Gregory Franklin

Biography Gregory Franklin (born Gregory Franklin Rehner, December 20,1954) is an American actor and two-time Tony and three-time Drama Desk nominated producer and Chief Managing Partner of Franklin Theatrical Group including over 20 theatrical, film, television and new media productions. Mr. Franklin is a Stage Scene LA and Ticket Holder Award-winning Actor and Ovation, Garland, and Dramalogue Nominated Actor.

Early life Franklin was born in Hillsboro, IL and was raised in Sterling, IL where he attended Sterling High School studying theatre, music and television production. He participated in the work-study program under Professor Max Guinnup for the music department at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, Illinois while training in theatre, vocal music and German and served as Student Trustee on the Sauk Valley Community College Board of Trustees from 1974 to 1975 as he completed his Associate Arts Degree. He attended Northern Illinois University from 1975 to 1977 studying voice with Professor Diane Ragains Slavin earning a Bachelor Degree in Music Education under Dr. Eleanor Tipton. Mr. Franklin studied voice under Dr. Ronald Combs from 1980-1983 which launched the Masters in Music program with the honor of being the first to receive a Masters Degree in Vocal Pedagogy at Northeastern Illinois University under the Alvina Floistaad Vocal Music Scholarship.

Franklin taught elementary and high school music in Springfield, Illinois from 1977 to 1980. While studying at Northeastern Illinois University he taught private vocal music.

He continued formal theatre training in Chicago from 1980 to 1989 under Ed Kaye-Martin, Dan LaMorte, Dale Calandra and Carole Gutierrez. While in Chicago he sang under Margaret Hillis with the Chicago Symphony Chorus from 1980 to 1985 and the Grant Park Symphony Chorus under Thomas Peck from 1983 to 1986. He was a full company dancer with Ensemble’ Espanol in residence at Northeastern Illinois University from 1983 to 1986 under the direction of Dame Libby Komaiko.

Career Notable Chicago theatre productions include Dennis DeYoung’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Bailiwick Theatre, Galileo with Brian Dennehy directed by Robert Falls at Goodman Theatre, Kabuki Medea directed by Shozo Sato at Wisdom Bridge Theatre, Godspell at Ivanhoe Theatre, Fion the Fair at Coronet Theatre, Nightingale and RSVP Broadway at New Tuners, HMS Pinafore directed by Phil Krause at Light Opera Works, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for Drury Lane Childrens Theatre Program and ensemble member of Chicago Childrens Theatre founded and directed by Scott Guy. Summers outside of Chicago took Franklin to Enchanted Hills Playhouse in Indiana in 1983 and 1986 for productions of Hello Dolly, Man of La Mancha, Lil’ Abner, The Odd Couple and Pirates of Penzance.

Franklin moved to Los Angeles in 1989 studying acting technique with Lieux Dressler at Actors Center International and went on to found The Professional Actors Gym in 1992 based on Mechanics of Believability an acting system on the theories of the great acting masters combined with physiology.

Franklin’s notable Los Angeles Theatre credits include Stage Scene LA Best Performance by an Ensemble Award for Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera at The Colony Theatre, Stage Scene LA Best Acting in an Ensemble Cast Award for Fucking Men directed by Calvin Remsberg at Celebration Theatre, The Light in the Piazza starring Blake McIver at El Portal, Ovation Nomination for Outstanding Ensemble for Divorce! The Musical directed by Rick Sparks at Hudson Theatre, Glengarry Glen Ross at Eqyptian Theatre, Twentieth Century directed by Rick Sparks at Lillian Theatre, Man of La Mancha directed by Julia Rodriguez at A Noise Within, Tight Quarters directed by Jules Aaron and choreographed by Kay Cole. Other notable credits include Clockwork Orange with Ark Theatre Company, The Woman Who Forgot Her Sweater at Inside the Ford directed by Olan Jones, Best Actor in a Musical Garland Award for The Boys from Syracuse directed by Gary Lamb for Crown City Theatre, Starting Here, Starting Now at Theatre Geo, Closer Than Ever directed by Martie Ramm at Long Beach Studio Theatre, Pecos Bill and Billie for Actors Company and You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow directed by Gordon McManis at Actor’s Alley.

Notable regional theatre work includes a Robbie Nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Joan of Arc at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, California, A Little Night Music directed by Glenn Casale for Sacramento Broadway, The Most Happy Fella for The Welk Theatre in Escondido, California and Paint Your Wagon directed by Dennis Courtney for Southern Arizona Light Opera Company.

