Jerry O-Connell - Biography

Last Editor: karabeanner				Jerry O-Connell Biography -   Name : Jerry O-Connell Birth Name : Jeremiah O'Connell Date of Birth : February 17, 1974 Place of Birth : New York, New York, USA Height : 6' 3'' Education : Professional Children's School, New York, New York; New York University (Film and Television; graduated in May, 1995; B.F.A.); HB Stud Nationality : American Profession : actor, director, producer Claim to Fame : as Vern Tessio in Stand By Me (1986)

Jerry O-Connell Trivia -

Geri Halliwell and Jerry O'Connell have split after just a month together -- O'Connell reportedly left Halliwell unimpressed with his wacky humor. (October 22, 2003) During his junior year at NYU film school (for screenwriting), Jerry decided to try out for two TV pilots: Sliders and a new Fox show called Party of Five. He spent a single day in L.A. and landed the Bailey role in Party, but before he could get back to New York, the studio's first choice for SLIDERS backed out. Stuck a day before shooting without a lead, they begged Jerry to fill in. The rest is teen-idol history. Living, muscular proof that ugly ducklings can indeed turn into swans, O'Connell first became known to film audiences as that fat kid from Stand By Me, when he starred in the 1986 film at the age of eleven. Played the 'heartbreaker' in Mariah Carey's Heartbreaker video. The single went on to become Mariah's 14th #1 hit. He (Quinn) and Cleavant Derricks (Rembrandt Brown) both have twin brothers, Charlie O'Connell and Clinton Derricks-Carroll, who frequently guest-starred in SLIDERS (1995) as alternate versions of Quinn and Rembrandt. Charlie O'Connell later joined the regular cast as Quinn's brother, Colin. His classmates included Tara Reid, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Macaulay Culkin, and Ben Taylor at Professional Children's School in New York City. Signed by an agent at age 10 and was discovered gobbling up cookies in a Duncan Hines commercial. Passed up a role on PARTY OF FIVE to take the roll on SLIDERS. While filming JOE'S APARTMENT, O'Connell had a scene in which cockroaches romp inside his mouth. Rather than use the rubber fakes, he elected to use live ones.

Jerry O-Connell Detailed Biography -

Born in New York City on February 17, 1974, Jerry O'Connell began taking acting classes at the age of six. He got his first professional work acting in commercials when he was ten, and a year later made his film debut in the critically acclaimed Stand By Me. Jerry O'Connell was somewhat overshadowed by the presence of teen idol co-stars River Phoenix and Corey Feldman, but still managed to win a place in the coming-of-age film lexicon. After Stand By Me, he appeared in a television series or two and enrolled at Manhattan's Professional Children's School. Following his graduation, he attended New York University, where he attained a B.A. in Film and Television in 1995. While still an NYU student, O'Connell appeared in the Jason Priestley vehicle Calendar Girl in 1993. Living, muscular proof that ugly ducklings can indeed turn into swans, Jerry O'Connell first became known to film audiences as "that fat kid from Stand By Me," when Jerry O'Connell starred in the 1986 film at the age of eleven. Several years and many lost pounds later, Jerry O'Connell emerged as a tall, handsome screen lothario, something that provoked substantial commentary from both film critics and any number of film viewers. After his college graduation, Jerry O'Connell began to pursue his acting career full-time. He soon landed a starring role on the sci-fi series Sliders, which, despite low ratings, had a very loyal viewership. In 1996, the actor's popularity grew beyond the confines of television when he starred in both Joe's Apartment and Jerry Maguire. The latter film was a particular success, and Jerry O'Connell began to find steady film work. Next up was Scream 2 (1997), in which Jerry O'Connell played Neve Campbell's boyfriend. After an uncredited role in the Jennifer Love Hewitt vehicle Can't Hardly Wait (1998), Jerry O'Connell returned to television to star as a young Vietnam War soldier in the miniseries The '60s in 1999. That same year, Jerry O'Connell starred as a neanderthal-like jock in Body Shots, a film about the search for love and/or a lay amongst a group of Los Angeles twenty-somethings.