Harley Venton

After graduating from the University of North Dakota and the University of Minnesota, Venton moved to New York City, where he first became known for playing the role of attorney Derek Colby on the long running CBS soap opera, Guiding Light from 1980 to 1982. While still appearing on Guiding Light he was also a standby in the original Broadway production of Crimes of the Heart.

In 1983, Venton relocated to California permanently, and shortly thereafter, began making frequent appearances on episodic television programs. He has appeared on Kate & Allie, Murphy Brown, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Murder, She Wrote, Models, Inc., Ellen, The Practice, Seinfeld and Law & Order, among other series.

In 1983, ABC expressed interest in Venton for the role of David Addison on the comedy-drama series Moonlighting. Venton screen-tested for the role of Addison in September 1984. Cybill Shepherd wanted Venton to play Addison, but producer Glenn Gordon Caron ultimately gave the role to Bruce Willis. Venton's audition can be seen as a bonus included in the Moonlighting DVD box collection.

In 1990, Venton was cast in a starring role in Blood Ties, a 2-hour pilot movie for the then-fledgling Fox Network; although the program was not picked up by the network, it did air the pilot as a made-for-TV movie presentation.

In 1995, Venton returned to Broadway, where he appeared in a starring role in the Ambassador Theatre production of The Circle, also starring Glynis Johns, Rex Harrison, and Stewart Granger.

In 2014, Venton married his current wife, Ann; he resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

• Harley Venton at IMDb