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Length of Contract on DOOL: May 2004 Stats
Awards
Credits (From Internet Movie Database)
Guest Appearances
* During time off from daytime TV, Matt joined the Interact Theatre Company, Biography from Soap City: In February of 2001, Days of our Lives fans rejoiced when Matthew Ashford reprised the role of Jack Deveraux on NBC's number one daytime drama. Matt first portrayed the wildly popular, and somewhat off centered, hero for six years, beginning in 1987. The role of Jack earned Ashford five Soap Opera Awards in categories ranging from Outstanding Comic Performer to Best Love Story (along with Melissa Reeves' portrayal of Jennifer) to Outstanding Villain. Ashford was born in Davenport, Iowa the fifth of eight children to parents Cecil, a civil engineer, and mother Patricia, an executive secretary. The Ashfords moved to Northern Virginia when Matt was in junior high school. While attending Hayfield High School, Matt excelled in theatre and decided to continue his education in the performing arts. Matt needed to work many odd jobs in order to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Some of his most memorable careers include stints as a construction worker, a sanitation collector, a singing waiter, and as a street performer and clown at the Grandstand Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. After college graduation, Matt moved to New York City where he was quickly put on a holding contract with ABC, which led to the role of "Drew Ralston" on One Life to Live. In typical soap opera fashion, Drew was killed on the way to his wedding. Drew's untimely demise led Matt to the role of "Cagney McCleary" on Search for Tomorrow. Matt met his wife, Christina Saffran, when the two appeared together in a ballet that was part of a World Peace Culture Festival. "I played a foot soldier in George Washington's army in a dance piece called Valley Forge Ballet, recalls Ashford. "I'm not a dancer, but they needed actors who moved well. Christina was a dancer in the ballet and the co-choreographer. We were married within two years." When Matt and Christina traveled to Los Angeles in 1987 to participate in another World Peace Culture Festival, he auditioned for the role of Jack Deveraux on Days of our Lives, a role he played for six years to wide acclaim. After Matt left Days in 1993, he appeared briefly as Dr. Tom Hardy on General Hospital. He was also featured in the films Species, Bonfire of the Vanities, and Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss, starring Sean Hayes. Ashford recently guest starred on the hit comedy Dharma and Greg. Matt is an active member of the Interact Theatre Company in Los Angeles. Some of Matt's favorite stage roles include the Wolf and the Prince in Sondheim's Into the Woods, Count Carl Magnus in Sondheims's A Little Night Music, and Bernard Nightingale in the Tom Stoppard play Arcadia. But Jack Deveraux remains Ashford's favorite role. "Jack allows me to do everything that I would never get away with in real life. Jack never gives up when he wants something. It's very liberating for an actor to have no boundaries," he professes. Matt and Christina are the parents of Grace, nine years of age, and Emma, age four. Matt is a spokesperson for Retinoblastoma International, an organization the Ashfords were instrumental in forming after Emma was diagnosed with the rare form of infant eye cancer, of which Emma is now in remission. In his spare time, Matt enjoys hiking, camping, having outdoor adventures, and above all, being with his family. Matt has brown hair and blue/gray eyes and stands 6' 1". He celebrates his birthday on January 29th.
Credits listed from North Carolina School of the Arts Alumni page: Member of L.A.’s Interact Theatre Company, where he received the Artistic Director Achievement Award for Lead Actor for portrayal of Wolf/Prince in the musical “Into the Woods.” Other work at Interact includes lead roles in “Counsellor-at-Law,” “110 in the Shade,” “Arsenic and Old Lace” and “The Nerd.” Also performed in Ensemble Studio Theatre West’s “Cherry Orchard” and “Member of the Wedding” with Esther Rolle. Off-Broadway, appeared in the musical “Surrender,” “Hazard County Wonder” and “Nice People.” Contract roles on daytime dramas “General Hospital,” “Days of Our Lives” (as Jack Deveraux), “Search for Tomorrow” and “One Life to Live”; primetime television work includes guest star roles in “Pacific Blue,” “Burke’s Law” and “Quantum Leap.” Film roles include BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES, SPECIES and BILLY’S HOLLYWOOD SCREEN KISS, which was viewed at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. Appeared in Steven Sondheim’s and Hugh Wheeler's “A Little Night Music.” Matt's Holiday Traditions
Matt Ashford talks about an important family tradition: "Every Thanksgiving all the family and friends at dinner draw a name from a hat. Once you select a name you get an orange or brown piece of construction paper and you have to write a note to the person whose name you selected. After you write the note, you roll the paper up and leave it at their plate on the table. It's a little like an icebreaker but it's nice to let everyone know how much they are appreciated during the holiday season." Matt Ashford's family, whose background is Swedish and Irish, usually has a big Swedish dinner that takes a lot of time to prepare. He especially enjoys the Swedish coffee bread and, of course, the Swedish meatballs. Facts about Matt in 1995 Soap Opera Weekly:
Last Movie Seen: Places in the Heart
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