Christopher Atkins
Christopher Atkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Christopher Atkins Bomann February 21, 1961 Rye, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Known for | Lead role in The Blue Lagoon; Peter Richards on Dallas |
Christopher Atkins Bomann (born February 21, 1961) is an American actor and entrepreneur, recognized for his lead role in the 1980 movie The Blue Lagoon and for portraying Peter Richards on the television series Dallas during 1983–1984.
Early life
Atkins was born and grew up in Rye, New York, the son of Donald Bomann and Bitsy Nebauer, who separated when he was young. Originally aiming for a career in baseball, he had to abandon those plans due to knee injuries, which led him to explore modeling before transitioning into acting. Professionally, he chose to use his middle name, Atkins, as his last name.
Career
Encouraged by a friend, Atkins auditioned for The Blue Lagoon, where director Randal Kleiser selected him to play a sailing instructor despite his lack of acting background. Released in 1980, the film earned more than $58 million on a $4.5 million budget but was met with largely negative reviews from critics. Atkins starred alongside Brooke Shields as teenagers stranded on a deserted island; although the film sparked controversy due to nude scenes, it became a cultural touchstone. His performance garnered a Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year – Male, despite mixed critical reception.
In 1982, Atkins appeared nude in Playgirl and co-starred with Kristy McNichol in The Pirate Movie. The movie featured his song "How Can I Live Without Her," which peaked at #71 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He received the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor in 1983 for his role in A Night in Heaven. Between 1983 and 1984, he had a recurring role as Peter Richards on Dallas.
Subsequent roles included a guest appearance on Suddenly Susan in 1999 alongside Shields and participation in VH1's reality series Confessions of a Teen Idol in 2009. VH1 ranked him #76 among the 100 Greatest Teen Stars.
Shifting focus to business ventures, Atkins established himself as a luxury pool designer and co-created the Christopher Atkins Strike Jacket E.F.L., an accessory for fishing lures.
In 2023, he reunited with former Dallas co-star Linda Gray in Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas. In July 2025, Atkins returned to the cover of Playgirl with a new photo session by photographer Greg Gorman.
Personal life
On May 25, 1985, Atkins wed Lyn Barron Weber from Sydney, Australia. They have two children: Grant Bomann (born 1985) and Brittney Bomann (born 1987). The couple divorced in 2007.
During a 2009 interview, Atkins revealed his previous battle with alcoholism and confirmed he had maintained sobriety for 22 years.
Film and television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | The Blue Lagoon | Richard Lestrange | Nominated—Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture – Male |
| 1981 | Swan Lake | Prince Siegfried | English version voice only |
| 1981 | Child Bride of Short Creek | Isaac King | Television movie |
| 1982 | Aladdin and the Magic Lamp | Aladdin | Voice role in English version |
| 1982 | The Pirate Movie | Frederic | Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor |
| 1983–84 | Dallas | Peter Richards | TV series role across 27 episodes (season 7) |
| 1983 | A Night in Heaven | Rick Monroe | Recipient—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor |
| 1985 | Secret Weapons | Allan Collier | Television movie |
| 1985 | Hotel | Jason Fielding | Episode: "Echoes" |
| 1987 | Beaks: The Movie | Peter | |
| 1987 | Night Rose: Akhbar's Daughter | Bitterman | Pilot episode for TV |
| 1988 | Mortuary Academy | Max Grimm | |
| 1989 | Listen to Me | Bruce Arlington | Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor |
| 1990 | Fatal Charm | Adam Brenner | Television movie |
| 1990 | Shakma | Sam | |
| 1991 | Extralarge: Miami Killer | Blake | TV movie |
| 1992 | Wet and Wild Summer! | Bobby McCain | |
| 1993 | The Adventures of the Black Stallion | Drag Racer | Episode: "Racing in the Streets" |
| 1993 | Dracula Rising | Vlad | Direct-to-video release |
| 1993 | Die Watching | Michael Terrence | Direct-to-video |
| 1993 | ¡Dispara! / King's Ransom | Spence | Direct-to-video productions |
| 1994 | Bandit Goes Country, Trigger Fast, Guns of Honor | Johnny Bruce / Dusty Fog | Television movies and films |
| 1994–95 | Titles including Signal One, Project Shadowchaser III, Smoke n Lightnin'', It's My Party' | Martin Bullet / Snake / Lightnin / Jack Allen | |
| 1996–97 | Appearances in TV movies and series such as Dead Man's Island, Angel Flight Down, along with guest spots on shows like Silk Stalkings, and others. | ||
| 1998–99 | Writing and producing credits on The Fairy King of Ar. Roles also include TV series and direct-to-video films such as Suddenly Susan, and Lima: Breaking the Silence. | ||
| 2000–03 | Continued acting work in films like Malicious Intent, shorts such as Stage Ghost, and direct-to-video titles including The Little Unicorn. | ||
| 2006–09 | Roles spanning TV movies, direct-to-video films like Caved In: Prehistoric Terror, appearances on reality show ‘’Confessions of a Teen Idol’’. | ||
| 2010–14 | Diverse parts in short films, TV movies; associate producer roles including projects like ‘’Amy’’, guest appearances on series such as ‘’CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’’. | ||
| 2015–21 | Ongoing performances in independent films and shorts including an award-winning role in ‘’The Sparrows: Nesting’’, plus parts in web series like ‘’Defrost: The Virtual Series’’. |
External links
- 1961 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- Male actors from New York (state)
- Actors from Westchester County, New York
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American male singers
- American male pop singers
- American businesspeople
- People from Rye, New York
- Playgirl Men of the Month