Lorenzo Lamas’ journey through the glitz and glamor of Hollywood is a riveting story woven with threads of legacy, passion, and the intricate dance between personal triumphs and tumultuous chapters. Born into a lineage where attention was not just a distant attraction but a familial norm, Lamas emerged from the very fabric of entertainment itself. His path seemed predestined, a natural inheritance from parents deeply rooted in the business.
Lamas has starred in masterpieces including the acclaimed film Grease and the television show Falcon Crest. The Californian actor is still in the business today and looks fantastic at 65!
But Lamas has had ups and downs in his life, as well as some very challenging moments. All the necessary information about Lorenzo and his numerous triumphs is given here.
One was dealing with his son’s affair with his ex-wife.
Lorenzo Lamas’ performances were in perfect harmony even as a young child.
Lorenzo Fernando Lamas was born on January 20, 1958, in Santa Monica, California. He was raised by his parents Fernando Lamas, an Argentinian actor and director, and Arlene Dahl, an American actress of Norwegian descent.
The Formative Years of Lorenzo Lamas
Lorenzo grew up in Pacific Palisades, an upscale neighborhood in California. His parents separated when he was two, and eight years later he and his father moved to New York.
Lorenzo often referred to his family’s international origins. He previously played the role of Dracula in the Halloween adaptation of Bram Stoker’s famous book and had no problem picking up a new accent.
In 2007, he told the New York Times, “I grew up with a man who had the voice of Dracula and every other larger-than-life character you could ever think of in my father.” I borrowed a tiny bit from him for the accent. I also worked on four films in Bulgaria.”
Growing up and becoming a young man, Lorenzo’s father led a rather extravagant lifestyle. His father, Lorenzo claimed, “was with every woman.” But he loved him when he was a child.
“When I was a little kid, I really looked up to my dad. He was larger than life. He was in charge of the space. He’s experienced and witnessed everything,” Fox reported. “It’s a pretty heady thing to grow up with.”
“He was of Latin descent, very critical of others, and believed that a woman belonged in the kitchen.
He happened to be married to a former top 10 box office star of the 1950s who came out of retirement to be at his disposal.”
initial acting work
A year after moving to “The Big Apple” in 1969, Lorenzo’s father married actress Esther Williams, and Lorenzo’s life became difficult at times. For example, Lorenzo was not allowed to sleep in the house during the visit of Esther’s children!
“He was many things, but he was also fair, so if he didn’t want to allow another man’s children in his house, then he couldn’t allow me,” he said.
“So the Rolls Royce belonged to my roommate. I could get into the guest bathroom through the back door with the help of a key. But I was from military school, so I thought living in a garage in Beverly Hills was a luxury. In the past, I shared four years a urinal with thirty men. Now I realize that’s not typical. I’m sure I could never treat my kids that way. I’m like a driver driving my three teenage kids everywhere.”
After attending private school, Lorenzo Lamas graduated from Admiral Farragut Academy in 1975. He decided to return to his home state of California rather than stay on the East Coast.
Although he may be a harsh parent, he has always supported his son in his aspirations and encouraged him to pursue his goal of becoming an actor.
Lorenzo joined the film actors’ workshop under Tony Barr. He starred in two episodes of the TV series Switch in 1977, when he had his first small role.
In addition to honing his acting skills, Lorenzo found that martial arts fueled his intense curiosity. He got in shape and earned black belts in karate and taekwondo.
In “Grease,” Lorenzo Lamas
Nowadays, most performers find that it takes longer to secure parts in larger shows. Some have to attend hundreds of auditions to be considered for a single role, while others have to wait years or even decades before being cast in their first major film role.
However, this was not the case with Lorenzo Lamas. In 1978, he was chosen to portray the attractive “Tom Chisum” in the acclaimed film Grease, starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. He portrayed “Sandy”, Olivia Newton-John’s romantic partner. However, he was not originally chosen for the role.
Former President Gerald Ford’s son, Steven Ford, was apparently too scared to play “Tom,” although he was still considered. When Lorenzo was hired, the role’s lack of dialogue didn’t phase him.
While there was certainly some awareness of the film’s potential at the time, it’s fair to say that Lamas’ very small role in Grease helped earn him an incredible place in film history.
“The longevity is amazing to me. It’s constantly finding new generations of individuals,” he told Studio 10.
