Guest Author - Pameline Halstead

Michael E. Knight

Mr. Knight created the role of Tad in 1983 and was honored with two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Younger Leading Actor in a Drama Series (1986 and 1987).

He first appeared on the show from 1982-1986, then again from 1988-1990. When Mr. Knight left All My Children in December, 1990, his character, Tad Martin, was suffering from amnesia as a result of a fall from a bridge. Tad found his way to California and assumed the identity of wine mogul Ted Orsini. When opportunity brought Tad back to Pine Valley, his memory returned.

Michael E. Knight was born May 7, 1959 in Princeton, New Jersey. Even though he was born in New Jersey, Michael considers himself a Californian. His early years were spent in Southern California, where his father was a faculty member of a boy?s prep school. He is the only one of three sons to pursue an acting career. Knight attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and graduated in 1980, a year ahead of schedule. He then came to New York for more technical training at the Circle in the Square Theater, graduating in 1982.

Mr. Knight appeared in stage productions of Absurd Person Singular and Enemies, as well as in the feature film Baby, It's You. Then came his role as Tad Martin. Additionally, he produced and starred in the off-off-Broadway production of Call Back -- A Duel in One Act, in the spring of 1984.

He left the show for a short time to pursue acting projects on the West Coast, which included a starring role in the feature film Date with an Angel, and various primetime appearances ? including Murder, She Wrote, Dear John and Grapevine. Knight co-starred in the off-Broadway play Wrong Turn at Lungfish, and he appeared in the ABC movie for television, She Stood Alone: The Tailhook Scandal, and in the off-Broadway Cakewalk, with Linda Lavin..

In 2001, he was honored with his third Daytime Emmy Award. He also received the 1997 Soap Opera Digest Award for 'Best Supporting Actor' and a nomination in the same category in 1998.

In real life, he has been married since June 27, 1992 to One Life to Live's Catherine Hickland.