Laurence Henry Lau (born May 10, 1954) is an American television and stage actor, best known for his roles in several soap operas. He has also been credited in film.
Early life and education Lau was born in Long Beach, California, and raised in Lake Oswego, Oregon. He attended Columbia University and Brigham Young University.
Career One of his first roles was on the TV comedy/drama Eight Is Enough in 1980. He first became popular by playing the role of Greg Nelson on All My Children (1981–1986), in which his character got involved with a girl from the other side of the tracks, Jenny Gardner (Kim Delaney). Other notable soap roles include NBC's Another World as Jamie Frame (1986–1990), and ABC's One Life to Live as attorney Sam Rappaport (2001—2003), taking over from actor Kale Browne.
In 2007, Lau played Greeber in Scituate, a play written by Martin Casella and directed by David Hilder, at TBG Arts Mainstage in New York City. Soap opera critic for Atlantic Canada's Breakfast Television Matthew Borden claimed that this role would solidify Laurence as a big time soap opera actor. On May 20, 2008, Lau returned to All My Children as Greg Nelson to catch up with old pals Jesse and Angie Hubbard and brother-in-law Tad Martin.
On August 17, 2008, Lau joined the cast of As the World Turns in the recurring role of Brian Wheatley. Following the end of his stint on ATWT, Lau booked the pilot Upstate, which filmed on location in Syracuse, New York. However, the pilot was not picked up by a network in time for the next television season.
Lau also made appearances on primetime television shows including ABC's The Love Boat, CBS' The Waltons, NBC's Frasier, and CBS' JAG and Diagnosis: Murder.
Lau has appeared in stage productions such as Arrivals, Spine, The Exonerated, The Goat, Becky's New Car, Scituate, God of Carnage, and Psycho Therapy. He played Steve Heidebrecht in the national tour of August: Osage County, which starred Estelle Parsons, and has had numerous roles Off-Broadway and at regional theaters throughout the U.S.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes2000Return to the Secret GardenTom Carter2001The Penny PromiseGeorge Hampton2002Jumping for JoyWill White2004Family SolitaireBilly2023The Ballad of a HustlerMr. Duke
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1980ParisKevin FritzEpisode: "Fitz's Boys"1980Eight Is EnoughLarryEpisode: "Generations"1980The WaltonsYoung G.I.Episode: "The Pledge"1981Happy DaysPhilEpisode: "Bride and Gloom"1981The Best Little Girl in the WorldMarkTelevision film1981ABC Afterschool SpecialWallyEpisode: "Tough Girl"1981–2009All My ChildrenGreg Nelson39 episodes1982FantasiesDelivery BoyTelevision film1982The Love BoatWebb JonesEpisode: "The Man in the Iron Shorts"1986–1989Another WorldJamie Frame48 episodes1998FrasierStevenEpisode: "Where Every Bloke Knows Your Name"1998Mike Hammer, Private EyeDeputyEpisode: "A New Leaf: Part 2"1998Diagnosis: MurderGreg HutchensEpisode: "Dead in the Water"1999BrimstoneBrad ArmstrongEpisode: "Lovers"2000Martial LawWarren HargroveEpisode: "Scorpio Rising"2000JAGDr. Lawrence Gettis3 episodes2001-2003One Life to LiveSam RappaportEpisodes from May 8, 2001-April 9, 20032004Law & OrderPancho DiamondEpisode: "The Dead Wives Club"2005Franklin CharterLarry DrakeTelevision film2008–2009As the World TurnsBrian Wheatley29 episodes2011Too Big to FailGreg FlemingTelevision film2012GhoulReverend Moore2013ElementaryRobert BaumannEpisode: "A Landmark Story"2015The Bar Mitzvah ClubCecil's DadTelevision film2018Blue BloodsWayne GreenEpisode: "Legacy"2021The Good FightLawyerEpisode: "And the Clerk Had a Firm..."2021HarlemKurt CurtisEpisode: "Winter Solstice"
References
External links
Sam Rappaport profile from OLTL Online Greg Nelson profile from The AMC Pages