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Hal Sparks

 
Hal Sparks

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Hal Sparks



 
 
Hal Harry Magee Sparks III (born September 25, 1969) is an American actor
Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
, comedian
Comedian

A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain members of an audience, primarily by making them laughter. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy....
 one-time game show host, known for his witty additions to VH1
VH1

VH1 is an United States cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in television, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slighter older demographic than its sister channel, focusing on the lighter, softer side of popular music....
 and the role of Michael Novotny
Michael Novotny

Michael Charles Novotny-Bruckner is a central character on the United States television series Queer as Folk , played by Hal Sparks. Michael narrates in key episodes....
, on the American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 television series Queer as Folk. His previous claim to fame was hosting E!
E!

E!: Entertainment Television is an United States cable television and direct broadcast satellite network. From November 2006 onwards, it became wholly owned by Comcast....
's Talk Soup
Talk Soup

Talk Soup was a television show produced for cable network E! Entertainment Television that debuted on January 7, 1991, as a midseason replacement, and aired until August 2002 2002 in television....
.

ks was born in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County, Ohio. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border....
, and grew up in Peaks Mill, Kentucky
Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a U.S. state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is normally included in the group of Southern United States , but it is uncommonly included, geographically and culturally, in the Midwestern United States....
 until age 14, when he moved to the Chicago area. He attended New Trier High School
New Trier High School

New Trier High School is a public high school four-year high school with its major campus located in Winnetka, Illinois, Illinois, United States, and a second campus in Northfield, Illinois, Illinois, with freshman classes and district administration....
 in Winnetka, IL.






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Encyclopedia


Hal Harry Magee Sparks III (born September 25, 1969) is an American actor
Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
, comedian
Comedian

A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain members of an audience, primarily by making them laughter. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy....
 one-time game show host, known for his witty additions to VH1
VH1

VH1 is an United States cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in television, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slighter older demographic than its sister channel, focusing on the lighter, softer side of popular music....
 and the role of Michael Novotny
Michael Novotny

Michael Charles Novotny-Bruckner is a central character on the United States television series Queer as Folk , played by Hal Sparks. Michael narrates in key episodes....
, on the American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 television series Queer as Folk. His previous claim to fame was hosting E!
E!

E!: Entertainment Television is an United States cable television and direct broadcast satellite network. From November 2006 onwards, it became wholly owned by Comcast....
's Talk Soup
Talk Soup

Talk Soup was a television show produced for cable network E! Entertainment Television that debuted on January 7, 1991, as a midseason replacement, and aired until August 2002 2002 in television....
.

Career

Sparks was born in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County, Ohio. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border....
, and grew up in Peaks Mill, Kentucky
Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a U.S. state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is normally included in the group of Southern United States , but it is uncommonly included, geographically and culturally, in the Midwestern United States....
 until age 14, when he moved to the Chicago area. He attended New Trier High School
New Trier High School

New Trier High School is a public high school four-year high school with its major campus located in Winnetka, Illinois, Illinois, United States, and a second campus in Northfield, Illinois, Illinois, with freshman classes and district administration....
 in Winnetka, IL. In addition to acting, Sparks is also the lead singer and guitarist for a rock
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
 band, Zero 1 (previously called The Hal Sparks Band Experience II: Electric Boogaloo). Members include Robert Hall (Sparks' friend) on bass and Miles Loretta (Sparks' cousin) on drums. Their first album was produced by King's X
King's X

King's X are an American hard rock band noted by music critics and fans for their sophisticated sound that combines progressive metal, grunge, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion pop groups....
's frontman Doug Pinnick
Doug Pinnick

Doug Pinnick is an United States musician best known as the bass guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for the hard rock/progressive metal band King's X....
. His musical experience paid off as a contestant in the first season of Celebrity Duets
Celebrity Duets

Celebrity Duets is a short-lived United States of America reality television show of the progressive game-show type, which combined celebrities of different backgrounds with professional singers in a weekly elimination competition....
. He often joins the Los Angeles cover band Metal Skool
Metal Skool

Steel Panther , is a Los Angeles, California Glam Metal band . Originally formed as Metal Shop, they're known for their energetic live show, the longest running Heavy metal music show on the Sunset Strip ....
 to sing Skid Row
Skid row

A skid row or skid road is a run-down or dilapidated urban area with a large, impoverished population. The term originally referred literally to a path along which loggers skidded logs....
 songs.

