Chad Allen (born Chad Allen Lazzari; June 5, 1974) is an American psychologist and retired actor. Beginning his career at the age of seven, Allen is a three time Young Artist Award winner and GLAAD Media Award honoree. He was a teen idol during the late 1980s as David Witherspoon on the NBC family drama Our House and as Zach Nichols on the NBC sitcom My Two Dads[1][2] before transitioning to an adult career as Matthew Cooper on the CBS western drama Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman.[3] He announced his retirement from acting in April 2015.[4]
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[8] (1983–88). The series final episode, "The Last One", ends with the indication that all of its storylines occurred in Tommy's imagination.[9] 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)". "I thought it was the greatest job I had ever gotten," he later stated.[10] Allen's first regular role was as David Witherspoon on Our House (1986–88).
On November 5 of that year, the three-part mini series Straight Up premiered, where he co-starred with Louis Gossett Jr. In it Allen plays a teen tempted by drugs, while Gossett plays a magical character who operates the "fate elevator", so that each time Allen is tempted by a substance Gossett takes him on an elevator ride which shows the consequence of that substance.[11]
In 1989–90, he had a recurring role as Zach in My Two Dads. Allen's next contract role was Matthew Cooper in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman alongside Jane Seymour (1993–98). During the final season of his run on St. Elsewhere, Allen was teamed with his sister Charity Allen on an episode of NBC's Saturday morning children's game show I'm Telling!.
In 2007, Allen starred in the film Save Me.[14] Developed and produced by Allen, the film was directed by Robert Cary and written by Robert Desiderio.[3]Save Me, a film exploring the ex-gay movement, premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was later picked up for distribution by independent studio Fine Line Features.
In November 2006, The Los Angeles Daily News wrote in passing that Allen's partner, Jeremy Glazer, was also in the film Save Me.[23] 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.[15] In October 2008, AfterElton.com stated his boyfriend to be Glazer.[24] In May 2009, Allen was the recipient of a GLAAD Media Award: the Davidson/Valentini Award. In his acceptance speech he said he had met Glazer, his partner, exactly four years earlier.[25] They broke up in 2015.
^ abcdeVilanch, Bruce (2001-10-09). "Chad Allen: His Own Story". The Advocate. No. 848. Basically, I had been raised on the set and at the church - strict Catholic upbringing there. We're Italian, with a dose of German blood....
^ abcSchwartzapfel, Beth (2006-03-14). "Chad Allen's not sorry". The Advocate. No. 958. I'm a deeply spiritual person. I grew up a Catholic boy.
^Stacy, Tom (October 25, 2008). "Pride and Prejudice". Soap Opera Digest. Vol. 33, No. 44. pp. 50–52.