Josh Swickard joined the cast of General Hospital as detective Harrison Chase on February 21, 2018. Over the last eight years, Swickard has delivered heartbreaking performances, including when his character’s father died and when Chase’s desire to become a father was revealed. Chase has recently ruffled the feathers of critics for blindly sticking up for Willow during her trial…for a crime she was guilty of. One thing is for certain: Swickard is an invaluable member of the GH cast.
Key Takeaways
- Josh Swickard stars on GH and has built a diverse acting career in TV and holiday films.
- Swickard left college to model for top brands like Men’s Fitness and Guess.
- He shares a real-life love story with his wife, Lauren, and they have two children with a third on the way.
Swickard’s Early Life
Swickard was born on July 4th in Quincy, Illinois. His father, Bob, was a pastor and his mom, Gina, a vocal coach. The actor has 3 sisters. After graduating from high school, Swickard moved to Chicago to study accounting at College of DuPage.
Model Behavior
After two years in college, he made a bold pivot, leaving to pursue a full-time modeling career. That move quickly paid off, with bookings for major brands and publications including Men’s Health, Sports Illustrated, Guess, Jockey, Finish Line, Kohl’s, Nordstrom, and more.
Family Man
Swickard’s real-life love story reads like a movie script. He married Lauren (née Lorynn York) in 2019 after the pair first met on the set of Roped, where she played his on-screen love interest. That chemistry didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling.
Soap fans got a familiar crossover moment in 2023 when Lauren stepped into the daytime world herself, appearing on General Hospital as Janice, a nurse at Ferncliff, in a short-term role. Off-screen, the couple is just as busy, sharing two children — Savannah (born April 2, 2021) and Arthur (born February 26, 2023) — and recently announcing they’re expecting their third child.
The actor is also extremely close to his grandfather, Arthur, whom he considers to be one of the biggest influences in his life. “I have no words for the love I have for this man. Grateful he made the trip out west for Thanksgiving. Our conversations were fun, long, challenging, and filled with the Spirit. Also… there’s a surprise for you all coming soon! He’s finishing his 101st year full of joy and as grateful as ever,” the actor posted on Instagram.
Role Call
Swickard appeared in multiple episodes of Disney Channel’s Liv and Maddie as Todd Stetson in 2015 and 2016. He did additional episodic work on K.C. Undercover and School of Rock. His next role is in the film Between the Lines, where he plays Levi Boone.
Holiday Hunk
Swickard has become a familiar face in holiday entertainment, appearing in four Christmas movies to date. He co-starred with his wife, Lauren, in Netflix’s breakout hit A California Christmas — which she also wrote — before returning for the sequel, A California Christmas: City Lights, released in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
He expanded his behind-the-scenes role in 2022, starring as Christopher and serving as executive producer on A Hollywood Christmas. In 2023, Swickard again pulled double duty, starring in and executive producing Holiday in the Vineyards as Carter Baldwyn, alongside The Bold and the Beautiful’s Annika Noelle (Hope) and The Young and the Restless’s Eileen Davidson (Ashley).
Spin Cycle
Swickard is an avid motorcyclist and owns a Harley-Davidson. The actor was also a SoulCycle instructor before joining GH. The income helped him pay his bills as he continued to audition for roles.