Sparks is a regular on VH1's I Love… series: VH1
VH1

VH1 is an United States cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in television, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slighter older demographic than its sister channel, focusing on the lighter, softer side of popular music....
's I Love the '70s
I Love the '70s

I Love the '70s can mean:* I Love the '70s , a BBC series examining the pop culture of the decade;* I Love the '70s , a VH1 series based on the British original....
, I Love the '80s
I Love the '80s

I Love the '80s is a decade nostalgia television program that was produced by VH1, based on the BBC series I Love the '80s . The first episode, "I Love 1980", premiered on December 16, 2002....
, I Love the '80s Strikes Back
I Love the '80s Strikes Back

I Love the '80s Strikes Back is a miniseries on VH1 in which various music and television personalities reminisce about 1980s popular culture in a mostly humorous manner....
, I Love the '80s 3-D
I Love the '80s 3-D

I Love the '80s 3-D is the follow-up to VH1's 1980s nostalgia show I Love the '80s and its sequel I Love the '80s Strikes Back. It premiered October 24 2005....
, I Love the '90s
I Love the '90s

I Love the '90s is a television mini-series produced by VH1 in which various music and television personalities reminisce about 1990s culture....
, I Love the '90s: Part Deux
I Love the '90s: Part Deux

I Love the '90s: Part Deux is a miniseries on VH1 in which various music and TV personalities reminisce about 1990s culture. It premiered on January 17, 2005....
, I Love the Holidays
I Love the Holidays

I Love the Holidays is a 90-minute television special, based on the I Love the '80s series, that premiered on VH1 in November 202005. It follows the same format as VH1's other I Love the... series, and many commentators from previous series are featured here....
, I Love Toys
I Love Toys

I Love Toys was the eighth in VH1's series of I Love? nostalgia shows. It premiered Monday, March 6, 2006, at 10:00 p.m. EST. It is a countdown of the 100 greatest toys, chosen partially through public voting on vh1.com and also consideration of "sales, historical significance and longevity," according to VH1....
, I Love the '70s: Volume II, I Love VH1 Talking Head Clip Show Reviews, and I Love the New Millennium
I Love the New Millennium

I Love the New Millennium, the latest entry into the I Love the series, is a decade nostalgia show focusing on the 2000s that premiered on VH1 Monday, June 23, 2008....
. Hal Sparks has also appeared in the VH1 series Celebracadabra
Celebracadabra

Celebracadabra is an United States reality television series on VH1 that premiered on April 27, 2008. The series involves "celebrities" attempting to learn and perform Magic ....
.

Sparks was the captain of the Chicago Hitmen team on GSN's Extreme Dodgeball
Extreme Dodgeball

Extreme Dodgeball was an United States Sports Entertainment television show that debuted on Game Show Network in 2004. It is also featured on the British television channel Challenge....
. He has had small roles in a few films, including Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 in film comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack....
 and Spider Man 2, where he was an elevator passenger with a handful of lines; he co-starred in Spider-Man 2 with current host of E's The Soup Joel McHale
Joel McHale

Joel Edward McHale is an American actor, comedian and television presenter, best known as host of The Soup....
. Hal's first significant role was in the movie Dude, Where's My Car?
Dude, Where's My Car?

Dude, Where's My Car? is a 2000 in film comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. It is about the journey of two young men to find their stolen car....
, as Zoltan, the head of a clan of nerds obsessed with outer space. Sparks' on-screen career began when he became the United States' youngest game show emcee, hosting the short-lived game show, Treasure Mall
Treasure Mall

Treasure Mall was a weekly syndicated kids game show, running from June 11-September 3, 1988. Future Queer as Folk star, comedian Hal Sparks was the host, with Ed MacKay announcing....
, in syndication. Hal was one of five celebrities to appear in the first episode of VH1's Celebrity Paranormal Project
Celebrity Paranormal Project

Celebrity Paranormal Project, , is a reality show which debuted on VH1 on October 22, 2006 and was last aired on November 1, 2007. The show is currently on hiatus, so it is unknown if VH1 will re-air the show and begin with a second season....
.

