Mark Salling
{{short description|American actor and musician (1982–2018)}}
{{pp-pc}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mark Salling
| image = Mark Salling Glee Premiere.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Salling in 2009
| birth_name = Mark Wayne Salling{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/mark-salling-glee-actor-dies-35-8097261//|title='Glee' Actor Mark Salling Dies at 35|date=January 30, 2018|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|accessdate=August 15, 2022|website=billboard.com}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=yes|1982|8|17}}
| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.
| education = Culver Military Academy
Lake Highlands High School
Los Angeles College of Music
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2018|1|30|1982|8|17}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| death_cause = Suicide by hanging
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|composer|musician}}
| years active = 1996–2015
| known for = Noah "Puck" Puckerman on Glee
}}
Mark Wayne Salling ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɔː|l|ɪ|ŋ}}; August 17, 1982 – January 30, 2018){{cite news|title=Mark Salling|publisher=TV Guide.com|url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-salling/296391/|url-status=live|access-date=December 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101202537/http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mark-salling/296391/|archive-date=January 1, 2016|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|first1=Michelle|last1=Corriston|first2=Aurelie|last2=Corinthios|first3=Kara|last3=Warner|first4=Christine|last4=Pelisek|title=Mark Salling Dead in Apparent Suicide a Month Before His Sentencing in Child Porn Case|url=http://people.com/tv/mark-salling-dead-apparent-suicide-reports/|work=People|publisher=Meredith Corporation|location=New York City|date=January 20, 2018|access-date=January 30, 2018|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131010709/http://people.com/tv/mark-salling-dead-apparent-suicide-reports/|archive-date=January 31, 2018|df=mdy-all}} was an American actor and musician known for his role as Noah "Puck" Puckerman on the television series Glee.[http://www.fox.com/glee Fox's official Glee page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905184226/http://www.fox.com/glee/ |date=September 5, 2009 }}
Salling studied at the Los Angeles College of Music before working as a guitar teacher. He also worked as an occasional actor, appearing in Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996) and The Graveyard (2006) before gaining a recurring role in Glee in 2009. Initially a regular character, from the fifth season he was reduced to a recurring guest star role. On the show, he soloed and dueted on cover versions of various songs. Pursuing a music career, he established his own label, Pipe Dreams Records, in partnership with Fontana Distribution. On this label he released an album, Pipe Dreams, in 2010.
In 2015, Salling was arrested for possession of child pornography. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to the charges as part of a plea deal. He died by suicide on January 30, 2018, before a sentencing hearing scheduled for March 7.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/30/arts/television/mark-salling-former-glee-star-is-found-dead.html/|title=Mark Salling, Former 'Glee' Star, Is Found Dead|date=January 30, 2018|last=Deb|first=Sopan|accessdate=August 15, 2022|work=The New York Times}}{{cite web|url=http://gossiponthis.com/2018/01/30/mark-salling-dead-suicide-hanging-glee-actor-wiki-bio-facts-child-porn-accusations-sentencing/|title=Former "Glee" Actor Mark Salling Dead of Apparent Suicide: Fast Facts to Know|website=Gossip On This|date=January 30, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131030534/http://gossiponthis.com/2018/01/30/mark-salling-dead-suicide-hanging-glee-actor-wiki-bio-facts-child-porn-accusations-sentencing/|archive-date=January 31, 2018|df=mdy-all}}{{cite magazine|first=Janice|last=Williams|url=http://www.newsweek.com/mark-salling-glee-death-suicide-795381|title=What was Mark Salling's cause of death?|magazine=Newsweek|date=January 30, 2018|access-date=January 30, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131024134/http://www.newsweek.com/mark-salling-glee-death-suicide-795381|archive-date=January 31, 2018|df=mdy-all}}
Early life and education
Salling was born in Dallas, Texas, the younger of two children to John Robert Salling Jr., an accountant,{{cite web|first=Carly|last=Sitzer|url=http://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/mark-salling-last-photos-152745|title=See the Last Public Photos of Mark Salling Before His Alleged Suicide|website=inTouch|date=January 30, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131002102/http://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/mark-salling-last-photos-152745|archive-date=January 31, 2018|df=mdy-all}} and Condy Sue Salling (née Wherry), a school secretary.