I finally cleaned out my "Profiles to Do" file, eliminating Tyler Posey (extremely ugly), Ethan Cutkosky (only four photos), and Raphael Luce (already profiled him). Twelve guys are left: Nicholas Bechtel, Nathaniel Bacon, Ben Patrick Johnson...wait, Chad Allen. The name brings back a flood of memories.
In 1995, my partner Lane and I moved to San Francisco, because why wouldn't you? It was Gay Heaven. It was also very difficult, cold, crowded, dirty, and dangerous. Lane lasted for about six months before dumping me and high-tailing it back to the comfort of West Hollywood. I stuck it out for two years.
The main problem: We felt obligated to serve as stand-ins for the thousands of gay men who dreamed of living in Gay Heaven. Every moment had to count. Every night was a mad rush of beer busts, bear parties, AIDS benefits, book signings, art openings, film premieres, and hookups, until, by Saturday night we were exhausted, and more often than not just wanted to get Chinese take-out and chill in front of the tube. So we watched Married..with Children, Lois & Clark, Leaving L.A. (because we had left L.A.), and Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993-98)
Jane Seymour played the titular doctor, also known as Doctor Mike, who moved out West in 1867 to deal with gamblers, grifters, bureaucrats, cowboys, Indians, and a lot of sick and dying people. No gay characters, but come on, she was named Mike, she disguised herself as a man on many occasions, and she had a lesbian-subtext romance with her midwife, Charlotte. After The Girl died, Doctor Mike adopted her three children and started a romance with a cowboy (Joe Lando). You have to move on.
Chad Allen played Matthew Cooper, Dr. Mike's adopted son. His plotlines involved trying to father his younger siblings after Mom's death (by rattlesnake bite), getting a girlfriend (who dies of rabies), being trapped in a cave-in, getting a new girlfriend, getting a gambling addiction, chasing cattle rustlers, and having various accidents. Sure, it was ridiculous, but in the 1990s everything on tv was ridiculous. Remember Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210?
Joe Lando appeared in Playgirl, but didn't show his dangly bits.
But Chad did. At least, some leaked photos purportedly of a young adult Chad made the rounds of nude celebrity websites in the early 2000s.
Chad had been appearing heart-warmers and tear-jerkers since he was seven years old: Hotel, Webster, Highway to Heaven, Punky Brewster, and The Wonder Years (that's Fred Savage beside him).
His most iconic role was Tommy Westphal, the autistic son of Dr. Westphal in 17 episodes of the homophobic medical drama St. Elsewhere (1983-88). We only watched one episode, and it was homophobic.
The season finale of St. Elsewhere revealed that the entire series was imagined by Tommy as he gazed at a snow globe. It was all a dream. This enraged fans, but isn't all fiction someone's dream?
Chad also played more conventional roles, like the 12-year old David Witherspoon in 46 episodes of the dramedy Our House (1986-88). The then-famous curmudgeon Wilford Brimley starred as the grandpa to three cute kids.
And Zach Nichols, who competes with Giovanni Ribisi for the attention of The Girl in 26 episodes of the comedy (sort of) My Two Dads (1987-1990).
In 1996, Chad was outed when the tabloid The Globe published a leaked photo of him kissing a guy!
Usually in the 1990s, coming out or being outed meant an instant end to your career, but Jane Seymour was a strong LGBT ally, and insisted that Chad continue appearing as Matthew in every episode of Dr. Quinn. The writers did manage to avoid giving him a new girlfriend.
More after the break
