The mystery of Santaís sack and the incredible cast of characters inside. Running time: 160 min. Abridged
Wesley Eure has an extensive background as an author, television writer, producer, performer, charity fundraiser, lecturer, plus a stage and television director.
Wesley is a veteran television star of two major network series, DAYS OF OUR LIVES and LAND OF THE LOST, an author of five books, the creator of PBS' number one show for preschoolers, DRAGON TALES, and he hosted Nickelodeon's #1 game show, FINDERS KEEPERS.
Wesley is co-developer of PBS's award winning series DRAGON TALES, now in it's seventh year and can be seen nationally every weekday. The show is an international hit appealing to preschoolers. It's produced by The Children's Television Network and Sony Pictures and has spawned over a hundred books, toys, cereals, DVDs, and even a live stage show.
SHOW AND TELL ME is another kid's show Wesley created and is in development at PBS. The show is based on his highly sought after kid's lecturer series. His award winning interactive "Any One Can Write A Book" is a favorite with middle schools and the Phoenix school district hired him for an entire week to present his spirited lectures.
Wesley created and directed the outrageous musical poolside fundraiser called LalaPOOLooza!! It raised lots of money for 7 Palm Springs Charities...Desert Women For Equality Free Mobile Mammogram Program, Shelter From The Storm, AIDS Assistance Program, Desert AIDS Project, Golden Rainbow Senior Center,, The Desert Pride Center and Gay Associated Youth. The show features over 85 performers and 100 volunteers!!! www.lalaPOOLooza.org The Human Rights Commission of Palm Springs honored Wesley with a Human Rights Award and declared September 22, 2008 "LalaPOOLooza Day." Wesley received his star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars May, 6th, 2007.
Recently Wesley was presented with the Bob Hoven Spirit Humanitarian Award. He was Sainted by the outrageous fundraisers, The Sisters ofPerpetualIndulgence,asSaintRun Run Holly Go Lightly...the name is a tribute to the classic line he yelled on Land Of The Lost. He was also nominated for Best Daytime Series Actor from Radio-TV Mirror and Photoplay Awards. Wesley was also made "Lifetime Member" of The Desert Women For Equality's Free Mobile Mammogram Program.
Wesley also hosted an educational DVD called POWER OVER POISON to teach kids how to recognize what is poison and what is not, produced by the PBS station in Pittsburgh. It has been distributed nation wide to many preschools.
Wesley is currently co-producing, with his production company (Cardboard Belt Productions), a new Stephen Schwartz musical titled SNAPSHOTS. Mr. Schwartz's credits include WICKED, PIPIN, GODSPELL, THE BAKERS WIFE and the Disney animated movies THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and THE PRINCE OF EGYPT. The show workshopped recently in Seattle and Theatre Works in Mountain View, Ca.
For nine years he starred in NBC-TV's Emmy-winning DAYS OF OUR LIVES playing the role of Michael Horton, Jr. He was nominated for Best Daytime Series Actor and is the recipient of Radio-TV Mirror Awards and Photoplay Awards.
Simultaneously he also starred in Sid and Marty Kroft's popular children's adventure series, LAND OF THE LOST, which lead NBC-TV's Saturday morning line-up for three years. After all of his classical training Wesley is now known for the line, "Run Holly, run! There's a dinosaur!"
For many years Wesley was the top fundraiser for the "March of Dimes." He was one of the most sought after hosts for Telethons and fund raising campaigns. His concern for those less fortunate, takes him around the country raising hundreds of thousands of dollars via telethons and benefits; particularly those benefiting children, such as the "March of Dimes," "Variety Club" and "The Special Olympics."
Recently Wesley hosted a fundraiser for The Palm Spring's Pride Center called "Wesley's Wild and Wacky Game Night." The Desert Sun said, "The phrase heard all night was, "Boy, I hope they do this again. It's great." and we concur!"
Wesley also helped with the start up of "Project Angel Food", a non-profit organization that feeds homebound A.I.D.S. patients.
For three years Wesley hosted the huge AIDS fundraise in San Diego for Auntie Helens thrift store and free laundry service for people with HIV/AIDS. Co-hosting with Wesley were Elvira (Cassandra Peterson), Peter Allen and Hollywood reporter Bill Harris.
On September 15th 2006 Wesley hosted a fundraiser at Mission Hill Country Club in Ranch Mirage, CA for The Desert Pride Center and Desert Woman for Equality "We Care" Free Mammogram Program.
Wesley co-produced, wrote and acted in FOX Television's hidden camera shows TOTALLY HIDDEN VIDEO and PAYBACK. He also wrote and directed SPY TV for NBC.
In Palm Springs, Wesley directed his outrageous campy vampire musical called BITE ME! The show was written by Wesley and his collaborator, Rob Bower and produced at the nightclub Heaven, playing to large enthusiastic crowds. Discussions are currently underway to bring the show back. The show enjoyed a production in 2008 at the Triangle Theatre in Richmond Virginia. Check out the website at www.biteme.info.
