Terry Lester (April 13, 1950 – November 28, 2003) was an American actor.Lester was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, graduating from high school at Southport High School, and began an acting career while at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana in musical theater, concert performances, along with numerous primetime TV guest roles. He starred for the one season of the 1976 children's series Ark II, followed with roles in Airport 1975 and the 1978 Kiss movie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park.Lester's big break came when he joined CBS daytime soap The Young and the Restless in 1980. He originated the role of Jack Abbott, a scoundrel who never met a woman (including his own father's wife) he didn't want to take to bed. Lester was so popular that The Young and the Restless creator William J. Bell wrote an entire family for him. The series was going through a transition period which many fans believed his star quality helped the show build more viewership rising to #1 in daytime soap ratings.In spite of his massive popularity, by the end of the decade Lester felt his role on the show was steadily declining. In 1989 he not only quit but took the rare step of going to the daytime press and singling out Bill Bell's young daughter, Lauralee Bell (who plays ingenue Christine Blair), for his dwindling role. He felt the excess airtime given to her came at the expense of both himself and other actors. Lester was finally replaced by one-time All My Children star Peter Bergman, who has played the part of Jack ever since. Lester switched to NBC to take over the role of Mason Capwell on Santa Barbara for a year. In November 1992, he joined As the World Turns to play the charming Royce Keller, who was soon revealed to be suffering from multiple personalities which caused him to kill his own sister in the series. The role was very complex, causing raves for Lester, but the headwriter behind the story, Douglas Marland, died suddenly in 1993, and Lester once again found his screentime diminishing. He left the series on May 5, 1994.The remainder of his professional life consisted of a few shots in primetime shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger and Star Trek: Voyager along with various tours in musicals and plays. To the shock of many fans, friends, and family members, Lester died at home of multiple heart attacks in 2003.Lester kept his personal life under wraps, but a 2002 In Magazine LA article on former soap star Thom Bierdz claimed that Lester, along with Michael Corbett and Bierdz, made up a trio of gay actors who worked on The Young and the Restless in the 1980s. [1]
A 2003 LA Magazine article reported that Lester, Thom Bierdz and Michael Corbett- three stars of "The Young and the Restless" in the '80s - were gay.
2
Broke into show business as an extra in the film "Airport."
3
Handsome, blond, well-known soap actor from "As the World Turns" and "Santa Barbara," but best known as originating the role of Jack Abbott on "The Young and the Restless."
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Walker, Texas Ranger
1999
TV Series
Earl McMartin
Diagnosis Murder
1997
TV Series
Jeffrey Porter
JAG
1997
TV Series
Chief Petty Officer Fred Holst
Star Trek: Voyager
1995
TV Series
Haron
Santa Barbara
1989-1990
TV Series
Mason Capwell
The Young and the Restless
1984-1988
TV Series
Jack Abbott
In Self Defense
1987
TV Movie
Dan Edwards
Hotel
1985
TV Series
Chad Wheeler
Blade in Hong Kong
1985
TV Movie
Joe Blade
Characters
1980
TV Movie
Steve Tucker
Once Upon a Spy
1980
TV Movie
Rudy
Dallas
1979
TV Series
Rudy Millington
Eight Is Enough
1979
TV Series
Reed Ellis
Flying High
1978
TV Series
Billy Bob
KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park
1978
TV Movie
Sam
Ark II
1976
TV Series
Jonah
Barbary Coast
1975
TV Series
Bret Hollister
Airport 1975
1974
Mr. Kelly (uncredited)
As the World Turns
1956
TV Series
Royce Keller (1993-1994)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Wild Things
1998
writer: "Bahamian Party"
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The $10,000 Pyramid
1983-1991
TV Series
Himself - Celebrity Contestant
6th Annual Soap Opera Awards
1990
TV Special
Himself - Co-Host
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
1989
TV Movie
Himself
4th Annual Soap Opera Digest Awards
1988
TV Special
Himself
Celebrity Double Talk
1986
TV Series
Himself
Hour Magazine
1986
TV Series
Himself
Breakaway
1983
TV Series
Himself
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1990
Daytime Emmy
Daytime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Special Class Program
6th Annual Soap Opera Awards (1990)
1988
Soap Opera Digest Award
Soap Opera Digest Awards
Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role: Daytime
The Young and the Restless (1973)
1987
Daytime Emmy
Daytime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
The Young and the Restless (1973)
1986
Daytime Emmy
Daytime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
The Young and the Restless (1973)
1986
Soap Opera Digest Award
Soap Opera Digest Awards
Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role on a Daytime Serial