An import from the Great White North, Canadian actor David Sutcliffe was best known for his role as the TV father of Rory Gilmore – one half of the wise-cracking, caffeine-chugging Gilmore Girls (WB/CW, 2001-). He rose through the acting trenches with humble beginnings in a Molson beer commercial, a litany of sitcom and made for TV movie appearances before proving himself worthy of co-star status and the growing number of fan sites devoted to his sandy-haired good looks and deft comedic skills. David Sutcliffe was born in 1969 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. A lifelong athlete and sports enthusiast, his early years at the University of Toronto were devoted exclusively to basketball. While playing for the college varsity team, Sutcliffe suffered a serious injury that forced him to hang up his team jersey. Fortunately, his roommate was a budding playwright, and the benched Sutcliffe soon found a new passion in acting. After graduating with a degree in English literature, Sutcliffe moved to New York to hit it big. Commercials were his bread and butter in those days, but he eventually scored his first TV appearance in 1992 on the vampire drama, “Forever Knight” (ABC, 1992-96). A string of “don’t blink or you’ll miss him” roles as cops and dads on made-for-TV movies followed, until things began to pick up in 1998 when he was cast in the feature films “Half Baked” and “Jack & Jill.” Before long he was becoming a recognizable face with guest appearances on “Will & Grace” (NBC, 1998-2005), “Friends” (NBC, 1994-2004), “CSI” (CBS, 2000- ), and a recurring role on “The Division” (Lifetime, 2001-04).
In 2001, Sutcliffe snagged his most high profile gig yet on the critical and fan favorite, “Gilmore Girls,” playing the estranged young dad of a quirky, overly smart teenage daughter named Rory. His appearances as Christopher Hayden were sporadic over the first five seasons, until a rekindled romance with Rory’s mother Lorelei (Lauren Graham) placed him squarely in the middle of the drama in season six. By this time, however, the show was losing favor among audiences as the original creative team behind the breakout hit had left the show over conflicts with the transitional WB network. Come season six, gone were the Gilmores’ signature feistiness, non-stop banter, and rapid-fire pacing, but Christopher was back, prompting some to suggest a sentimental series finale where the once staunchly independent Girls might end up living happily ever after with “Mr. J Crew” good looks and his trust fund.
David Sutcliffe had successfully propelled himself beyond the world of the steadily working actor to co-star in the sitcom “I’m With Her” (ABC, 2003-04), the TV movies “Murder in the Hamptons” and “His and Her Christmas” (USA, 2005), and finally, big screen roles in “Happy Endings” (2005), and “Towards Darkness” (2007).
