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Alford Corley is an American actor, singer, and producer. Corley is best known as the first actor to play
Steven Carrington Steven Daniel Carrington is a fictional character on the American prime time soap opera ''Dynasty (1981 TV series), Dynasty''. Steven is noteworthy as one of the earliest gay main characters on American television. Despite identifying as homosexua ...
in the 1980s soap opera ''
Dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. H ...
'' and for his 1984 hit single " Square Rooms".


Career

In the late 1970s, he worked as a doorman at
Studio 54 Studio 54 is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street (Manhattan), 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927, it served ...
to pay for his studies at the Actors Studio. He would later appear in a
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
'' Behind the Music'' special on Studio 54 to recount his experiences. Al Corley was the first actor to play
Steven Carrington Steven Daniel Carrington is a fictional character on the American prime time soap opera ''Dynasty (1981 TV series), Dynasty''. Steven is noteworthy as one of the earliest gay main characters on American television. Despite identifying as homosexua ...
on the 1980s soap opera ''
Dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. H ...
''. After that, Al Corley acted in fourteen movies, then produced five. Al Corley left ''Dynasty'' at the end of the second season in 1982 after complaining publicly in ''
Interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" re ...
'' that "Steven doesn't have any fun... He doesn't laugh; he has no humor". He also lamented Steven's "ever-shifting sexual preferences", and stated that he wanted "to do other things". The character was recast in 1983 with Jack Coleman; the change in appearance attributed to plastic surgery after an oil rig explosion. Coleman remained on the show until 1988, but Corley returned to the role of Steven for the 1991
miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...
'' Dynasty: The Reunion'' when Coleman was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts. Corley later appeared in the short-lived soap opera '' Bare Essence'' in 1983, playing
Genie Francis Genie Francis (born May 26, 1962) is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Laura Spencer (General Hospital), Laura Spencer on the television soap opera ''General Hospital'' from 1977 to present, for which she won a Daytim ...
' love interest, and co-starred opposite his former ''Dynasty'' co-star
Pamela Sue Martin Pamela Sue Martin (born January 5, 1953) is an American actress, who is best known for starring as Nancy Drew on the television series '' The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries'' (1977–1979) and as socialite Fallon Carrington on ABC soap opera ...
in the film '' Torchlight'' (1985). He was also known as a singer in the 1980s. His 1984 single " Square Rooms", from his debut album of the same name became a number one hit in France (in 1985), also reaching No. 6 in
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
, No. 12 in Italy (in 1985), No. 13 in Germany, No. 15 in
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
and No. 80 in the
U.S The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The same year, he released "Cold Dresses", which was also a big hit in France, reaching No. 5. His second album, ''Riot of Color'' was released in 1986, and a third album, ''Big Picture'' followed in 1988.


Personal life

He was married in 1989 to German actress Jessika Cardinahl. They have three children. Before his marriage, he had a brief romance with pop star
Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Billboard Hot 100, top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation (song), Anticipatio ...
. It was Corley (with his back to the camera) who appeared with Simon on the cover art shot for her 1981 album ''
Torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end which can be used as a light source or to set something on fire. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggl ...
''. He resides in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.


Filmography


Television

*''Women at West Point'' (1979; television movie) *''And Baby Makes Six'' (1979; television movie) *'' ABC Afterschool Specials'' (1979; 1 episode) *'' The Women's Room'' (1980; television movie) *''
The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Wilford Lloyd Baumes that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986. In addition, three TV movies aired before the regular series pre ...
'' (1980; 1 episode) *''
Dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. H ...
'' (1981–82; 35 episodes) *'' Bare Essence'' (1983; 2 episodes) *'' Dynasty: The Reunion'' (1991; mini-series) *''Hamburger Gift'' (1992; television movie) *''A Kiss Goodnight'' (1994; television movie)


Film

*''
Squeeze Play! ''Squeeze Play!'' is a 1979 American comedy film directed by Lloyd Kaufman. Plot A group of New Jersey women, upset over their boyfriends' tendency to pay more attention to softball than their love lives, decide to beat them at their own game. ...
'' (1979) (billed as "Alford Corley") *'' Honky Tonk Freeway'' (1981) *'' Torchlight'' (1985) *' (1985) *''Incident at Q'' (1986) *'' Hard Days, Hard Nights'' (1989) *''
Don Juan DeMarco ''Don Juan DeMarco'' is a 1995 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Johnny Depp as John Arnold DeMarco, a man who believes himself to be Don Juan, the greatest lover in the world. Clad in a cape and domino mask, DeMarco undergoes psych ...
'' (1994) *'' Cowboy Up'' (2001) *'' Scorched'' (2001) *'' Bigger Than the Sky'' (2005) (also director) *'' You Kill Me'' (2007) *'' Stolen'' (2009) (also producer) *''
Kill the Irishman ''Kill the Irishman'' is a 2011 American biographical crime film directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, and starring Ray Stevenson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Christopher Walken, and Val Kilmer. Written by Hensleigh and Jeremy Walters, it is based on the ...
'' (2011) *'' The Ice Road'' (2021) *'' Ice Road: Vengeance'' (2025)


Discography


Studio albums

*'' Square Rooms'' (1984) *'' Riot of Color'' (1986) *''The Big Picture'' (1988)


Singles

*1984: "Over Me" *1984: "Remember"/"Thought I'd Ring You" (with
Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the James Bond music, theme songs to three James Bond films - the only artist to officially perform more than o ...
) *1984: " Square Rooms" – #1 FRA, #6 SWI, #12 ITA, #13 GER, #15 Ö3AUS, #80 US *1984: "Cold Dresses" – #5 FRA *1986: "Face to Face" *1988: "Land of the Giants" *1989: "Where Are the Children"


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Corley, Al Living people American male film actors American male singers American male television actors Film producers from Kansas Male actors from Wichita, Kansas Musicians from Wichita, Kansas Singers from Kansas Year of birth missing (living people) Date of birth missing (living people)