#christopher bernau

Christopher Bernau was a New York based actor, primarily known for his for his work on the stage and television. Shortly after leaving college, he got cast in the New York Shakespeare Festival's production of Antony and Cleopatra in 1962. This led to him being cast in the national tour of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf in 1964.

Another breakthrough for Bernau - he was cast as Larry in the groundbreaking “Boys in the Band” replacing actor Keith Prentice. While working on the show off-broadway, Bernau was cast in the daytime gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows” as Phillip Todd, a member of a mysterious cult.

In 1977, Bernau originated the role of “The Passion of Dracula” which ran for 718 performances off Broadway.

His best known role was the villain Alan Spaulding on the soap opera “Guiding Light” which be played for 106 episodes between 1977 and 1989.

Though the character of Spaulding was as a habitual womanizer, Bernau was out as gay in his personal life. But to the public, he maintained a straight facade, saying in a 1981 People Magazine interview:

“When I'm happily involved with a woman, I don't look around for someone else. I’m going out with two or three girls now. I've never been and at the moment am not looking to get married.”

Three actors from Dark Shadow also performed in ground breaking theater productions for their portrayal of gay life.

Joel Crothers - January 28, 1941 – November 6, 1985

Dark Shadows - 166 episodes as Joe Haskell & Nathan Forbes

In 1982, Crothers originated the role of Ed Reiss, the lover of Harvey Fierstein’s character Arnold. At the time, brothers was the best known actor in the cast due to his work in Dark Shadows and other soap opera, so he got top billing.

Keith Prentice - February 21, 1940 –September 27, 1992

Dark Shadows - 40 episodes as Morgan Collins

In 1968, Prentice was in the original cast of The Boys in the Band, as Larry, "extremely handsome" commercial artist who prefers multiple sex partners. He also appeared in the 1970 film directed by William Friedkin.

Christopher Bernau - June 2, 1940 – June 14, 1989

Dark Shadows - 23 episodes as Phillip Todd

When Prentice left the office-Broadway production of The Boys in the Band, Bernau replaced in in the role of Larry. He continued in the role until the show closed in 1970.

Christopher Bernau played Phillip Todd in the Leviathan Storyline on “Dark Shadows”.

In 1977, Bernau played a vampire himself in “The Passion of Dracula”. He appeared in the Showtime telecast of the production released in 1980.

According to Wikipedia and Craig Hamrick’s 2003 book “Barnabas & Company” Beanau was open gay as an actor. But for the press, that’s a different story. Here’s an amusing quote from a March 1981 article in People Magazine:

“When I'm happily involved with a woman, I don't look around for someone else," he explains, but cautions, "I'm going out with two or three girls now. I've never been and at the moment am not looking to get married.”

He played Larry in the off-Broadway production of “Boys in the Band” replacing Keith Prentice (who also later appeared on Dark Shadows as Morgan Collins).

Beanau died of a heart attack in 1989, as a result of complications from AIDS.

Two actors associated with “Dark Shadows” appeared in the ground breaking play “Boys in the Band” off-Broadway.

Keith Prentise (Morgan Collins in the 1841 parallel time storyline) starred in the original production of BITB and the film made shortly afterwards.

Christopher Bernau (Phillip Todd in the Leviathan storyline) was in the replacement cast (after the original stars moved on to other production.

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