Charles Siebert

Charles Siebert is the eldest of four sons, born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on March 9, 1938. Unlike some actors who claim to have had a lifelong passion for the career, he first became interested in acting when he was in his second year of Journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Deciding that he was never going to make a good journalist, Charlie enrolled in "Acting 1". He says: "Out of nowhere I suddenly had a purpose and tremendous energy...we ran a semi-professional theatre, and I was devoting 50 weeks a year, seven days a week, to drama, appearing in about 30 plays."
Following graduation, Siebert served in the army for six months, barely missing service in Vietnam. As soon as possible, however, he auditioned for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He was accepted, and moved with new wife Catherine Kilzer to London, where for the next two years he studied to be a classical actor.
When the family - which now included three-month-old Christopher - returned to the United States, Siebert had $100 in his pocket. He was determined to find work in the theatre, and succeeded quickly. "As I had hoped," he says, "I spent much of the first ten years of my career performing in classical plays."
Theatre work was not all that kept Charlie busy during those years, though. He spent his days doing soap operas, and over the years starred in The Nurses, Another World, As The World Turns, Search for Tomorrow, and One Life to Live. And in his "free time" he worked on films. Of his schedule, he says: "I always believe that when luck comes your way you'd better be ready, so I learned to live with 24-hour work days."
Altogether the Sieberts spent twelve years in New York. During that time they had two more children, Charles Andrew and Gillian. In 1976 the family moved to the west coast, where, after guest roles in a number of television series, Charlie was cast as Dr. Stanley Riverside, II, in Trapper John, M.D.

Siebert directing a "Trapper John, M.D." episode

Trapper John was an important step in Siebert's career. Not only would the role of the "loveable jerk" Riverside become his most memorable part, the show would have a large part in changing the whole direction of his future work. For it was during the seven-year run of Trapper John, M.D. that Siebert began to turn from acting to directing.

In the past decade Siebert has become a respected director, working on many popular series such as Xena, Warrior Princess and The Pretenders. He still does some acting (he played Sisyphus in a recent Xena episode), but these days Charlie considers himself to be primarily a director, and is happy with this.

Siebert was widowed in 1981, and has spent a great deal of time raising his children. In 1986 he was re-married, to Kristine Leroux, who has three children of her own. They live on a farm in Northern California's Sonoma County wine country with their their dogs, cats, ducks, geese, and chickens. Charlie is enjoying his current life, and looking forward to the future.

Acting Credits:

A House of Secrets and Lies (1992) (TV)
Deception: A Mother's Secret (1991) (TV) - Peter Meyers
Don't Touch My Daughter (1991) (TV) - Gordon
The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake (1990) (TV)
"Mancuso, FBI" (1989) TV Series - Dr. Paul Summers
Favorite Son (1988) (TV)
Shakedown on the Sunset Strip (1988) (TV)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace (1988) (TV) - Jason Sloan
Eight Men Out (1988) - Reds Catcher
White Water Summer (1987) - Jerry Block
All Night Long (1981) - Nevins
A Cry for Love (1980) (TV)
...And Justice for All (1979) - Assistant D.A. Keene
"Trapper John, M.D." (1979) TV Series - Doctor Stanley Riverside II
The Miracle Worker (1979) (TV) - Captain Keller
The Seeding of Sarah Burns (1979) (TV) - Alex Lovell
Topper (1979) (TV)
Coma (1978) - Doctor Goodman
"Husbands, Wives & Lovers" (1978) TV Series - Dixon Carter Fielding
Wild and Woolly (1978) (TV)
Nowhere to Run (1978) (TV)
"The Rhinemann Exchange" (1977) (mini) TV Series
The Incredible Hulk (1977) (TV) - Ben
Murder in Peyton Place (1977) (TV)
Tail Gunner Joe (1977) (TV) - James Juliana
Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo (1977) (TV) - Rich Finley
Blue Sunshine (1976) - Detective Clay
Deadly Hero (1976) - Baker
Panache (1976) (TV)
"The Blue Knight" (1975) TV Series - Sgt. Cabe (1976)
"One Day at a Time" (1975) TV Series - Mr. Davenport (1976-1979)
"Search for Tomorrow" (1951) TV Series - Dr. Peter Murphy (1969-1971)
"As the World Turns" (1956) TV Series - Dr. Wally Matthews (early-mid 1970s)

Directing Credits:

"The Pretender" (1996-) TV Series
"Xena: Warrior Princess" (1995-) TV Series (episodes "Reckoning, The" and "Ties That Bind")
"Hercules: The Incredible Journeys" (1994-) TV Series
"Pacific Blue" (1995-)
"Vanishing Son" (1995-)
"Renegade" (1992-96)
"Silk Stalkings" (1991)
"Jack's Place" (1992)
"Palace Guard" (1991)
"Lifestories" (1990)
"Knot's Landing" (1979-93) TV Series
"Mancuso FBI" (1989-90) TV Series
"Trapper John, M.D." (1979-86) TV Series

Thanks to Charles Siebert and Kathleen Cummings for information used on this page.

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