Sparks appeared on all episodes, every season, of the Showtime
Showtime

Showtime is a Pay TV brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States....
 show, Queer As Folk, as Michael Novotny
Michael Novotny

Michael Charles Novotny-Bruckner is a central character on the United States television series Queer as Folk , played by Hal Sparks. Michael narrates in key episodes....
.

He appeared as himself in the video "Beat It
Beat It

"Beat It" is a hit Single from Michael Jackson's album Thriller , released in 1983 . It was the third single from the album, following "The Girl Is Mine" and "Billie Jean"....
," the Michael Jackson cover, by Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy is a Grammy-nominated alternative rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of Patrick Stump , Joe Trohman , Pete Wentz , and Andy Hurley ....
.

Sparks was a contestant on the 2008 VH1 television show Celebracadabra
Celebracadabra

Celebracadabra is an United States reality television series on VH1 that premiered on April 27, 2008. The series involves "celebrities" attempting to learn and perform Magic ....
, where the celebrities vie to out-perform each other with magic they have learned from their experienced coaches. Other celebrity contestants competing are Ant
Ant (comedian)

Anthony Steven Kalloniatis , now known professionally and legally as Ant, is a Greek-American stand-up comedy and actor. Ant prefers his name spelled in all capital letters....
, Lisa Ann Walter
Lisa Ann Walter

Lisa Ann Walter is an United States actor, comedienne, writer and film producer. She has appeared in such films as the 1998 version of The Parent Trap , Bruce Almighty, Shall We Dance , and War of the Worlds as Cheryl....
, Carnie Wilson
Carnie Wilson

Carnie Wilson is an United States singer and television host, best known as a member of the 1990s pop music group Wilson Phillips....
, Christopher "Kid" Reid, Kimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Wyatt

Kimberly Kaye-Wyatt is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, and a member of the modern burlesque Pop music/R&B group the Pussycat Dolls....
, and C. Thomas Howell
C. Thomas Howell

Christopher Thomas Howell is an American actor. He came to media attention for having a part in the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and is best known for having starred in the films The Outsiders and The Hitcher , as well as Soul Man and Red Dawn....
. Howell was the winner with Sparks coming in second place.

He currently resides in Los Angeles, California with his girlfriend, Samantha Humphreys a.k.a. "James Suicide", of the Suicide Girls.

Sparks appeared as guest host on American Afternoon on the Air America radio show during the first week in June 2008.

When in the Dallas area, Hal Sparks often frequents Cafe Brazil prior to performing at the Improv in Addison.

Sparks loves to make tea and has at one time left a box of his favorite oolong tea at the Addison Improv Club.

Zero 1

Zero1 is a rock music group made up of Hal Sparks, Robert Hall, and Miles Loretta. The band was originally founded under the name "The Hal Sparks Band".

Robert Hall owns his own Creature/FX company in Hollywood called Almost Human. He was the creator of the creatures for the popular shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. He was involved in some prosthetic work on Talk Soup, where he met Hal and became friends. In 2004, he wrote and directed his very own film called Lightning Bug (two time winner of the Palme D'Or
Palme d'Or

The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded to competing films at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee....
) which starred Sparks.

Miles Loretta is the cousin of Hal Sparks and has been playing the drums since he was in the 7th grade. He used to be the drummer in a band called Rosavelt and has drummed for artists such as Tim Easton
Tim Easton

Tim Easton is a Joshua Tree based American guitarist and singer-songwriter playing rock and roll music, signed with New West Records....
 and Doug Gillard
Doug Gillard

Doug Gillard is a Cleveland, Ohio guitarist from Elyria, Ohio who has performed with bands and artists such as Death Of Samantha, Gem, Cobra Verde , Guided by Voices, Richard Buckner, Children's Crusade, Starvation Army, Yuji Oniki, My Dad is Dead, The Mice, Bill Fox, Fence Lions, Zest Of Yore, Stewart Pack, and as a solo artist....
.