Although Lorenzo had dark hair at the time, the filmmakers felt that he looked too similar to “T-Bird” to play Sandy’s boyfriend. He didn’t mind at all if it made his hair lighter.
He told People, “I would dye it green, fuchsia, whatever.”
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were already known then. Just meeting them was a dream come true for Lorenzo Lamas. The fact that Lorenzo had a boyish crush on Olivia Newton-Jon added to the joy of the situation.
became known for “Falcon Crest”
“I was 19 at the time. It was only my third time doing it. I met Mr. Saturday Night Fever John Travolta and my childhood hero Olivia Newton-John at Paramount. I was kind of in a complete zombie state.” Lorenzo recalled.
He clarified that he has every one of her CDs and that he and his friends even performed dance routines to her music in high school. Lorenzo nearly fell off his heels when they finally met.
He said: “I couldn’t take my eyes off her,” he told Studio 10.
Looking back, Lorenzo saw Grease as an incredible opportunity and a huge thing. Naturally, though, with his little screen time, it wasn’t exactly a breakthrough.
In 1981, he was cast as Lance Cumson’s Falcon Crest. Lamas starred in 228 episodes of the popular evening soap opera with Oscar-winning actress Jane Wyman.
Lorenzo struggled to read his lines during the scene he was trying to play. Wyman pulled him aside and handed him two kegs.
“It was the highlight of my career”
“We’re going to do this event. We’re going to stop for fifteen minutes. Your lines will become second nature to you. And you’ll never show up at work again,” Wyman reportedly said, according to Lorenzo.
Lamas managed to turn his life around and spent nine years on the show. In 1983, he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Television Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture.
After the triumph of Falcon Crest, Lorenzo did not stay without work on television for very long. He was chosen to play Reno Raines in the drama series Renegade in 1992.
Renegade proved to be another huge hit, especially for Lamas. While it is true that every actor or actress aspires to be in the biggest TV series or movies, Lorenzo was more concerned with portraying a role that he believed to be authentic.
In 2010, Lamas commented, “It’s been the highlight of my career up to this point.” “I loved that aspect and had the most creative input. Cycling has always been something I’ve enjoyed, even before this program. It’s like hitting the jackpot when you’re an actor and you’re lucky enough to land a part.” where you feel like you fit in and the audience feels the same.”
It’s a remarkable event because it doesn’t happen very often. And because the character was well-crafted, there was almost a nobility about it. So I was very lucky.”
to become a medical-related airline pilot
After Renegade aired, Lamas definitely proved himself to be the stud he was before. But the 1990 production turned out to be his last major success. Since then, Lamas has continued her acting career, although not quite to the same degree of popularity. He founded his own motorcycle company ten years ago.
Lamas is an airplane pilot and helicopter flight instructor who also has a passion for aviation. In addition, he has worked with Angel Flight, a non-profit organization that offers free medical air transportation to individuals who cannot afford it.
He told Soap Opera Digest, “Pilots like me donate our planes and time to get people across the country to medical treatment.”
“I would airlift patients from their hometowns to the cities where their hospitals are located. I also airlifted disabled children to the camp because it would be too inconvenient for them to drive, but the parents couldn’t afford the [commercial] plane ticket.”
“There is no way to avoid emotional involvement,” Lamas said. “There’s a lot of travel time for conversation, so you’re interested in their lives and want to know everything about them.”
People have asked me, ‘Why are you doing this?’ occasionally. I explain to them that it’s because I feel like I’m making a difference as a member of Angel Flight. In terms of social issues, acting is important to a certain extent, but I find much more meaning in flying with someone who would otherwise have to spend hours sitting in a car.”
Lorenzo Lamas’ son is said to have had an affair with his ex-wife.
Lorenzo managed to raise a family despite leading a wild life of partying in the 80s and 90s. Victoria Hilbert, Michele Cathy Smith, Kathleen Kinmont, Shauna Sand, and Shawna Craig are the five women he was married to.
Former teammate Shauna Sand and Lorenzo Lamas married in 1996 and had three daughters together. Six years later, the couple divorced, but not before something happened that “destroyed him emotionally”.
Lamas revealed to Fox that he had an affair with his son AJ Lamas through his ex-wife Shauna Sand.
It’s just awful. It goes beyond the fact that he slept with my ex-wife. It takes two people to make or break a relationship. Growing up, I was on set 16 hours a day, so I wasn’t there for him as much as I was for my teenage kids,” Lamas said. The fact that his mother moved him out of state made it much harder to maintain a positive father-son relationship. We could never get along improve My son is my love He has a wonderful soul.
