They would have five other songs that reached the Billboard Hot 100. In total they released eleven albums from 1975 to 1986.

After the dissolution of The Michael Stanley Band, Michael Stanley returned to his solo career. From 1996 to 2017 he released released. 16 albums. From 1987 to 1990 he was the host of PM Magazine on Cleveland station WJW. He was on the station for one more year, in 1991, on Cleveland Tonight. He was on the Cleveland radio station WNCX as a weekday afternoon and Saturday morning DJ.

Michael Stanley was very much a part of the fabric of Cleveland. He saw success in rock music, yet he never left his hometown. He could regularly be seen at fundraisers held in Cleveland, and he worked with the sports team in the city. Beyond being the local boy who made good and one who consistently gave to his hometown, Cleveland loved Michael Stanley because he was a genuinely good person. Michael Stanley was known for his kindness and graciousness to his fans. His fans loved him and he loved them back.

Michael Stanley might not have had the success that some rock musicians did, but he will be remembered in his hometown of Cleveland and beyond. He was a talented songwriter and performer whose material should really be better known. I have to think he will be remembered even after some better known artists have been forgotten.

Nicola Pagett Passes On

Nicola Pagett, best known as one of the stars of Upstairs, Downstairs, died on March 3 2021 at the age of 75. The cause was complications from a brain tumour.

Nicola Pagett was born Nicola Mary Pagett Scott on June 15 1945 in Cairo, Egypt. Her father worked for an oil company, so she spent most of her childhood away from her family's native Britain. She spent portions of her childhood in Hong Kong, Cyprus, and Japan. In 1962 she enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in Britain. She studied acting there for two years.

In 1964 she appeared in productions with Worthing Repertory Company. She toured with Vivien Leigh in the play La Contessa. In 1965 Nicola Pagett appeared in the Thursday Theatre episode "The Flowering Cherry." In the late Sixties she guest starred on such shows as Danger Man, Gideon's Way, Armchair Mystery Theatre, Hereward the Wake, The Spies, Armchair Theatre, Mr. Rose, Sexton Blake, Man in a Suitcase, Softly Softly, The Avengers, Vendetta, The Wednesday Play, Wicked Women, ITV Saturday Night Theatre, and Special Branch. Miss Pagett appeared in the mini-series The Caesars. She appeared in the movies The Viking Queen (1967), Some  Like It Sexy (1969), Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), and There's a Girl in My Soup (1970).

In the Seventies, Nicola Pagett played Elizabeth in Upstairs Downstairs. She played the title role in the mini-series Anna Karenina. She also played in the mini-series Napoleon and Love and The Timeless Land. She guest starred on Barlow at Large, The Persuaders!, The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, The Sweeney, BBC Play of the Month, The Sunday Drama, and Do You Remember?. She appeared in the TV movie Frankenstein: The True Story. She appeared in the movies Operation: Daybreak (1975) and Oliver's Story (1978).

In the Eighties Miss Pagett starred in the TV show A Bit of a Do. She appeared in the mini-series A Woman of Substance. She guest starred on the shows Live from Pebble Hill and Screen Two. She appeared in the TV movies Scoop, Hand in Glove, and Beryl Markham: A Shadow in the Sun. She appeared in the movie Privates on Parade (1983).

In the Nineties she starred on the TV show Ain't Misbehavin'. She appeared in the mini-series Up Rising. She guest starred on the TV show Dangerfield. She appeared in the movie An Awfully Big Adventure.

Nicola Pagett was a remarkable actress. She was impressive as Elizabeth on Upstairs, Downstairs, who endured a loveless marriage during the run of the show. In the movie Operation: Daybreak she played the historical figure Anna Malinová. Through the years,, Miss Pagett played a number of roles and gave a number of great performances.

