Stephen Nichols
{{Short description|American actor (born 1951)}}
{{for multi|the Australian rules footballer|Stephen Nichols (footballer)|the American medievalist|Stephen G. Nichols}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Stephen Nichols
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Stephen Earl Nichols
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|2|19|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names =
| years_active = 1978–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Lisa Gordon|1984}}
| children = 3
}}
Stephen Earl Nichols (born February 19, 1951) is an American television actor who is recognized for his roles on various daytime soap operas. He has portrayed Steve "Patch" Johnson on NBC's Days of Our Lives on and off since 1985. In 1996, he joined the cast of ABC's General Hospital as Stefan Cassadine; he exited the role in 2003. From 2009 to 2013, he portrayed the role of Tucker McCall on The Young and the Restless.
Stephen Nichols has three children: Vanessa, Aaron, and Dylan. Nichols married Lisa Gordon in 1984. All three children have had small parts on Days of Our Lives. Nichols’ son, Aaron, played young Steve Johnson. Nichols’ daughter, Dylan, has a burgeoning music career. Nichols has two grandchildren.{{cite web |title=Stephen Nichols Biography |url=https://soaphub.com/actors/stephen-nichols/ |access-date=19 January 2020 |website=soaphub.com |publisher=Soap Hub}}
Career
After turning down an art scholarship to Ohio State University, he traveled west, studied yoga and lived as a monk while preparing vegetarian meals for the monks and nuns in a Hollywood ashram.{{cite web |last1=Jewell |first1=Zoey |title=Five Fast Facts About Veteran Soap Star Stephen Nichols |url=https://soaphub.com/days-of-our-lives/five-fast-facts-veteran-soap-star-stephen-nichols/ |website=soaphub.com |date=11 September 2019 |publisher=SoapHub |access-date=18 January 2020}}
After three years of celibacy, a steady diet of ice cream and the films of Truffaut and Bergman, he landed at the Theater Academy of Los Angeles City College where he studied for two years. Nichols went on to study with Stella Adler, Jack Colvin and Harry Mastrorgeorge.{{cite web |title=Stephen Nichols Archives |url=https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/stephen-nichols/ |website=soapoperadigest.com |access-date=18 January 2020}}
For his stage work, Nichols has been honored with three Drama-Logue Awards and two LA Weekly Theater Awards{{cite web |last1=Brounstein |first1=Diane |title=Stephen Nichols Celebrates Amazing Milestone! |url=https://soaphub.com/days-of-our-lives/stephen-nichols-celebrates-amazing-milestone/ |website=soaphub.com |date=19 February 2018 |publisher=Soap Hub |access-date=18 January 2020}} for his performances in such notable productions as Pieces of Time (for his portrayal of real-life killer, Donald Bashor), for Delirious (directed by Ron Link), and as Jim Morrison in the last thirty-six hours of his life in The Lizard King.{{cite web |title=#TBT - STEPHEN NICHOLS |url=https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/tbt-stephen-nichols-2/ |website=soapoperadigest.com |publisher=Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. |access-date=18 January 2020}} Nichols also appeared at LATC in Rick Clutchey's The Cage,{{cite web |title=#TBT - STEPHEN NICHOLS |url=https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/tbt-stephen-nichols-2/ |website=soapoperadigest.com |publisher=Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. |access-date=19 January 2020}} in the award-winning production of Michael Cristofer's The Shadow Box at Theater East and Love Letters, during its initial run at the Canon Theater.{{cite web |title=Stephen Nichols biography |url=https://soaphub.com/actors/stephen-nichols/ |website=soaphub.com |access-date=19 January 2020}}
Most recently, Nichols appeared in He Hunts at the Geffen Playhouse and was seen in the U.S. première of Joe Pintaro's The Dead Boy,{{cite web |title=Stephen Nichols Biography |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0629731/bio |website=imdb.com |publisher=IMDb, Inc. |access-date=18 January 2020}} for which Nichols received a Maddy Award.
