Michael Kearns (actor)

For the politician, see Michael P. Kearns. For the Gaelic footballer, see Mickey Kearns. For the basketball player, see Mike Kearns. For the computer scientist, see Michael Kearns (computer scientist).
Michael Kearns
Born (1950-01-08) January 8, 1950 (age 74)
St. Louis, Missouri
Occupation(s)Actor, writer, director, teacher, producer
Years activeEarly 1970s-present
Websitehttp://michaelkearns.net/ www.MichaelKearns.net

Michael Kearns (born January 8, 1950, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American actor, writer, director, teacher, producer, and activist.[1] He is noted for being one of the first openly gay actors,[2] and after an announcement on Entertainment Tonight in 1991, the first openly HIV-positive actor in Hollywood.[3][4][5][6] Kearns attended the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles in 1972, where he has maintained a successful mainstream film and television career alongside an extensive theatrical involvement for over 25 years. He has been actively engaged in the Los Angeles art and political communities, incorporating activism into his theater works. Kearns co-founded Artists Confronting AIDS in 1984 and is a current commissioner of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

As an author, Kearns has contributed to various magazines and newspapers and has written five theater books, two of which were nominated for Lambda Literary Awards. Kearns has received numerous awards for his contributions to theater, activism, and his openness about his HIV status.

  1. ^ "The Tina Dance Speeds Into Town". WeHoNews. May 25, 2006. Archived from the original on November 13, 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
  2. ^ "Sille Storihle: From Stonewall to Hollywood". KCET. 2015-01-08. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  3. ^ "Michael Kearns Papers". Online Archive of California. Retrieved July 18, 2009.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference BOOK1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Forster, Evan. "Industrial Strength". POZ Magazine. No. January / December 1996. Retrieved July 17, 2009.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference LAT3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).