Lorenzo Lamas can boast that he had a starring role in not one but two primetime hits — a feat worth celebrating. Also worthy of feting is the special milestone that the Bold and the Beautiful alum is recognizing.
Happy Birthday, Lorenzo Lamas!
And that’s because he was born on January 20, 1958, in Santa Monica, California, which means that this much-beloved performer is turning 66 years old today! As the offspring of two Hollywood legends, Fernando Lamas and Arlene Dahl (ex-Lucinda, One Life to Live), and the stepson of a third, Million Dollar Mermaid Esther Williams, it should come as no surprise that Lamas chose to pursue an acting career.
He made his film debut in the 1969 Western 100 Rifles, though his work as “Indian Boy” originally went uncredited. Next, Lamas appeared in the TV series Switch (1977). In 1978, he was added to the cast of Grease as a last-minute substitute for actor Steven Ford (ex-Andy Richards, The Young and the Restless). As a condition of the hire, Lamas had to dye his hair blond.
Small roles in films like Take Down (1979) and Tilt (1979) followed, as did guest stints in Dear Detective (1979) and California Fever. Between 1980 and 1981, Lamas starred in the primetime soap opera Secrets of Midland Heights opposite the likes of Martha Scott (ex-Jennifer Talbot, General Hospital; ex-Patricia, Dallas), Bibi Besch, and Linda Hamilton (soon to be famous for her role in the Terminator films).
Also of note, in 1980, Lamas successfully auditioned for a part in The Vintage Years…a pilot which was soon retooled into the primetime serial Falcon Crest. On that show, Lamas played wealthy playboy, Lance Cumson.
His co-stars included Jane Wyman (who had been good friends with his parents and stepmother and once married to a future president — Ronald Reagan), daytime soap grad Susan Sullivan (ex-Lenore, Another World), a very young Mariska Hargitay, and Abby Dalton. Dalton portrayed Lance’s mother, Julia, and by the time the series ended in 1990, she was Lamas’s real-life mother-in-law, owing to his marrying her daughter, Kathleen.
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During his tenure at Falcon Crest, Lamas appeared in several other TV series — Fantasy Island (1983), Hotel (1983), and The Hitchhiker (1990) — and held starring parts in films like Body Rock (1984), Snake Eater (1989), and its sequel Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster (1989).
He went on to star in several other action-based flicks, including Bounty Tracker (1993), Gladiator Cop (1995), and Terminal Justice (1996). From 1992 to 1997, Lamas played Reno Raines in the syndicated series Renegade. Behind the scenes, Lamas was instrumental in convincing creator Stephen J. Cannell to play the lead villain, and he ensured employment for his then-wife, Kathleen, and his future wife, Shauna Sand.
His other acting credits include a two-year reign on B&B as firefighter Hector Ramirez (2004-2006), a recurring role on Luca Underground (2016-2017), and several guest appearances on primetime series.
Though he still actively pursues acting opportunities, Lamas also works as a helicopter pilot. He ferried people on day trips to the Grand Canyon from Los Angeles, and he conducts tours for HeliNY in New York City. He also works as a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight, a charitable organization that provides free air transport for income-deprived persons.
Soap Hub would like to wish Lorenzo Lamas a very happy birthday, and you can, too, by clicking on the X (formerly Twitter) link below. Also, share your favorite memory of his work or if you’ve met him personally in the comments section.
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