Chad Allen Lazzari, born on June 5, 1974, is an American psychologist and retired actor whose career began at the young age of seven. A three-time Young Artist Award winner and GLAAD Media Award honoree, Allen became a teen idol in the late 1980s. He is best known for his roles as David Witherspoon on the NBC family drama "Our House" and as Zach Nichols on the NBC sitcom "My Two Dads." Later, he transitioned to an adult career as Matthew Cooper on the CBS western drama "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman".
Allen was raised in a "strict" Roman Catholic household and considers himself a "deeply spiritual person" because of his upbringing. He attended St. Mel's Catholic School in Cerritos, California. He guest-starred on several prime-time series, including an early episode of "Airwolf" and "St. Elsewhere", in which he played autistic child Tommy Westphall.
Allen's next contract role was as Matthew Cooper in "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" alongside Jane Seymour. During the final season of his run on "St. Elsewhere", he was involved in the drama department at his high school.
Starting with "Third Man Out" (2005), Allen stars as Donald Strachey, a gay private detective in a monogamous relationship. This role is part of a series of television movies for the here! network based on novels by Richard Stevenson. The series includes "Shock to the System" (2006), "On the Other Hand, Death" (2008), and "Ice Blues" (2008).
From June through August 2008, Allen appeared with Valerie Harper in "Looped", a play based on an afternoon looping session with Tallulah Bankhead for the film "Die! Die! My Darling!". Starting on September 23, 2008, Allen portrayed the love interest of Dr. Kyle Julian on "General Hospital: Night Shift".
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Coming Out and Activism
In 1996, at age 21, Allen was outed as gay when the US tabloid "The Globe" published photos of him kissing another man in a hot tub at a party. Allen has since become an activist for the LGBT community in addition to his continuing acting and producing career.
On January 17, 2006, Allen appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" with San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom to represent his viewpoint in a debate over same-sex marriage. In November 2006, "The Los Angeles Daily News" mentioned that Allen's partner, Jeremy Glazer, was also in the film "Save Me."
In a September 2008 interview with Out.com, Allen stated that he was currently in a three-year relationship and had been sober for eight years. In October 2008, AfterElton.com stated his boyfriend to be Glazer. In May 2009, Allen was the recipient of a GLAAD Media Award: the Davidson/Valentini Award.
Allen graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in June 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He graduated from the Psy.D. program at Antioch University in 2020.
Early Career and Breakthrough Roles
Allen's first acting job was a commercial for McDonald's at the age of four. When he was six, he filmed a role in the pilot episode of CBS's "Cutter to Houston". In 1981, director Michael Vejar cast Allen in an episode of "Simon & Simon". Between 1983 and 1988, Allen appeared as Tommy, the autistic son of Dr. Donald Westphall, on NBC's "St. Elsewhere". From 1986 through 1988, Allen was a regular cast member on NBC's "Our House". Allen made his film debut in "TerrorVision" (1986).
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In 1992, Allen was offered the role of Matthew Cooper on "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman". He signed on for the show's pilot to earn money for his college tuition, believing it would not be picked up as a series. The show ended up lasting for six years.
After "Dr. Quinn", Allen has also appeared on such shows as "Charmed", "Criminal Minds", and "CSI: Miami". In addition to his many TV guest appearances, Allen also starred in "What Matters Most", "A Mother's Testimony", "Paris", "Downtown: A Street Tale", and "End of the Spear". In 2010, Allen portrayed Loogie in the comedy "Spork", on which he also worked as producer. He then portrayed Lance Robinson in the "Dexter" episode "Everything Is Illuminated".
Chad Allen first popped up on TV screens as a child actor in the 1980s. He was in many series in either guest starring or recurring roles during that first decade and many more in the years that followed, as well as several movies. He played major roles in several successful TV shows, including "St. Elsewhere", "Our House", and "My Two Dads".
Navigating Sexuality in the Public Eye
At the height of his popularity, the 21-year-old actor was photographed kissing a young man at a pool party. The young man and his friends sold the photos to a tabloid, and Allen found himself splashed across "The Globe".
He ultimately decided to do nothing, but began receiving letters from closeted young men across the country who’d been harboring secret crushes, saying, “I heard a rumor that you might be gay and I think I might be gay too, and I don’t know if I can live this way, and it would be so amazing if you were gay too.” The letters really worked on Allen, who made the conscious decision to come out, regardless of the impact it might have on his career.
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For a long time, Allen paid a price for his honesty; CBS refused to consider him for any television role since he’d come out as gay. Allen did, however, trigger a storm of controversy playing Christian missionary Nate Saint in the 2005 film "End of the Spear". One opportunity that came Allen’s way specifically because he’s an out gay actor was the Donald Strachey Mystery Series of television films on the here! network.
Personal Reflections
Allen's career has been marked by personal growth and a commitment to authenticity. He has spoken openly about his experiences, hoping to inspire others.
In terms of his family life, it is interesting that Chad Allen was brought up in a dedicated Catholic home. He still regards himself as spiritual. For the most part, Chad Allen’s past and present seems to defy the stereotypes about actors in general as well as gay actors.
Chad Allen Lazzari and his twin sister, Charity, began their showbiz careers together in local “twin contests,” while still toddlers. Charity didn’t like it much, but Chad liked it a lot.
Among his many television parts, he had recurring roles in five series: "St. Elsewhere", "Our House", "My Two Dads", "Webster", and the series that made him a teen star, "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman". His schedule these days includes a role as a gay private detective in the David Strachey Mystery series based on the novels of Richard Stevenson.
Allen reflected on his role in "The End of the Spear", noting it was definitely uncomfortable, confusing, and scary. He also discussed "Save Me", a script about life in an ex-gay ministry, emphasizing the importance of fair-minded Christians and the evolving views on homosexuality within religious communities.
Allen has shown deep introspection and a strong sense of purpose. His journey from a child actor to an advocate and psychologist showcases his resilience and dedication to making a positive impact.
Chad Allen (I'm From Los Angeles, CA) - True Gay Stories
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