His company GAMES AT SEA created, produced and directed top quality on-board entertainment for Cruise Ships such as Crystal Cruises and Celebrity Cruise Line.
For several years, Wesley's BLUES BROTHERS 2000 live stage show at Universal Studios Hollywood was rated the number one tour show at the park.
Wesley received top billing in Hanna-Barbera's delightful comedy, C.H.O.M.P.S., which also starred Valerie Bertinelli, Red Buttons, Jim Backus, Herimone Baddly and Conrad Bain.
For you horror film fans, you will recognize him as the fiendish murderer in TOOL BOX MURDERS and the nasty guy who gets eaten by snakes in JENNIFER.
His children's novel entitled THE RED WINGS OF CHRISTMAS, published by Pelican, has been called "the new American classic" by CNN News and was optioned by Disney Studios for a full-length animated feature. The book is also available on audiotape with Wesley reading the 2 hour and 40 minute version.
Ron Paolillo richly illustrates THE RED WINGS OF CHRISTMAS. You will remember Ron as Arnold Horshack on the hit 1970's TV series WELCOME BACK, KOTTER.
Wesley's fifth book titled A FISH OUT OF WATER is his first pre-schooler book. It is the story of a bird and a fish that fall in love and make it work. Many schools use it to teach racial tolerance. The graduate art students at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina illustrate it. His new book, THE WHALE THAT ATE THE STORM, will soon be released.
Knightsbridge Publishing released two of his humor books, FUN WITH FAX and ON-THE-WALL OFF-THE-WALL OFFICE HUMOR.
Never to do things in a small way, Wesley made his nightclub debut in his own major production act starring with Bill Cosby in the prestigious South Shore Room of Harrah's Lake Tahoe. Variety acclaimed his performance "...one of the finest talents to be seen in years...an excellent debut."
Wesley has starred on the stage, with his name above-the-title, in such classics as, BUS STOP, BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE, LOVE SEX AND THE I.R.S., and the musical I LOVE MY WIFE. The Times Picayune said of Wesley's BUS STOP..."Eure is extraordinary!" So successful was this production that Wesley recreated his character at the Carousel Theatre in Ohio and the Windmill Theatre in Arizona to again rave reviews!
Wesley also directed Ellen Cleghorne (Saturday Night Live) in her successful one woman show.
Always on a quest for adventure, a few years ago Wesley quit show business, grabbed a tent and a backpack and journeyed around the world with an eye on settling in Indonesia. His travels took him on great adventures through Europe, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan. After a long stay in India he made his way to Bali by way of Bangladesh and Burma. Only through the insistence of Disney Studios, who wanted him to write the screenplay and songs to his novel, did he reluctantly return.
Hosting has always been a large part of Wesley's varied career. Channel 9 TV in Australia hired Wesley to be the permanent host of their TONIGHT SHOW, but after an unsuccessful ten-month immigration battle with Actor's Equity in Australia, he was forced to take his shrimp off the "bar-by"!
Born on August 17th in Baton Rouge, Louisiana his childhood was spent in Hattiesburg, Miss., where he dreamed of being in show business from the tender age of five.
From heavy drama in elementary school (he once starred as an oak tree) to real starring roles in high school; from backyard soap boxes to award-winning speech contests; from summer workshops at Southern Illinois and Northwestern Universities to the theatre arts department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Wesley meticulously prepared for his career.
His first break came when he was working part-time at a Vegas hotel selling paintings. He met Robert Goulet who, while he refused to purchase an original painted-on-velvet toreador, hired Wesley as a production assistant for the Goulet-Carol Lawrence summer tour.
The tour terminated in New York City. After a few short months of auditions and odd jobs (including computerized astrology predictions), Wesley became a member of the prestigious cast at the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Conn.
Wesley joined such notables as Jane Alexander and Sada Thompson in THE TEMPEST, MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRA, MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, and TWELFTH NIGHT, as well as many original works produced by the company.
At the Bucks County Playhouse in Pa., he performed in West Side Story and then joined a musical comedy revue and traveled throughout the East Coast resort areas.
Wesley then made the big move to Los Angeles. Again came the auditions and odd jobs (a bar-back at a German-Mexican bar with an "Oomph" band). Wesley was then hired to star in Kaye Ballard's projected new series, THE ORGANIC VEGETABLES. It was created and produced by the guys who did THE MONKEYS.
Subsequently, Wesley won the highly coveted job of replacing teen idol David Cassidy on THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY. This seemingly wonderful opportunity turned to disappointment when the show was canceled before the season started.
Mike Curb then selected Wesley to join three other guys in a new singing group he was producing for Motown.
His charisma and energy have made him a favorite guest star on the game show circuit. Wesley became a regular on such shows as PASSWORD and the MATCH GAME as well as a variety of other game and talk shows.
When Sony Pictures was looking to create a new animated children's show, an executive remembered his son loving one of Wesley's children's books and contacted him to create the series DRAGON TALES. His treatment not only beat out SESAME STREET and THE MUPPETS, but it won a mega-million dollar grant from the federal government!
For more information check out www.wesleyeure.info
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