Childhood & Early Life
Chad Lowe was born on 15 January 1968 in Dayton, Ohio to Charles Davis Lowe and Barbara Lynn Wilson. His father, Charles Lowe, was an appellate lawyer, and his mother, Barbara Lynn was a teacher. Actor Rob Lowe is Chad’s elder brother while Justin Lowe and Micah Dyer are his stepbrothers.
Chad spent the initial years of his childhood in Dayton, growing up in an archetypal Midwestern environment. The first school he attended was Oakwood Junior High School in Montgomery County before relocating to Malibu, California with his elder brother and mother. He continued his education in Santa Monica High School.
Chad’s parents separated during his childhood. He went to Santa Monica High School along with Rob Lowe, his older brother, the same school attended by Robert Downey, Jr., Charlie Sheen, Sean Penn, and Chris Penn.
His professional career took off in the 80s when he debuted on the small screen, making appearances in TV series and telefilms. He was hugely inspired by Martin Sheen, a celebrated Hollywood actor, and father of renowned actor, Charlie Sheen, to take up acting as a career when he was only 15.
A talent scouting agent helped him find two jobs simultaneously just on the eve of his 16th birthday.
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Career
After completing his education, Chad Lowe shifted to New York City and took up an acting course. One of the earliest appearances he made was in a cult-movie ‘The Outsiders’ directed by Francis Ford Coppola of ‘Godfather’ fame. He shared screen space with Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Diane Lane, and Patrick Swayze in the film.
He made his TV series debut in 1984 by cornering the lead role in the sitcom ‘Spencer’. However, after starring in six episodes, he quit the series owing to disputes regarding remuneration and difference of opinions. In 1984, Chad starred for the first time in a telefilm, ‘Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac’. In that year, he also appeared in another televised drama-film, ‘The Silence of the Heart’ produced by CBS Television where he starred alongside actor and childhood friend, Charlie Sheen.
He made a cameo appearance as a computer hacker in a United Artists/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film, ‘Oxford Blues’ (1984) sharing screen space with Rob Lowe.
In 1986, he starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor as her son, Jason Sydney in the television movie, ‘There Must Be a Pony’ produced by ABC TV.
Chad appeared as Adam Cooper in the CBS telefilm, ‘April Morning’ that portrayed the battles of Lexington and Concord fought on the eve American Revolutionary War. Robert Ulrich and Tommy Lee Jones were amongst the most notable actors who appeared in the movie.
His debut feature film was ‘Apprentice to Murder’, (1988) a horror movie, where he enacted the role of Billy Kelly, acting alongside the veteran actor Donald Sutherland. He played Michael Wells in CBS schoolbreak special TV episode “No Means No” in 1988. In 1990, Chad Lowe portrayed Billy Kincaid in the movie, ‘So Proudly We Hail’. He played Jeff Frost in the film ‘Captive’ released in 1991. In the same year, he starred as Kippie Petworth in the TV miniseries, ‘An Inconvenient Woman’.
He hosted the syndicated TV special, ‘Understanding HIV: Does Teen America Know the Facts?’, in 1991.
Landing the part of Jesse McKenna in the last two seasons of the American TV series, ‘Life Goes On’ that was aired from 1991-1993, was a breakthrough moment for Chad’s acting career. His ex-manager, Tim Wood’s struggle with AIDS inspired him hugely in his poignant portrayal of Jesse.
He made recurring appearances in episodes of TV series, ‘Snowy River: The McGregor Saga’, ‘ER’, ‘Now and Again’, and ‘Popular’.
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He depicted Carter Gallavan, a well-to-do and tech-savvy maverick in all the episodes of the FOX TV teleserial ‘Melrose Place’ from 1996-1997.
He has wowed small screen audiences and critics with his impressive performances in TV serials and episodes including ‘The Apartment Complex’, ‘Target Earth’, ‘Fielder’s Choice’, ‘Fighting for My Daughter’, and ‘In a New Light’. He depicted folklore singer, John Denver, in the 2000 telefilm ‘Take Me Home: The John Denver Story’.
Chad Lowe made his presence felt on the silver screen through his memorable roles in ‘Quiet Days in Hollywood’, ‘Nobody’s Perfect’, ‘True Blood’, ‘Floating’, ‘Highway to Hell’, ‘Candles in the Dark’, and ‘Driven’. He appeared as Phil Stone in the 2002 movie, ‘Unfaithful’, starring opposite Richard Gere and Diane Lane.
He also acted in several other films like ‘Entourage’, ‘Manufacturing Dissent’, ‘Red Betsy’, ‘Others’, ‘Trading Favors’, ‘Suicide: The Comedy’, and ‘Siringo’.
Chad Lowe’s directorial credits include TV shows and movies like, ‘American Housewife’, ‘Life in Pieces’, ‘Beautiful Ohio’, ‘The Audition’, ‘The Space Between’ ‘Twisted’, ‘The Grinder’, ‘Stitchers’, and ‘Notorious’. He worked as an associate producer for the TV show, ‘Town of the Living Dead’.
Chad Lowe has also appeared in many stage productions. Some of his prominent stage performances include ‘Coming of Age in Soho’, ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’, ‘Night of 100 Stars III’, ‘Burning Blue’, ‘The Exonerated’, and ‘Blue Denim’.
