Don Briscoe
Cecil Donald Briscoe was an American stage and soap opera actor known for starring in the TV series Dark Shadows.
Early life and education
Don Briscoe was born on March 20, 1940, in Scobey, Mississippi. He grew up in a middle-class family, where his father worked as a service manager for Firestone, and his mother worked in admissions at the old City of Memphis Hospital. He earned a scholarship to attend Phillips Exeter Academy and aspired to attend MIT to study astrophysics. He graduated in 1958 and considered either acting or astrophysics, having developed an interest in acting at Phillips Exeter Academy. He received his bachelor's degree from Columbia College in 1962. He received his master's degree in English literature from Columbia Graduate [School of Arts and Sciences] in 1965. While at Columbia University, he and future Dark Shadows co-star Roger Davis were classmates and acted in the Columbia Players, then headed by their classmate and future director Brian De Palma.Career
Briscoe's early acting credits include New York stage appearances in Come Back Little Sheba, The Tavern, and Friends and Romans. He played Tony Merritt #2 on Days of Our Lives in 1966. He also made a guest appearance during the second season of I Dream of Jeannie, which aired on March 20, 1967. He played an officer in the episode "A Secretary is Not a Toy."In 1968, Briscoe joined the cast of the Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, playing Chris Jennings, Tom Jennings, Timothy Shaw, and Chris Collins. His sexy, brooding good looks made him an instant favorite among fans, and he became the subject of countless fan magazine photos and articles. before leaving the show in 1970.
Briscoe appeared in the 1970 film House of Dark Shadows as Todd Blake, the fiancee of Carolyn Stoddard and the target of her vampire attacks. After appearing in the MGM film, Briscoe abruptly left Dark Shadows and left acting, suffering from bipolar disorder.