Chad Allen Lazzari, born on June 5, 1974, is an American psychologist and retired actor. He began his career at the age of seven and has won three Young Artist Awards and a GLAAD Media Award. Allen was a teen idol during the late 1980s, 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" before transitioning to an adult career as Matthew Cooper on the CBS western drama "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman".
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Allen was born in Cerritos, California, and grew up in Artesia. He is of predominantly Italian origin, with a "dose" of German origin. Raised in a "strict" Roman Catholic household, Allen considers himself a "deeply spiritual person" because of his upbringing.
Allen guest-starred on several prime time series, including an early episode of "Airwolf" for which he was nominated as "Best Young Actor: Guest in a Series" at the 6th Youth in Film Awards and "St. Elsewhere", in which he played autistic child Tommy Westphall (1983-88). In 1983, he appeared on "Cutter to Houston", playing "a kid who got hurt and had to be given mouth-to-mouth and carried to the waiting chopper by Dr. Hal Wexler (Alec Baldwin)". On November 5 of that year, the three-part mini-series "Straight Up" premiered, where he co-starred with Louis Gossett Jr. In 1989-90, he had a recurring role as Zach in "My Two Dads".
Transition to Adult Roles
Allen's next contract role was Matthew Cooper in "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" alongside Jane Seymour (1993-98).
Donald Strachey Series
Starting with "Third Man Out" (2005), Allen stars as Donald Strachey, a gay private detective in a monogamous relationship, in a series of television movies for the here! network based on novels by Richard Stevenson. The sequel, "Shock to the System" (2006), was followed by "On the Other Hand, Death" (2008) and "Ice Blues" (2008).
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Stage and Television Appearances
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 in "General Hospital: Night Shift".
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. Since then, Allen has 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" wrote in passing that Allen's partner, Jeremy Glazer, was also in the film "Save Me". In May 2009, Allen was the recipient of a GLAAD Media Award: the Davidson/Valentini Award.
Education and Current Career
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.
Here is a summary of Chad Allen's notable awards and achievements:
| Award/Achievement | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Young Artist Award | Multiple | Three-time winner |
| GLAAD Media Award | 2009 | Davidson/Valentini Award |
| Teen Idol | Late 1980s | Star of "Our House" and "My Two Dads" |
Chad Allen HOLLYWOOD TO DOLLYWOOD 11.17.11 Producing, Being Outed by a Tabloid/Being a Gay Teen Idol
The story of Chad Allen is one of transformation, resilience, and advocacy. From his early days as a beloved teen actor to his courageous decision to come out and his subsequent work as an LGBT activist, Allen has inspired many. His transition to psychology marks a new chapter in his life, where he continues to make a difference by helping others.
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