“He’s a kind person, but he’s had some unfortunate events in his life, some of which he caused. As a parent, you really can’t take full responsibility for any harm that may befall a child. They’re free.” for them to make their own decisions, but I’m also somewhat to blame for our unhappy and unhealthy relationship.”
During his appearance on The Wendy Williams Show, Lamas spoke about the incident.
The Wealth and Family of Lorenzo Lamas
He claimed he hadn’t spoken to his son in two years. “The two things my son and ex-wife decided to do was put on an event that they both knew would hurt me to the core, and it was successful,” he added.
Lamas remarked, “I didn’t know how to fix it.” “I was so shocked and upset and stunned and hurt that I didn’t know how to fix it.
Actress Shawna Craig was his previous wife and they divorced in 2018. Shawna was thirty years younger.
“At first it complicated the family dynamic,” Lorenzo Lamas said in an interview with Entertainment Online in 2015. “Of course it would. ‘What could you possibly have in common with a person thirty years younger than you?'” my friends said. He said I told them: “Everything.”
If the age dynamic in the family seemed problematic, it was nothing compared to the situation that had occurred six years earlier when Shayne was standing in for Shawn, Lorenzo’s ex-wife. His wife was carrying his granddaughter, to be clear.
Lamas announced that he and model entrepreneur Kenna Scott got engaged earlier this year. It’s been a little over a year since they started dating.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Lorenzo Lamas’ current net worth is estimated at $2 million.
Sad to hear of his mother’s death
Lamas and his family experienced a long period of grief after his mother, Arlene Dahl, died at the age of 96 in early December 2021.
Mom passed away this morning in New York, according to Lorenzo Lamas’ Facebook post.
“She had the greatest positive impact on my life. Her humor, joy, and dignity in overcoming adversity will forever be in my memory. She never had a bad word to say about anyone. There were times when her forgiveness left me speechless. A true force of nature, and as our adult relationship grew, I found myself turning to her more and more as my life coach and as someone who truly lives and loves to the fullest.”
Lorenzo Lamas has been through a lot in his life and his roles in the TV shows Falcon and Others cemented his legacy.
Renegade and Crest. We are happy that he is doing well today and has a huge family that supports him even though he is going through a tough time.
Lorenzo Lamas has had a fascinating journey through Hollywood, marked by successes, challenges, and personal upheavals. From his early forays into the entertainment industry thanks to his parents’ careers to his own rise as a prominent actor in movies like “Grease” and the TV series “Falcon Crest,” Lamas’ life has been a whirlwind of success and trials.
Born into a family deeply rooted in show business, Lamas inherited the talent and charisma that defined his career. His diverse acting abilities were contributed to by his childhood, which was shaped by his father’s presence and exposure to different cultures thanks to his family’s international background.
His entry into the acting world was swift, landing roles as the iconic ‘Tom Chisum’ in ‘Grease’. Despite the brevity of his appearance, it left a lasting impression and opened the door to major opportunities, such as his acclaimed role as Lance Cumson in Falcon Crest, which earned him critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination.
In addition to his acting skills, Lamas explored other passions, dabbling in martial arts and later becoming a certified pilot, using his skills to help those in need through initiatives such as Angel Flight
Yet, amid his professional successes, his personal life has experienced its share of complexities. Family relationship problems, including the strain caused by his son’s affair with his ex-wife, tested him emotionally. Lorenzo Lamas faced these difficulties head-on, talking openly about his struggles and trying to navigate the complexities of fatherhood and relationships.
In recent years, while his career may not have reached the heights it once did, Lamas continues to remain active in the industry and has expanded his family. His engagement to model-turned-entrepreneur Kenna Scott marks a new chapter in his personal life amid the enduring memory of his late mother, Arlene Dahl, whose death left a profound impact on him
The path of Lorenzo Lamas is one of resilience, evolution, and acceptance of life’s highs and lows. His contributions to entertainment, on and off the screen, have left an indelible mark and his ability to weather the storm with grace speaks to his strength of character.
Lorenzo Lamas continues his journey, supported by a loving family and his diverse experiences shaping his path, remains a testament to the multifaceted nature of success, resilience, and the pursuit of personal fulfillment.