Lee Horsley was born in Texas in 1955. He has starred in three popular TV series, “Nero Wolfe” in 1981, “Matt Houston” from 1982 until 1985 and “Paradise” from 1988 until 1991. His movies include “The Sword and the Sorcerer” in 1982 and “Showdown at Area 51! in 2007.
TCM overview:
Born in the tiny town of Muleshoe, TX, actor Lee Horsley started singing in church as a youngster in the Denver area, his vocal talents eventually leading him to tour in stage productions of “West Side Story”, “Damn Yankees”, “Oklahoma!” and “1776” prior to his arrival in Hollywood. He began his TV career as detective Archie Goodwin (opposite William Conrad) in the 1981 NBC drama series “Nero Wolfe” but is best known for his starring role as the detective “Matt Houston” (ABC, 1982-1985). A true outdoorsman, who enjoys fly fishing and horseback riding and participates in celebrity rodeos and other sporting events, Horsley has lent his six-foot-four-inch rugged good looks to a wide array of TV-movies, including “Agatha Christie’s ’13 at Dinner'” (CBS, 1985), “Danielle Steele’s ‘Palomino'” (NBC, 1991) and “The Corpse Had a Familiar Face” (CBS, 1994), as well as two ABC miniseries, “North and South: Book II” and “Crossings” (both 1986), adapted from the best-selling novel by Danielle Steele.
After short series runs with “Guns of Paradise” (ABC, 1988), “Bodies of Evidence” (ABC, 1992-93) and “Hawkeye” (syndicated, 1994-95), Horsley landed the part of wealthy rancher Gardner Poole (opposite Bo Derek) on NBC’s very short-lived “Wind on Water” (1998). His only feature appearance (to date) was as the star of “The Sword and the Sorcerer” (1982), a film that has acquired through the years a devoted following among fantasy film buffs. He took time away from Hollywood in 1987 and 1988 to return to his great love, musical theater, playing legendary silent screen director Mack Sennett in the revival of Jerry Herman’s “Mack & Mabel” at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey.
The above TCM overview can also be accessed online here.
