Walt Willey
Encyclopedia
Walt Willey is an American actor. He is best known for playing Jackson Montgomery on the soap opera
All My Children
from 1987 to 2011.
Willey was born in Ottawa, Illinois
and was a member of the class of 1968 at Ottawa Township High School. He attended Southern Illinois University
, where he majored in sculpture. While in college, he played baseball against Drake Hogestyn
, another future soap opera actor. In 1981, he left Illinois for New York City. His first soap opera role was that of Joe Novak on Ryan's Hope
. After numerous Off-Broadway
productions, including Dust Off with Dan Lauria
, and stints on Another World
and Ryan's Hope
, Willey joined the cast of All My Children.
Willey branched out into stand-up comedy
in 1989, entertaining across the country. He headlined at famous comedy clubs such as Caroline's in Manhattan and the Comedy Store in California.
He was a People's Choice Award nominee in 1992, and was named All My Childrens 'Most Valuable Player' by Soap Opera Update
's Reader's Poll. He was again awarded this honor in 1993.
Willey regularly hosts charity fundraisers, and developed the 'Willey World Endowment Fund', benefiting children's charities.
He and his third wife, Marie, married since 1994, own and operate Crystal Mesa Farm Guest Ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico
. Willey splits his time between his ranch and Los Angeles, where All My Children tapes. He and Marie have two children.
When Susan Lucci
hosted "Saturday Night Live
," Phil Hartman
parodied Willey as Jack Montgomery.
In 2009, Willey starred in a live theater performance of "The Odd Couple
" with fellow "All My Children" star Jill Larson
at Ottawa Township High School in Ottawa, Illinois
. He played Felix Unger
in three performances on July 24–26. Walt will play Oscar in the upcoming production of the same show at Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven NJ (October 21 to Nov 1). Willey hopes to reprise community theater in his hometown of Ottawa, Illinois.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
from 1987 to 2011.
Willey was born in Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,786...
and was a member of the class of 1968 at Ottawa Township High School. He attended Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
, where he majored in sculpture. While in college, he played baseball against Drake Hogestyn
Drake Hogestyn
Drake Hogestyn is an American actor best known for his long running role as John Black on the American soap opera Days of our Lives.-Early life:...
, another future soap opera actor. In 1981, he left Illinois for New York City. His first soap opera role was that of Joe Novak on Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope is an American soap opera, revolving around 13 years of trials and tribulations within a large Irish American family in the Riverside district of New York City. It aired from July 7, 1975 to January 13, 1989 on ABC...
. After numerous Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
productions, including Dust Off with Dan Lauria
Dan Lauria
Daniel Joseph "Dan" Lauria is an American television and film actor.-Early life:Lauria, an Italian-American, was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Carmela and Joseph J. Lauria. He also lived in Lindenhurst, New York...
, and stints on Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
and Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope
Ryan's Hope is an American soap opera, revolving around 13 years of trials and tribulations within a large Irish American family in the Riverside district of New York City. It aired from July 7, 1975 to January 13, 1989 on ABC...
, Willey joined the cast of All My Children.
Willey branched out into stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
in 1989, entertaining across the country. He headlined at famous comedy clubs such as Caroline's in Manhattan and the Comedy Store in California.
He was a People's Choice Award nominee in 1992, and was named All My Childrens 'Most Valuable Player' by Soap Opera Update
Soap Opera Update
Soap Opera Update was a magazine dedicated to the coverage of soap operas, co-founded by Angela Shapiro in 1988, and purchased by Bauer Media Group in 1992. The magazine became popular on news-stands in the mid-1990s. However, due to a lack of subscriptions, no promotion, and being criticized for...
's Reader's Poll. He was again awarded this honor in 1993.
Willey regularly hosts charity fundraisers, and developed the 'Willey World Endowment Fund', benefiting children's charities.
He and his third wife, Marie, married since 1994, own and operate Crystal Mesa Farm Guest Ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
. Willey splits his time between his ranch and Los Angeles, where All My Children tapes. He and Marie have two children.
When Susan Lucci
Susan Lucci
Susan Victoria Lucci is an American actress and entrepreneur, best known for portraying Erica Kane on the daytime drama All My Children. The character is considered an icon, and Lucci has been called "Daytime's Leading Lady" by TV Guide, with New York Times and Los Angeles Times citing her as the...
hosted "Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
," Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
parodied Willey as Jack Montgomery.
In 2009, Willey starred in a live theater performance of "The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple is a 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, followed by a successful film and television series, as well as other derivative works and spin offs, many featuring one or more of the same actors. The plot concerns two mismatched roommates, one neat and uptight, the other more easygoing and...
" with fellow "All My Children" star Jill Larson
Jill Larson
Jill Larson is an American dramatic actress. She is most widely known for her portrayal of Opal Cortlandt on the popular daytime drama, All My Children, a role she has played for 22 years, garnering her 2 Emmy nominations...
at Ottawa Township High School in Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa, Illinois
Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,786...
. He played Felix Unger
Felix Unger
Felix Unger was one of the principal characters in Neil Simon's play The Odd Couple. Felix was portrayed in the original Broadway production of the play by Art Carney, in the film by Jack Lemmon, and in the television series by Tony Randall.-Character overview:Felix is a divorced, middle-aged man...
in three performances on July 24–26. Walt will play Oscar in the upcoming production of the same show at Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven NJ (October 21 to Nov 1). Willey hopes to reprise community theater in his hometown of Ottawa, Illinois.