{{cite web|first=Amy|last=Duncan|url=http://metro.co.uk/2018/01/31/mark-salling-net-worth-age-relationships-following-glee-actors-suicide-7274615/|title=Who is Mark Salling? Net worth, age and his relationships following Glee actor's suicide|website=Metro|date=January 31, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131111859/http://metro.co.uk/2018/01/31/mark-salling-net-worth-age-relationships-following-glee-actors-suicide-7274615/|archive-date=January 31, 2018|df=mdy-all}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/mark-sallings-mom-was-his-biggest-defender/|title=Mark Salling's Mom Was His 'Biggest Defender' Before His Death|magazine=US Magazine|date=January 30, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131185752/https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/mark-sallings-mom-was-his-biggest-defender/|archive-date=January 31, 2018|df=mdy-all}} He was home-schooled at an early age. He attended, but did not graduate from, Culver Military Academy and later graduated from Lake Highlands High School in 2001. While in high school, he was a member of the school wrestling team.{{cite web|url=http://www.teenvogue.com/industry/2010/08/mark-salling-teen-vogue-september-2010|title=Mark Salling: Naughty by Nature|last=Chen|first=Eva|work=Teen Vogue|date=September 2010|access-date=January 2, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225215838/http://www.teenvogue.com/industry/2010/08/mark-salling-teen-vogue-september-2010|archive-date=February 25, 2011|df=mdy-all}} After graduating from high school, Salling attended the Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music in Pasadena, California and began studying guitar, giving guitar lessons to make a living.{{cite web|url=http://www.marksallingmusic.com/bio.php|title=Mark Salling Bio|publisher=MarkSallingMusic.com|access-date=August 10, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815084526/http://www.marksallingmusic.com/bio.php|archive-date=August 15, 2010|df=mdy-all}}
Career
=Music=
Salling sang, wrote, and produced his own music under the name Jericho. He also played the piano, guitar, bass guitar, and drums. Jericho's debut album Smoke Signals was released on February 8, 2008[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1650203|pure_url=yes}} Smoke Signals at AllMusic.com] by Jericho Records. On October 25, 2010, Salling released a rock/jazz album, Pipe Dreams, which was inspired by Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock.{{cite web| url= https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/pipe-dreams/id398440361|title=Pipe Dreams by Mark Salling| publisher= iTunes|access-date=October 27, 2010| url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121110151728/https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/pipe-dreams/id398440361|archive-date=November 10, 2012|df=mdy-all}} It was released by Pipe Dreams Records, Salling's own label, in partnership with Fontana Distribution. He was the composer, performer, and producer of each track. The first single, "Higher Power", premiered on August 10, 2010.{{cite magazine|url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/08/10/glee-mark-salling-album-single/|title='Glee' star Mark Salling announces debut album and premieres new single: Listen to it here!|date=August 10, 2010| first= Time|last=Stack|magazine=Entertainment Weekly| access-date=August 10, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100814200453/http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/08/10/glee-mark-salling-album-single/|archive-date=August 14, 2010|df=mdy-all}}
On the television show Glee, he soloed and dueted on cover versions of various songs, including "Sweet Caroline", "Only the Good Die Young", "The Lady Is a Tramp", "Run Joey Run", "Beth", "Just Give Me a Reason", "Good Vibrations", and "Fat Bottomed Girls".{{cite web| url= http://www.hulu.com/watch/104105/glee-sweet-caroline|title= Glee — Sweet Caroline |work= Glee |via= Hulu.com |access-date= December 29, 2015|url-status= dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202145535/http://www.hulu.com/watch/104105/glee-sweet-caroline|archive-date=December 2, 2009|df=mdy-all}} During filming, Salling paid tribute to the cast of Glee by writing a song and creating a video titled "Chillin' on Glee", which featured various cast and crew members.{{cite web| url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFClq0L9kd0|title=Mark's Tribute to his Glee Family |date=October 31, 2009 |via=YouTube|access-date=October 18, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120211230741/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFClq0L9kd0|archive-date=February 11, 2012|df=mdy-all}}
=Acting=
Salling acted in Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996) and The Graveyard (2006). In 2008, he was cast as Noah "Puck" Puckerman on the Fox series Glee. On June 28, 2013, it was reported that Salling would not be returning as a regular on Glee{{'s}} fifth season, but would instead be a recurring guest star on the series.{{cite web| first=Mark|last=Ausiello|url=http://tvline.com/2013/06/28/glee-season-5-cast-heather-morris-mark-salling-not-returning/|title='Glee' Season 5: Heather Morris, Mark Salling and 2 Others Not Returning as Regulars| publisher= | website = TVLine.com |date=June 28, 2013 |access-date=December 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030220304/http://tvline.com/2013/06/28/glee-season-5-cast-heather-morris-mark-salling-not-returning/|archive-date=October 30, 2013|df=mdy-all}}
Personal life
Salling dated Glee co-star Naya Rivera from 2007 to 2010, and Playboy model DJ Roxanne Dawn from 2010 to 2011. He resided in Shadow Hills, Los Angeles, California.{{cite news|first=Joseph|last=Serna|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-glee-salling-child-porn-arrest-20151230-story.html|title='Hundreds of images' seized in 'Glee' actor Mark Salling child porn case, police say|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 30, 2015|access-date=February 19, 2018}}