Joan Collins in "The City on the Edge of Forever"

(This post is part of the Joan Collins Blogathon hosted by Realweegiemidget Reviews)

Today Dame Joan Collins is probably best known as Alexis Colby on the TV show Dynasty and her many roles in films. Among her most famous appearances is likely a single appearance on a popular television show. The Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" is counted by many as the greatest Star Trek episode ever, and it remains one of the most popular. Harlan Ellison's original version of the teleplay won the Writers Guild of America award for Best Episodic Drama on Television. The episode also won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

In "The City on the Edge of Forever," Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) is treating Mr. Sulu (George Takei) and accidentally injects himself with an overdose a drug when the Enterprise is buffeted by a distortion in time. Experiencing delusions, McCoy flees the bridge and then transports to the planet below. He is followed by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and a landing party. There they encounter The Guardian of Forever, a sentient portal to other times. It is while the Guardian of Forever is displaying images of Earth's history that McCoy escapes through it and into the past. After being informed by the Guardian of Forever that McCoy has changed the timeline, Kirk and Spock then go back in time to 1930s New York City in an effort to retrieve McCoy and restore the timeline. This proves to be tragic for Kirk, as he meets and falls in love with Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), the operator of the 21st Street Mission. Unfortunately for Kirk, in order to preserve the timeline, Edith must die.

While "The City on the Edge of Forever" was the second to last episode of Star Trek's first season, the episode originated several months before the show even hit the air. Creator Gene Roddenberry wanted established genre writers to write episodes for the show, and so he approached Harlan Ellison. Mr. Ellison then developed a ten page outline in which Captain James T. Kirk travels back in time and falls in love with a woman who must die in order to preserve the timeline. Harlan Ellison turned his outline in on March 21 1966. This was well Star Trek's writers guide, the show's bible with information on its characters, its setting, and so on, was written, something that would present problems with the episode going forward.

To some degree Harlan Ellison's original outline for "The City on the Edge of Forever" ran contrary to Star Trek as we know. The outline involved a crewman involved in illegal drug trafficking, who kills another crewman when he finds out. The crewman is then taken to the surface of a planet to face execution by firing squad. Gene Roddenberry would object to the idea that drug trafficking would exist in the 23rd Century, and it would later be established that the Federation was very reticent about the death penalty. In fact, in the entire series the only crime mentioned for which the death penalty existed as a punishment was for visiting the planet Talos IV (mentioned in the two-part episode "The Menagerie"). Other problems with the outline was the fact that the Enterprise had to wear spacesuits on the surface of the planet, and the planet was inhabited by 9 foot tall Guardians of Forever. Both the spacesuits and the 9 foot humanoids would have made the episode prohibitively expensive.

The first outline was revised and it was after the second outline that Harlan Ellison was given the go-ahead to write the script. This script would still present problems for Star Trek's staff. Part of the problem remained the sheer cost to shoo the episode. Another part of the problem was Kirk and Spock acting out of character, with the two even getting into an argument about the barbarism of human beings. Associate producer Robert H. Justman then asked Harlan Ellison to revise the script. Unfortunately, Mr. Ellison's revised draft would also prove to be too expensive to film. The script would see revisions by producer Gene L. Coon, story editor D. C. Fontana, and Gene Roddenberry himself. None of them were credited for their work on the episode. Harlan Ellison was angry about the revisions and even expressed the desire to have the episode credited to "Cordwainer Bird," the pen name he used when he was unhappy the way a teleplay had turned out. Gene Roddenberry was able to dissuade Mr. Ellison from this, although animosity existed between the two men for the rest of their lives.

At the time that Joan Collins was cast in "The City on the Edge of Forever," she was already an established movie star, having appeared in such films as The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955), The Opposite Sex (1956), and The Bravados (1958). In fact, she was so much a movie star that Star Trek would be only her fourth guest appearance on a TV show, after appearances on The Human Jungle, Run for Your Life, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. At the time she was asked to appear on Star Trek, she was not even familiar with the show. She then asked her children about the show. Her eldest daughter spoke up and said that she do it and it was a great show. She read the script and thought it was very good, and she found it interesting. As it turned out, "The City on the Edge of Forever" would be a very pleasant experience for Joan Collins. She got along very well with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and Deforest Kelley.