=''Days of Our Lives''=
His original portrayal of Steve "Patch" Johnson (1985–90) earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role and five Soap Opera Digest Best Actor Awards. Steve and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) remain one of the most popular couples, and the most-covered, on Days of our Lives ever.{{cite web |title=Stephen Nichols Archives |url=https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/stephen-nichols/ |website=soapoperadigest.com |access-date=18 January 2020}} Nichols talked about one of their favorite storylines and shared, “Mary Beth likes Emily and Gideon. It was a fantasy, it wasn’t really us, but we were reading this beautiful diary, in the old mansion, and then it would flash to the characters.” {{cite web|url=http://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/49282/interview-mary-beth-evans-stephen-nichols-talk-steve-kaylas-wedding|title=Interview: Mary Beth Evans, Stephen Nichols talk Steve & Kayla's wedding|work=SheKnows Soaps|first=Dustin|last=Cushman|date=February 14, 2017|access-date=September 21, 2017}}
Nichols returned to the role of Steve (Patch) Johnson on Days of Our Lives in 2006, and played the role until 2009.
On April 17, 2015, it was reported that Nichols would return as reprise the role of Steve "Patch" Johnson of NBC's Days of Our Lives and Nichols second return air date on September 15.{{cite web|last=Hughes|first=Heather|title='Days Of Our Lives' Spoilers: Stephen Nichols Return Date Confirmed – Patch Will Be Back In Salem On September 14|url=https://www.soapoperaspy.com/2015/days-of-our-lives-spoilers-stephen-nichols-return-date-confirmed-patch-will-be-back-in-salem-on-september-14/|work=Soap Opera Spy|date=April 17, 2015|access-date=June 21, 2020}} He continues to play the role as of April 2025.
From December 2019-January 2020, Nichols played the role of Stefano DiMera{{cite web |last1=Barnet |first1=R.J. |title='Days Of Our Lives' Spoilers: Here's The Real Reason Why Stefano DiMera Chose Steve 'Patch' Johnson As His Successor! |url=https://dailysoapdish.com/2019/12/days-of-our-lives-spoilers-heres-the-real-reason-why-stefano-dimera-chose-steve-patch-johnson-as-his-successor/ |website=dailysoapdish.com |date=4 December 2019 |access-date=28 December 2020}} as part of a storyline where Dr. Wilhelm Rolf implanted a chip into Steve Johnson's brain that turned him into "the new Stefano DiMera".{{cite web |last1=Deese |first1=Hollie |title=Honoring the Nine Lives of Stefano DiMera As Days Brings Stefano Back |url=https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/46395/the-nine-lives-of-stefano-dimera/ |website=soaps.sheknows.com |date=27 November 2019 |publisher=SheKnows Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. |access-date=28 December 2020}}
==Other work==
Nichols also portrayed Stefan Cassadine on the soap General Hospital (1996–2003).{{cite web |title=Stephen Nichols |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0629731/#director |website=imdb.com |publisher=IMDb.com, Inc. |access-date=18 January 2020}} This role reunited him with Evans, while his character was later paired with Laura Spencer, played by Genie Francis.
Other TV appearances have included Matlock, L.A. Law, Diagnosis: Murder, The Nanny (with former Days of our Lives co-star Charles Shaughnessy), Second Chances, Sisters, a recurring role on Empty Nest, and playing Jesse James opposite Pierce Brosnan in the NBC mini-series Around the World in 80 Days.{{cite web |title=Stephen Nichols |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0629731/#actor |website=imdb.com |publisher=IMDb, Inc. |access-date=18 January 2020}}
Nichols has appeared in several feature films, first co-starring with Demi Moore in Choices. He was also in Witchboard; Soapdish with Kevin Kline, Whoopi Goldberg and Robert Downey, Jr.; Heaven's Tears; Cover Me with Paul Sorvino; Phoenix with Brad Dourif and William Sanderson; and the Showtime short A Hard Rain with John Mahoney,{{cite web |title=Stephen Nichols |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0629731/#actor |website=imdb.com |publisher=IMDb, Inc. |access-date=18 January 2020}} which earned best film honors at the British Film Festival for director Dennie Gordon.
