JAMES VAN DER BEEK
Name: James William Van Der Beek, Jr.
Born: 8 March 1977 Cheshire, Connecticut, United States
James William Van Der Beek, Jr. (born March 8, 1977) is an American television
and film actor, known for his role as Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek.
Van Der Beek was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, the son of Jim, then
professional baseball player in the Dodgers Minor League system, and Melinda,
a gymnastics teacher and former professional dancer. His father retired from
baseball shortly after James' birth and took a job with the phone company as
sales account manager.
The family then moved to Cheshire, Connecticut, where James played American
football, baseball, ran track and field and even had a brief stint on the diving
team. He mowed lawns around the neighborhood to earn money, and earned a full
academic scholarship to the private school Cheshire Academy.
He suffered a concussion at age 13 while playing football, which prevented him
from playing the rest of the season. So instead, he played Danny Zuko in his
hometown's community theater production of Grease. This lead to many more
community theater roles, and at age 15 he was so passionate about performing
that he asked his mother to take him into New York City that summer to see if he
could get an agent and try his hand professionally.
He got an agent his first day in New York, but then auditioned for commercials
for a year and a half with no success.
Name: James William Van Der Beek, Jr.
Born: 8 March 1977 Cheshire, Connecticut, United States
James William Van Der Beek, Jr. (born March 8, 1977) is an American television
and film actor, known for his role as Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek.
Van Der Beek was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, the son of Jim, then
professional baseball player in the Dodgers Minor League system, and Melinda,
a gymnastics teacher and former professional dancer. His father retired from
baseball shortly after James' birth and took a job with the phone company as
sales account manager.
The family then moved to Cheshire, Connecticut, where James played American
football, baseball, ran track and field and even had a brief stint on the diving
team. He mowed lawns around the neighborhood to earn money, and earned a full
academic scholarship to the private school Cheshire Academy.
He suffered a concussion at age 13 while playing football, which prevented him
from playing the rest of the season. So instead, he played Danny Zuko in his
hometown's community theater production of Grease. This lead to many more
community theater roles, and at age 15 he was so passionate about performing
that he asked his mother to take him into New York City that summer to see if he
could get an agent and try his hand professionally.
He got an agent his first day in New York, but then auditioned for commercials
for a year and a half with no success.