Salling was a long-time member of the Echo Park Ornithology Club in Los Angeles, and even penned their theme song. The president and founder of the organization said that Salling "really enjoyed birdwatching a lot, and he really cared about birds... he had a lot of animals at his house and he worked at an animal rescue when I knew him. We went birdwatching together."{{cite magazine|first1=Brianne|last1=Tracy|first2=Aurelie|last2=Corinthios|date=January 31, 2018|title=Mark Salling Was a 'Devout Christian' with Passion for Birdwatching Before His Downfall: Friend|url=http://people.com/tv/mark-salling-suicide-birdwatching/|magazine=People|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
= Legal issues =
== Sexual assault charges ==
In January 2013, Salling's ex-girlfriend Roxanne Gorzela accused him of committing sexual battery on March 25, 2011, by having unprotected sex without her knowing that it was unprotected.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/19/mark-salling-sexual-battery-sued_n_2511159.html|title=Mark Salling Sexual Battery: 'Glee' Star Sued By Ex-Girlfriend|date=January 19, 2013|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=December 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102201248/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/19/mark-salling-sexual-battery-sued_n_2511159.html|archive-date=January 2, 2016|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://wonderwall.msn.com/tv/glee-star-sued-for-alleged-sexual-assault-1730555.story|title='Glee' Star Sued For Alleged Sexual Assault|work=Wonderwall.com|access-date=December 29, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605221051/http://wonderwall.msn.com/tv/glee-star-sued-for-alleged-sexual-assault-1730555.story|archive-date=June 5, 2013}}{{cite web|first=Sadie|last=Gennis|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mark-Salling-Sued-Ex-Girlfriend-Sexual-Battery-1059312.aspx?rss=breakingnews|title=Mark Salling Sued by Ex-Girlfriend for Sexual Battery|date=January 19, 2013|work=TVGuide.com|access-date=December 29, 2015}} He denied the charges and filed a counter-suit for defamation of character.{{cite web|first=Taryn|last=Ryder|url=http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/mark-salling-no-truth-sexual-battery-lawsuit-024153281.html;_ylt=A2KLOzJ.OfxQMz8AZ1PQtDMD|title=Mark Salling: There Is 'No Truth' to Sexual Battery Lawsuit|publisher=Yahoo Celebrity|date=January 19, 2013|access-date=December 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106051150/http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/mark-salling-no-truth-sexual-battery-lawsuit-024153281.html|archive-date=January 6, 2014|df=mdy-all}} In March 2015, Salling settled with Gorzela out of court and agreed to pay her $2.7 million.{{cite news|title='Glee' Star Mark Salling Settles with Former GF in Fight Over Sexual Encounter|url=http://www.tmz.com/2015/03/25/mark-salling-settles-lawsuit-girlfriend-sexual-fight-insurance-money/|publisher=TMZ|date=March 25, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005125950/http://www.tmz.com/2015/03/25/mark-salling-settles-lawsuit-girlfriend-sexual-fight-insurance-money/|archive-date=October 5, 2017|df=mdy-all}}
== Child pornography charges ==
On December 29, 2015, Salling was arrested at his Los Angeles home on suspicion of possessing several thousand photos and videos depicting child pornography, following a tip-off to the police from one of his ex-girlfriends.{{cite web|first=Joseph|last=Serna|url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-glee-actor-mark-salling-arrested-20151229-story.html|title='Glee' actor Mark Salling arrested on suspicion of possessing child porn|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=December 29, 2015|access-date=December 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229210352/http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-glee-actor-mark-salling-arrested-20151229-story.html|archive-date=December 29, 2015|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|first1=Anthony|last1=Kurzweil|first2=Steve|last2=Kuzj|url=http://ktla.com/2015/12/29/glee-actor-mark-salling-reportedly-arrested-in-child-pornography-case/|title='Glee' Actor Mark Salling Reportedly Arrested in Child Pornography Case|website=KTLA|date=December 29, 2015|access-date=December 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229213248/http://ktla.com/2015/12/29/glee-actor-mark-salling-reportedly-arrested-in-child-pornography-case/|archive-date=December 29, 2015|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|first=Todd|last=Leopold|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/29/entertainment/mark-salling-glee-arrested-feat/|title='Glee' actor Mark Salling arrested on child porn charges|website=CNN|date=December 29, 2015|access-date=December 29, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229211329/http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/29/entertainment/mark-salling-glee-arrested-feat/|archive-date=December 29, 2015|df=mdy-all}} He was released later on $20,000 bail, but a search pursuant to a warrant found more than 50,000 images of child pornography, downloaded between April and December 2015, on his computer and USB flash drives.