Franklin is the only cast member of I Love Lucy Live, directed by Rick Sparks, to follow the production from development at Los Angeles’ Greenway Court Theatre in 2011 to Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse and continuing on to the two-year national tour until 2015.

Notable film credits include Hollywoo, Pure Love, Power Poison, Point of Contact, Between Stories, Top Dogs: Little Heroes 3, Abe and Bruno, and Cyberdorm.

Notable television credits include The Young & the Restless, Weeds, House M.D., Talkshow with Spike Feresten, Samantha Who?, Mad Men, Close to Home, Carnivale’, Lords of the Mafia, The Secret KGB Files, and Inbetween.

Franklin has served Actors Equity Association on the 99 Seat Committee and as deputy on projects working under 99 Seat Agreement, Letters of Agreement, Small Professional Theatre, Hollywood Area Theatre, Short Engagement Tour and additionally has worked under Theatre for Young Audiences, Civic Light Opera and Chicago Area Theatre contracts as well as SAG-AFTRA and American Guild of Musical Artists. Mr. Franklin is the recipient of the 2011 American Planning Association Award for Citizen Planner in Los Angeles County for his historic preservation work through Preserve Burbank with the City of Burbank, CA. He serves on the board of Waterwell.org as Governance Committee Chairperson.

Franklin is an executive producer and producer for Waterwell Films on the short form dramatic thriller series, The Accidental Wolf, written and directed by Tony and Webby nominated Arian Moayed and starring Tony winner and Emmy nominated Kelli O’Hara. He is a Tony nominated producer on Waitress with music by Sara Bareilles and The Visit starring Chita Rivera. He holds three Drama Desk nominations as a producer on Waitress, Side Show and The Visit. Additional producing credits include The Great Society written by Robert Schenkkan starring Brian Cox and directed by Bill Rauch, Velocity of Autumn written by Eric Coble starring Estelle Parsons and Stephen Spinella and directed by Molly Smith, and the critically acclaimed Church and State by playwright Jason Odell Williams at New World Stages.

Published works Inbetween (TV Movie) Peter

2015 Pure Love 

Priest

2015 Inbetween (TV Series) 

Peter Prong - Beware of Greeks... (2015) ... Peter Prong

2013 Dead Rising 3 (Video Game) 

Albert Contiello (voice)

2012 Secret of Light (Short) 

Devil

2011 Hollywood 

Client hôtel

2011 Weeds (TV Series) 

Erwin - Une Mère Que J'aimerais Baiser (2011) ... Erwin

2010 Your Town, USA (Short) 

Bob

2010 The Young and the Restless (TV Series) 

Morgan Belford - Episode #1.9466 (2010) ... Morgan Belford - Episode #1.9465 (2010) ... Morgan Belford - Episode #1.9454 (2010) ... Morgan Belford - Episode #1.9440 (2010) ... Morgan Belford (uncredited) - Episode #1.9434 (2010) ... Morgan Belford (uncredited)

2010 House (TV Series) 

Henry Murray - The Choice (2010) ... Henry Murray

2009 Power Poison (Video short) 

Deitrich

2009 iCandy (TV Series) 

Senator Aaron Haynburg - Is There a Doctor in the House? (2009) ... Senator Aaron Haynburg

2006-2008 Talkshow with Spike Feresten (TV Series) 

Sketch Player / Phil - Rick Richards Identity Theft (2008) ... Phil - Louis C.K. (2007) ... Sketch Player - Eddie Kaye Thomas (2007) ... Sketch Player - Tim Meadows (2007) ... Sketch Player - Julia Louis-Dreyfus (2006) ... Sketch Player

2008 Samantha Who? (TV Series) 

Announcer - So I Think I Can Dance (2008) ... Announcer

2008 Mad Men (TV Series) 

Andrew Colville - The Gold Violin (2008) ... Andrew Colville

2008/I Friendly Fire (Video short) 

Ex-Secretary of Defense / Uncle Sam

2007 Between Stories (Video) 

Jason Lerner

2007 Precious Joy (Short) 

The Master

2006 Point of Contact 

Dr. Garrett

2006 Close to Home (TV Series) 

Neighbor - Deacon (2006) ... Neighbor

2006 5ive! 

Jason Lerner

2006 Abe & Bruno (TV Movie) 

Dr. Field

2002 Top Dogs: Little Heroes 3 

Dr. Butkus (as Greg Rehner)

1999 Cyberdorm 

Marco

1984 Us vs. Them (Video Game) 

Command Control / Fighter Pilot

Honours, decorations, awards and distinctions (If any)

References

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