Albert eventually took up stage acting as a hobby and would bring Andrew along with him.  He did plays such as Finnegan’s Rainbow, and Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls.  Andrew was right there with him for much of it.

The rest was history.  Andrew found a love for acting by making his own tapes of stories as a kid.  It was always something that he did well. He was a natural they would say because he had a presence on stage.

Andrew went through High School dipping in and out of little plays and productions.  Oddly enough it was the Academy Award Winning Oliver Stone film Platoon.  That inspired Andrew to be an actor.  He says, “The film was so real, so gritty and touching to me that I wanted to act the same way” 

So he went on to College at New Mexico State University to study Theater in 1989.  But Andrew felt he lacked the discipline to survive the streets of Hollywood.  So he did the one thing he thought he could do to obtain that discipline….he joinied the United States Navy in 1990. 

Within months of his Enlistment Andrew found himself right in the middle of  Operation Desert Storm on board the Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier Nimitz in the Persian Gulf.  Weighing in at 95000 tons, it is a ship that can house  4000 sailors at one time.  Nimitz reaches over 18 stories high from the keel to the top of the mast.  Nuclear power allows the ship to store 50 percent more ammunition and almost twice as much aviation fuel as the largest conventional carrier.   

 It was there that Andrew was exposed to many different types of people and places.  He also witnessed the results from war from the Kuwaiti oil fires.

“One day the sky was hazed gray, the next day, it was hazed in black, hundreds of miles out to sea.  Raining black soot from oil all over the ship.” 

Andrew grew up quickly during those times of war.  Writing scripts while he was at sea, watching movies, and longing for the day he would have his chance in Hollywood.  He would write letters to Mark Medoff asking about what to do to break in the business.  Mark gave him some of the best advice.  “Move to Los Angeles, and find an acting class.”  But first, Andrew he had to make it through Carrier life.  Which he finally did in 1994

He left his ship's homeport with the woman who would eventually become his wife and the mother of his beautiful daughter. 

As soon as he got to Los Angeles, Andrew took Mark’s advice.  He picked up a Backstage West and asked his wife, “Is this our area code?”  She said yes, and pointed Andrew in the direction of his acting class.

It was there that Andrew’s life as actor was born under the leadership and guidance from Aaron Speiser.  He learned the skills required in acting in that workshop, along with business in’s and outs.  “I would like to thank Aaron Speiser for his wisdom and love throughout the years, I never have met a man like Aaron.  If  I were in a battle, and you ask me who I would want in my foxhole.  Aaron would be my choice, he is a true solider in the battle of Hollywood, and in life.” 

Andrew needed to make ends meet to survive in Hollywood.  So he joined the Reserves to serve his country once again and make a little extra money.  Doing his duty at Camp Pendleton California.  He did his two week duty in London England at US Naval Headquarters between the dates of September 2 –21st every year,  Then….

9-11 happened, and Andrew was recalled to active duty.  One of his most memorable moments came the next  day  9- 12 when he represented the United States at a book signing at Grosvenor Square, where people lined up in the hundreds, for three days peopled payed respects  to our fallen citizens.  Andrew stood  in Uniform, and proudly represented his country for all the world to see… 

“I had the opportunity to serve, and represent my country in a foreign land, and see the outpouring of support from the world community in London.  I had never felt so honored.”

That day Andrew met dignitaries like the US Ambassador to England, the Mayor of London, and many more…

“We cried together, laughed together, and stood tall that day.   For one day we were all common people.  None of us knew where we were going after that time, but we embraced our mission that day, and have every day ever since.”

So Andrew put his Hollywood dream aside and served 12 months during “Operation Enduring Freedom”  He was released from active duty in 2002, and walked right back in Hollywood.

“I will never forget my comrades and friends I made over that time.  I will carry their spirit and strength with me every day.”

Since then Andrew has become a familiar face on several television commercials, and looks forward to many successes.  He lives his life in Hollywood like he lived in the service.  “Honor, Courage, Commitment.”  The United States Navy core values are the values he uses every day to succeed in Hollywood.  So, be on lookout for him, you will soon see him everywhere.