Morgan Stevens, who starred in "Fame" and "Melrose Place," has died at 70.
The actor was found dead in his kitchen Wednesday in Los Angeles after a neighbor, having not seen Stevens for several days, called for a wellness check, according to TMZ. A police source told the outlet that no foul play was suspected and that he likely died of natural causes.
Born on Oct. 16, 1951, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Stevens originally studied advertising at the University of Tennessee; however, unhappy in his pursuits, decided to join the Coast Guard for a year, the Daily Mail noted.
It was during this time that he discovered his love for theater. Stationed near New York City, Stevens had the opportunity to attend several Broadway plays, which ignited his passion for acting. Inspired by what he saw, Stevens returned to school but switched majors to theater arts.
In 1979, after graduating, he landed a role in the revival of "Peyton's Place." He went on to appear in minor roles on "One Day at a Time," "Quincy M.E." and "The Waltons" before he was cast in the recurring role as teacher David Reardon in the first two seasons of "Fame," from 1983 to 1984, before leaving the series.
From that point onward Stevens' career appeared to be on an upward trajectory. He guest-starred in dozens of other hit TV shows like "The Love Boat," "Airwolf," "Magnum P.I.," "MacGyver" and "Murder She Wrote" in the 1980s but things came to a halt when he became the victim of police brutality, the Daily Mail reported.
According to the outlet, Stevens claimed he was beaten by two LAPD jailers after being apprehended for a DUI after a minor traffic accident. TMZ stated that he sustained a broken nose, a fractured cheek, a dislocated jaw and nerve damage as a result of the police attack. He later sued and an out-of-court settlement was reached, the outlet added.
Over the next few years, Stevens made the occasional television appearance but marked his return in 1995, after landing the role of Nick Diamond on "Melrose Place."
He went on to guest star in "One West Waikiki," "Murder One," "High Incident," and "Walker, Texas Ranger" in the late 1990s, but his career slowly tapered off, with no new appearances listed in recent years.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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