On May 27, 2016, he was charged with receiving and possessing child pornography.{{cite web|first=Ashley|last=Cullins|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/glee-actor-mark-salling-indicted-897996?facebook_20160527|title=Glee Actor Mark Salling Indicted for Possessing Child Pornography|date=May 27, 2016|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=May 27, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530164347/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/glee-actor-mark-salling-indicted-897996?facebook_20160527|archive-date=May 30, 2016|df=mdy-all}} As a result of the charges, Salling was removed from the cast of Adi Shankar's film Gods and Secrets, later renamed The Guardians of Justice.{{cite web | first=Maane|last= Khatchatourian|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/mark-salling-child-porn-gods-and-secrets-1201785759/ | title=Mark Salling Dropped From 'Gods and Secrets' After Child Porn Indictment | work=Variety | date=May 31, 2016 | access-date=February 19, 2018 }}
On September 30, 2017, he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography as part of a plea deal, which was expected to result in Salling being sentenced to four to seven years in jail, in addition to registering as a sex offender and entering a treatment program, among other conditions. The guilty plea was formalized on December 18, 2017,{{cite web|url= https://theblast.com/mark-salling-child-pornography/| title=Mark Salling Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography, Faces 4-7 Years in Prison| date= October 4, 2017 |access-date=December 21, 2017| website=TheBlast.com| archive-date= October 5, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171005011758/https://theblast.com/mark-salling-child-pornography/|url-status=live}} and Salling's sentencing date was set for March 7, 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.tmz.com/2017/12/18/mark-salling-officially-pleads-guilty-child-porn-case/|title=Mark Salling Officially Enters Guilty Plea in Child Porn Case|date=December 18, 2017|website=TMZ|access-date=December 21, 2017|archive-date=December 19, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171219073851/http://www.tmz.com/2017/12/18/mark-salling-officially-pleads-guilty-child-porn-case/|url-status=live}}
Death
Salling died by suicide by hanging on January 30, 2018,{{cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/2018/02/02/glee-actor-mark-sallings-death-was-a-suicide-coroner-says.html/|title=Glee actor Mark Salling's death was a suicide, coroner says|date=February 2, 2018|accessdate=August 15, 2022|website=Toronto Star|agency=Associated Press}} near his home in the Sunland area of Los Angeles. His body was found six hours after he was reported missing.{{cite web|first1=Sasha|last1=Savitsky|first2=Leora|last2=Arnowitz|url=http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/01/30/mark-salling-reportedly-dead-glee-star-was-facing-jail-for-child-porn-possession.html|title=Mark Salling dead; 'Glee' star was facing jail for child porn possession|publisher=Fox News|date=January 30, 2018|access-date=January 30, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130185411/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/01/30/mark-salling-reportedly-dead-glee-star-was-facing-jail-for-child-porn-possession.html|archive-date=January 30, 2018|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|first1=Nancy|last1=Dillon|first2=Rachel|last2=DeSantis|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/glee-star-mark-salling-dead-35-suspected-suicide-article-1.3788124|title='Glee' star Mark Salling dead at 35 in suspected suicide by hanging|work=New York Daily News|date=January 30, 2018|access-date=February 19, 2018}} The manner of his death was confirmed by the Los Angeles coroner's office and his death was ruled a suicide. He was cremated.{{cite web | url=https://www.eonline.com/news/911993/mark-salling-cremated-after-committing-suicide | title=Mark Salling Will be Cremated After Committing Suicide | date=February 6, 2018 }}
Filmography
=Film=
=Television=
Discography
{{See also|Glee discography}}
=Studio albums=
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| Year
! Title ! Album |
|---|
| 2010
| style="text-align:left;"|"Higher Power" | style="text-align:left;"|Pipe Dreams |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|758597}}
- {{Twitter}}
{{Portal bar|Biography}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salling, Mark}}
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