The debut, self-titled album by Zero1 was released in December 2006. It is now available on iTunes
ITunes

iTunes is a Proprietary software digital media media player application, used for playing and organizing digital music and video files. The program is also an interface to manage the contents on Apple's popular iPod digital media players as well as the iPhone....
 and Halsparks.com.

Filmography


Television

  • Celebracadabra
    Celebracadabra

    Celebracadabra is an United States reality television series on VH1 that premiered on April 27, 2008. The series involves "celebrities" attempting to learn and perform Magic ....
     (Reality Show)
    (2008) as himself, 1st runner up
  • Tak and the Power of Juju
    Tak and the Power of Juju (TV series)

    Tak and the Power of Juju is an all computer-generated imagery-based animated television series that premiered on Nickelodeon on August 31, 2007 and on Nicktoons Network on September 1, 2007....
     (2007) voice of "Tak" and Really, Really Revolting Jju
  • America's Funniest Mom 3 (2007) himself/judge
  • Survival of the Richest
    Survival of the Richest

    Survival of the Richest is an United States reality television show with the WB Television Network that first aired on March 31, 2006, in which seven "rich kids" who had a combined net worth of over $3 billion were forced to work together with 7 "poor kids" who had a combined debt of $150,000, through a series of challenges to win the gra...
     (2006) Host
  • Celebrity Duets
    Celebrity Duets

    Celebrity Duets is a short-lived United States of America reality television show of the progressive game-show type, which combined celebrities of different backgrounds with professional singers in a weekly elimination competition....
     (2006) Contestant, 3rd runner up
  • Celebrity Paranormal Project
    Celebrity Paranormal Project

    Celebrity Paranormal Project, , is a reality show which debuted on VH1 on October 22, 2006 and was last aired on November 1, 2007. The show is currently on hiatus, so it is unknown if VH1 will re-air the show and begin with a second season....
     (2006) in episode "Waverly Hills Sanatorium
    Waverly Hills Sanatorium

    Waverly Hills Sanatorium, located in Louisville, Kentucky, opened in 1910 as a five-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients....
    "
  • Las Vegas
    Las Vegas (TV series)

    Las Vegas was an American television series that aired on NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working in the fictional Montecito Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada—dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and restaurant management to casino...
     (2003) in "Cash Springs Eternal" (2006)
  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American Police procedural television series. CSI premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The ninth season began airing on October 9, 2008 and currently airs in the United States of America on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m....
     (2000) in episode "Dog Eat Dog" (2005) as Digger James
  • Queer As Folk
    Queer as Folk (US TV series)

    Queer as Folk is an United States and Canadian television series co-production, produced by Showtime and Temple Street Productions which was based on Queer as Folk created by Russell T Davies....
     (2000-2005) as Michael Novotny
    Michael Novotny

    Michael Charles Novotny-Bruckner is a central character on the United States television series Queer as Folk , played by Hal Sparks. Michael narrates in key episodes....
  • Video Game Vixens
    Video Game Vixens

    Video Game Vixens is a special four-part television program hosted by Hal Sparks on G4 that features what they consider to be "the sexiest female video game character of the year." It debuted in June 2005....
     (2005) as Host/Himself
  • Extreme Dodgeball
    Extreme Dodgeball

    Extreme Dodgeball was an United States Sports Entertainment television show that debuted on Game Show Network in 2004. It is also featured on the British television channel Challenge....
     (2004) as a Player for Chicago Hitmen
  • Frasier
    Frasier

    Frasier is an American situation comedy broadcast on National Broadcasting Company for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993 to May 13, 2004....
     (1993) in episode "Door Jam" (2003) as Receptionist
  • One on One
    One on One (TV series)

    One on One is an United States situation comedy that aired on the now-defunct United Paramount Network. The series stars Flex Alexander as a single sportscaster, who becomes a full-time dad when his ex-wife decides to accept a job out of the country and his teenage daughter moves in with him....
     (2001) in episodes "Unemployment Up, Pride Down" (2002) and "I Believe I Can Fly: Part 2" (2002) as Danny Davis Jr.
  • Rendez-View (2001) in episodes "She Loves Him, Loves Him Not" (2001) and "Belgian Boy Toy" (2002) as a Guest Host
  • Talk Soup
    Talk Soup

