Few soap operas can boast that they were created by the successful Earl Hamner Jr. of The Waltons fame. But Falcon Crest certainly can. CBS drama follows the exploits of the Gioberti-Channing family and leans heavily on the complicated threads connecting the relatives. Richard Channing quickly became one of the most intriguing characters, as the illegitimate son of Angela’s ex-husband. David Selby expertly brought this fan-favorite to life, but what did he do after his strong near-decade on the soap opera?
West Virginia native David Selby was born on February 5, 1941. It was in this same state he got degrees in theater, before heading to Southern Illinois University for a PhD. He wasn’t even done with the West Virginia University when he joined the cast of Honey in the Rock, a civil war drama at Grandview State Park.
The face of soap operas and dramas
Two years after the premiere of Dark Shadows, Selby landed the role of ghostly Quentin Collins. When the show ended, he reprised the role of Quentin in Night of Dark Shadows. From there, he populated several celebrated programs, including The Waltons, The Super Cops, Kojak, and Police Woman. He also appeared in the 1972 film Up the Sandbox, where he enjoyed a co-starring role opposite Barbra Streisand. He also contributed to Washington: Behind Closed Doors, which went on to earn an Emmy nomination.
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His filmography might have included Knots Landing, where he was offered the role of Gary Ewing, but he ultimately turned that down. Instead, Selby earned a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor nomination for Raise the Titanic. But Selby earned redemption with his performance as Richard Channing, while also redeeming Richard from a periphery antagonist to a central protagonist. His work earned him six Soap Opera Digest Award nominations, of which he won one.
What is David Selby doing now?
Today, Selby is and his work schedule has stayed pretty full since the end of Falcon Crest to now. Those curious about his time on Dark Shadows can read about the experience in Selby’s very own words in his book My Shadowed Past, and he even made an appearance in the 2012 film.
He’s also added voice work to his resume, playing a prominent role in an animated comic of Batman: The Dark Night Returns as Commissioner James Gordon. In films, he can most recently be seen in 2019’s Back Fork and Loon Lake. As for television, he can be seen in four episodes of Legion, as well as Castle Rock, Chicago Fire, and NCIS: New Orleans.
Just as he’s stayed working, he’s also stuck with his beloved Claudeis “Chip” Newman since their marriage in 1963. He has three children and has several celebrated published works to his name, including the poetry collections My Mother’s Autumn and Happenstance. He’s even written plays called Lincoln and James and Final Assault. He has social media pages that are frequently updated to inform fans about his latest project, which now includes In Your Corner on Smartphone Theatre.