Nichols has directed several stage productions, including Sixty Minutes from L.A., a presentation pilot for television, Wild Horses (co-director) and most recently, wrote and directed the dramatic short film Get the Dime starring Daniel Bess and Robert Picardo.{{cite web |last1=Brounstein |first1=Diane |title=Stephen Nichols Celebrates Amazing Milestone! |url=https://soaphub.com/days-of-our-lives/stephen-nichols-celebrates-amazing-milestone/ |website=soaphub.com |date=19 February 2018 |publisher=Soap Hub |access-date=18 January 2020}} Get the Dime was a director's pick at the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films. Upcoming,{{When|date=January 2020}} Nichols will direct the feature films Eau de L.A. and Fear of Falling.
On December 17, 2009, it was reported on stephennichols.net and cbs.com that he had joined the cast of CBS's The Young and the Restless as Tucker McCall, replacing William Russ. Nichols's first air date was January 27, 2010. On Y&R, he would later be reunited with General Hospital counterpart Genie Francis, who played Genevieve Atkinson on the show. Nichols's last day on Y&R was January 29, 2013.{{cite web |last1=Kroll |first1=Dan J. |title=Stephen Nichols tapes final Y&R scenes |url=http://amp.soapcentral.com/yr/news/2012/1218-nichols.php |website=soapcentral.com |access-date=18 January 2020}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role |
|---|
| 1978
| Man at Bath |
| 1981
| Choices | Chris |
| 1984
| Killing Time | Jim |
| 1985
| House | Scott |
| 1986
| Brandon Sinclair |
| 1991
| Soapdish | Self |
| 1994
| A Hard Rain | Munson |
| 1995
| Cover Me | Dimitri |
| 1995
| Phoenix | Tyler McClain |
| 1995
| Heaven's Tears | Peter Steiner |
| 1995
| The Glass Cage | Renzi |
| 1997
| Deep Cover | Dutch Leonard |
| 1998
| The Stud |
| 2009
| Get The Dime (Short Film) | Director, editor, writer |
| 2014
| I See (Short Film) | Director, editor |
| 2019
| A Beauty & The Beast Christmas | Howard |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1981
| Dynasty | Flight Attendant | Episode: "Oil: Part 1" (uncredited) |
| 1983
| Ogden | |
| 1982–1983
| Dallas | Paramedic | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="2"| 1985
| Tony Perino | Episode: "Street Bait" |
| Crazy Like a Fox
| Croiser | Episode: "The Geronimo Machine" |
| 1985–90, 2006–09, 2015–
| rowspan="2"|Days of Our Lives | rowspan="2"| Regular role |
| 2019–20 |
| 1989
| Jesse James | Episode 3 |
| 1990
| Matlock | Cliff Lockwood | Episode: "The Biker" |
| rowspan="2"|1991
| L.A. Law | Corrinne's Lawyer | Episode: "He's a Crowd" |
| Shades of LA
| Walt Canton | Episode: 'Burial Ground" |
| rowspan="4"|1992
| Barry Carroll | Episode: "Danse Diabolique" |
| FBI: The Untold Stories
| William Timothy Kirk |
| 2000 Malibu Road
| Brad Dimitri | 4 episodes |
| Santa Barbara
| Dr. Skyler Gates | Recurring role, 24 episodes |
| rowspan="3"|1993
| Renegade | Steve Harris | Episode: "Endless Summer" |
| Melrose Place
| Carl Canin | Episode: "Collision Course" |
| The Nanny
| Brock Storm | Episode: "Personal Business" |
| 1993–1994
| Tommy Simmons | 5 episodes |
| rowspan="3"|1994
| Chuck Booker | Episode: "Conspiracy of One" |
| Sisters
| Steve | Episode: "Heroes" |
| Diagnosis Murder
| Miles Archer | Episode: "Georgia on My Mind" |
| 1995
| Matt Kane | 3 episodes |
| rowspan="2"|1997–2003
| rowspan="2"|Stefan Cassidine | Regular role |
| Port Charles
| |
| 2002
| Kurt Maxim |
| 2009
| Crash | Thigpen's Client | Episode: "You, I'll Be Following" |
| 2010–2013
| Contract role |
| 2022
| Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem | Chapter 2 |
| 2023
| Body and Soul | Tucker McCall as Thrust Manning | a soap within a soap on Days of Our Lives |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://stephennichols.com/ The official website for Stephen Nichols' fans]
- {{Instagram|stephen_e_nichols}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0629731|name=Stephen Nichols}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichols, Stephen}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male soap opera actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Male actors from Cincinnati