    Talk Soup was a television show produced for cable network E! Entertainment Television that debuted on January 7, 1991, as a midseason replacement, and aired until August 2002 2002 in television....
     as Host/Himself (1999-2000)
  • Martial Law
    Martial Law (TV series)

    Martial Law is a television series that ran from 1998 to 2000. It was created by Carlton Cuse.The title character, Sammo Law, portrayed by Sammo Hung, was a Chinese law officer and martial arts expert who came to Los Angeles in search of a colleague and remains in the US....
     (1998) in episode "No Fare" (2000) as Ellroy Nelson
  • Rock Band 2
    Rock Band 2

    Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, as the sequel to Rock Band . It is the second title in the Rock Band....
    : The Stars
    (2008) [guest star]
  • Cheap Theatrix (1998)
  • Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
    Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

    Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an United States Western /Dramatic programming created by Beth Sullivan. Set in the American Old West, it stars Jane Seymour as a doctor who sets up her own practice in 1860s Colorado....
     (1993) in episode "Indian Agent" (1995) as Gentle Horse
  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
    Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

    Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman is a live-action United States television program based on the Superman comic books. Lois & Clark aired on American Broadcasting Company from September 12, 1993 to June 14, 1997, and starred Dean Cain as Superman/Clark Kent and Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane....
     (1993) in episode "Witness" (1994) as Skateboarder


Film


  • Dead Space: Downfall
    Dead Space: Downfall

    Dead Space: Downfall is an animated movie, a prequel to the events of the game Dead Space , taking place while the Necromorphs invade the USG Ishimura after it receives the Red Marker....
     (2008) as Ramirez
  • Beat It (Fall Out Boy Cover) Music Video (2008) as himself
  • "The House That Jack Built
    The House That Jack Built

    The House That Jack Built may refer to:* "This Is the House That Jack Built", English nursery rhymeMusic* The House That Jack Built , by Aretha Franklin...
    " (2007) as Dominic
  • Denial (2006) (executive producer)
  • Spider-Man 2
    Spider-Man 2

    Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 in film Cinema of the United States superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon....
     (2004) as Elevator Passenger
  • Lightning Bug
    Lightning Bug (film)

    Lightning Bug is a 2004 horror film. It is the debut film by writer/director Robert Hall, an SFX makeup artist known primarily for his work on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer ....
     (2004) as Deputy Dale
  • Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
    Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

    Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 in film comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack....
     (2003) as Publisher
  • Bleacher Bums (2002) (TV) as Richie
  • Dr. Dolittle 2
    Dr. Dolittle 2

    Dr. Dolittle 2 is an United States comedy film, the theatrical sequel to Dr. Dolittle . The continuing tale of the doctor who can talk to the animals--this time, it's Dolittle versus Darwin when the animals launch a labor strike to protect their forest from unscrupulous human developers....
     (2001) (voice) as School Fish #1
  • Dude, Where's My Car?
    Dude, Where's My Car?

    Dude, Where's My Car? is a 2000 in film comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. It is about the journey of two young men to find their stolen car....
     (2000) as Zoltan - Cult Leader
  • Lost & Found (1999) as DJ
  • Invader (1996) (voice) as Fort Irwin Defense Command
  • Signs and Wonders
    Signs and Wonders

    Signs and Wonders was a phrase used often by leaders of the Charismatic movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is closely associated with the ministry of John Wimber and the Vineyard Movement....
     (1995) (TV) as Rocker 2
  • Chopper Chicks in Zombietown
    Chopper Chicks in Zombietown

    Chopper Chicks In Zombietown is a 1991 comedy horror movie released by Troma, featuring Billy Bob Thornton.The film is about an all female motorcycle gang named the 'Cycle-Sluts' who cruise into the isolated town of Zariah looking for a good time....
     (1989) as Lance
  • Frog (1987) (TV) as Jim


External links

  • *