Parker Stevenson’s first acting credit goes to his portrayal of Gene in the film “A Separate Peace” (1972). Not long after that, Stevenson played with Sam Elliot in the film “Lifeguard”, which first showed the world the man’s beach potential.
In the late 1970s, Stevenson also appeared in the show”The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries” on ABC. Other memorable roles he’s had in his pre “Baywatch” era were in “North and South: Book II” and “Probe”. In 1989, he became one of the first original cast members of “Baywatch”.
David Chokachi Then
Before he came on "Baywatch", no one knew who David Chokachi was. He started pursuing acting as a career only in the mid-90s. Prior to that, he was just a college graduate with a political science degree, and everyone knows that this is not how you make money.
He played the role of Cody Madison — a competitive swimmer who had to reconsider his passion for water due to an irregular heartbeat. Most women who watched him probably felt some irregularities in their own heartbeats, which is why he stayed on the show for three seasons (6-9).
David Chokachi Today
Obviously eye-catching, Chokachi was given a spot in the 1997 list of “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” by People magazine. Chokachi left the show in 1999 and was promptly cast in the TV show "Witchblade" as heartthrob Jake McCarthy until 2002 when the show went off the air.
Chokachi went on to play in various TV movies. Some of them include "Cyber Chase", "Rage of the Yeti", and "Patient Killer". Much like other stars on this list, Chokakachi has also dipped his toes in the pool of reality TV. He took part in "Confessions of a Teen Idol" with his former "Baywatch" castmate, Jeremy Jackson.
Parker Stevenson Today
After "Baywatch", Parker went on to star in "Melrose Place" and the TV movie "Legion" (1998). His acting career kept growing with him getting roles in both film and TV. Some of his latest film credits include "Perfect Disguise", "Not of This Earth", "Hidden Truth", and "The War Riders".
In TV, you may have seen recently seen him in shows such as "Judging Amy", "Trapped", "Burke’s Law", and "Bull". Stevenson has also been passionate about photography from a very young age and you can see his work in the field on his website, parkerstevensonshadowworks.com.
Nancy Valen Then
Nancy Valen's acting career could have gone in a whole different direction. Before moving to LA, Valen was living in New York and dreaming about acting on the theater stage, rather than in front of a camera. At some point, Valen was casted into "Ryan's Hope", a soap opera which was filmed in the city. After two years on the show, she moved to LA.
The first big film she was in was "Porky’s Revenge" (1985). Other memorable credits of hers are "The Heavenly Kid", "Listen to Me", and "Loverboy". She was cast as Samantha Thomas on "Baywatch" in 1996 for seasons six and seven.