Even with the extensive re-writes to reduce the cost of the episode, "The City on the Edge of Forever" went over its budget. Budgeted at $191,000 (which was already over the normal cost of first season Star Trek episodes, which was $175,000), it ultimately cost $245,316. Much of "The City on the Edge of Forever" was shot at Desilu Forty Acres (formerly the RKO Forty Acres), which had previously been used for the episodes "Miri" and "Return of the Archons." Desilu Forty Acres was a popular lot for sitcoms to be shot, with such classics as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Andy Griffith Show, My Three Sons, and Hogan's Heroes. In fact, fans of classic television will probably recognize the New York City of "The City on the Edge of Forever" as Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show. Floyd's Barber Shop even appears in several scenes of the episode. Other scenes were shot where My Three Sons usually was.

"The City on the Edge of Forever" would be well received even as it first aired. As mentioned earlier, Harlan Ellison's original version of the teleplay won the Writers Guild of America award for Best Episodic Drama on Television and the episode itself won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. The Star Trek crew and cast have consistently named it was one of the greatest Star Trek episodes ever made and it consistently ranks in lists of the best Star Trek episodes, often in the top five.

As to why "The City on the Edge of Forever" continues to be so highly regarded, much of it is the script. While it may have ultimately been written by committee, it turned out to be one of the strongest scripts of any Star Trek episode. It not only successfully recreates New York City during the Depression, but it also provided a believable romance for Kirk, one that must end in tragedy in order for history to be preserved.

Of course, much of the reason for the episode's success has to be Joan Collins's performance as Edith Keeler. As played by Joan Collins, Edith Keeler was not only beautiful (Miss Collins cannot help but be beautiful), but intelligent, compassionate, and ahead of her time. Joan Collins made it believable that Edith Keeler, a woman living in 1930s New York City, would be a pacifist who foresaw a time when there would be no more war. What is more, Joan Collins and William Shatner had real chemistry. The friendship that developed between the two resulted in genuine affection on screen.

"The City on the Edge of Forever" remains one of the best loved Star Trek episodes, as well as one of Joan Collins's best remembered appearances on television. It is in many ways a complex episode, one that not only demonstrates the dangers of time travel, but also gives us one of the most believable and most tragic love stories ever told on the series.

Geoffrey Scott R.I.P.

Geoffrey Scott, who appeared on the TV shows Dark Shadows, Cliffhangers, and Dynasty, died February 23 2021 at the age of 79. He had suffered from Parkinson's disease for many years. 

Geoffrey Scott was born on February 22 1942 in Hollywood. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley and lived on the same street as John Wayne and Clark Gable. He was signed by Dick Clayton, the agent who also signed James Dean and Burt Reynolds.

Geoffrey Scott made his television debut on Dark Shadows in 1970, playing Sky Rumson, a wealthy man loyal to the Leviathans. He also appeared on the short-lived soap opera Where the Heart Is.  Later in the Seventies he was the lead on the Cliffhangers segment "The Secret Empire," playing a marshal in the Old West fighting aliens. He guest starred on the shows Cannon, Adam-12, The Wide World of Mystery, Kojak, Harry O, Barnaby Jones, and Dallas. 

In the Eighties Mr. Scott was one of the leads on the short-lived TV series Concrete Cowboys. Late in the decade he had regular roles on Dynasty and 1st & Ten. He also appeared on the soap opera General Hospital. He guest starred on the shows Fantasy Island; It's Your Move; Hotel; Matt Houston; Night Court; The Love Boat; Webster; Married with Children; Hooperman, She's the Sheriff; and Murder, She Wrote. He appeared in the movies The Morning After (1986) and Under Crystal Lake (1990). 

In the Nineties Geoffrey Scott guest starred on P.S. I Luv U, FBI: The Untold Stories, Baywatch, Murphy Brown, and The Guiding Light. His last appearance on screen was in the movie Hulk (2003).

During his career Geoffrey Scott also appeared in several commercials, including ones for Marlboro, Camel, and Maxwell House.