Biography
John Davidson stands out as one of the nicest personalities around. The dark-haired singer and TV personality from Pittsburgh, born in 1941 and son of a Baptist minister, is often defined—and sometimes limited—by his clean-cut, fresh-faced, apple-cheeked charm. After finishing high school in White Plains, New York, and earning a B.A. in Theater Arts from Denison University, John brought his naturally gifted baritone voice to the musical stage. The friendly six-footer made his Broadway debut alongside Bert Lahr and Larry Blyden in the short-lived 1964 musical "Foxy" at the Ziegfeld Theater. TV producer Bob Banner, known for discovering talents like Carol Burnett, Dom DeLuise, and Bob Newhart, saw John perform and quickly became his mentor.
Soon, John’s career accelerated in the musical world. On television, he co-starred as "Matt" in a 1964 Hallmark Hall of Fame production of the classic musical "The Fantasticks," featuring a distinguished cast including Bert Lahr, Ricardo Montalban, Stanley Holloway, and soprano Susan Watson. He was also a regular on The Entertainers (1964) and rose to prominence as the host of The Kraft Summer Music Hall (1966), keeping a steady presence on prime-time variety shows. On stage, he earned a Theater World Award in 1965 for his portrayal of "Curly" in "Oklahoma!", a role he revisited frequently. Displaying leading man potential, John starred in the wholesome Disney films The Happiest Millionaire (1967) and The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968), both starring Lesley Ann Warren, though his film career did not advance significantly.
Although his overly boyish and lightweight image hindered his acceptance as a serious dramatic actor, John made considerable progress as a television figure in the 1970s. He hosted his own daytime talk show, The John Davidson Show (1969), and appeared in TV movies like Coffee, Tea or Me? (1973) with Karen Valentine. He co-starred with Sally Field in the sitcom The Girl with Something Extra (1973), playing newlyweds, but the show was short-lived. During slower periods, John sustained his visibility through his own TV Christmas specials and guest appearances on The Love Boat (1977) and Fantasy Island (1977). However, public interest waned.
John’s career revived in the 1980s when he became host of That's Incredible! (1980). The show's upbeat format suited his lively personality perfectly and ran for four years alongside co-host Cathy Lee Crosby. His skill for self-effacing, straight-man humor first appeared as a regular on The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965), followed by hosting The New Hollywood Squares (1986), which aired for several years. He also succeeded Dick Clark as host of the syndicated game show The $10,000 Pyramid (1973) for the 1992-1993 season.
Music has always been John’s true passion. He has recorded 12 solo albums spanning pop and country genres, plays guitar and banjo, and has sung in English, French, and Spanish. A perennial favorite in nightclubs and concerts, he has starred in numerous national tours and regional productions including The Music Man, 110 in the Shade, Paint Your Wagon, Li'l Abner, Camelot, Carousel, I Do! I Do!, and Will Rogers' Follies. He has also appeared in legitimate theater, including the off-Broadway comedy High Infidelity with Barbara Eden and Morgan Fairchild, and returned to Broadway after 32 years in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical State Fair in 1996. Two years later, inspired by his role as Theodore Roosevelt in the musical Teddy and Alice, he developed a one-man show, Bully, portraying the president. John’s film appearances include the disaster film The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979) and Edward Scissorhands (1990).
Divorced in 1982 from singer Jackie Miller of the folk duo Jackie and Gayle after 13 years of marriage and two children, John has been married since 1983 to his second wife, former backup singer Rhonda Davidson (née Rivera). They have a child together, Ashleigh Davidson. Most recently, John appeared alongside Ashleigh in a 2005 musical production of Shenandoah.
