As the taxi-driver heartthrob Billy Campbell on Fox’s iconic primetime soap “Melrose Place” (1992-98), Andrew Shue became an overnight star and a considerable object of female desire during the show’s run. Also known as brother to Academy Award nominated actress, Elisabeth Shue, the hunky actor used his “Melrose” notoriety to focus on a charitable organization he had co-founded after leaving the popular show.Born Feb. 20, 1967 in South Orange, NJ, Shue was one of four siblings – which included actress Elizabeth Shue – born to parents who later divorced. During a 1988 family vacation, he watched in horror as his brother William, then 26, was killed when a tire swing he was on collapsed, impaling him on a tree branch. At a young age, his father instilled in him a strong desire to serve the community, encouraging him to start a student group serving the elderly while in high school. He was also class president and an All-American soccer player, with his skills later earning him All-Ivy League and Regional All-American honors at Dartmouth College. After graduating from Dartmouth, Shue also played soccer in Africa while teaching math to high school students.
When he returned to the USA, Shue followed his sister to Hollywood, landing bit parts in several of her films, including “The Karate Kid” (1984), “Adventures in Babysitting” (1987) and “Cocktail” (1988). (She would later receive a Best Actress nomination for her role in 1995’s “Leaving Las Vegas”). He also landed roles on his own, including a 1992 guest role on ABC’s “The Wonder Years,” but the best was yet to come.
As Billy Campbell, Shue played the hunky-but-not-so-bright roommate and eventual lover of Alison (Courtney Thorne-Smith) on the new “Beverly Hills 90210” spin-off, “Melrose Place.” As one third of the classic love triangle that included Alison and her rival Amanda (Heather Locklear), Shue’s “Melrose” love life was an ever revolving door which aside from Amanda and Alison (who left him at the altar) included Brooke (Kristin Davis) who drowned in the celebrated pool and Samantha (Brooke Langton). Towards the end of the “Melrose” run, Shue acted in films including 1997’s “The Rainmaker.” He also played two seasons of professional soccer with the Los Angeles Galaxy, the first of which was the 1996 inaugural season of Major League Soccer.
Shue had stated all along that he hoped to take advantage of his fame to reach kids through charity. But many fans were still shocked and saddened when after the conclusion of the show’s run in 1998, the actor focused solely on his Do Something foundation, founded in 1993 with childhood friend Michael Sanchez with the goal of “[making] community service as cool as sports” to kids. In 1999, Shue, Sanchez and “The View” (ABC, 1997- ) co-host Meredith Vieira co-founded Club Mom – an organization intended as “the premiere online destination for moms, by moms.”
After eight years away from the Hollywood spotlight, Shue returned to the screen as the coach in the all-in-the-family production of “Gracie” (2006). Inspired by his sister Elisabeth’s experiences playing soccer against boys as a child, the film was produced by the siblings and their brother John, directed by Elisabeth’s husband Davis Guggenheim and also co-starred Elisabeth as the titular soccer player’s mom.
