Nicolas Dwynn Coster (born December 3, 1933) is a British-American actor, most known for his work in daytime drama and as a

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

on nighttime television series, such as ''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...

'', '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'', ''

T. J. Hooker ''T. J. Hooker'' is an American police drama television program starring William Shatner in the title role as a 15-year veteran police sergeant. The series premiered as a mid-season replacement on March 13, 1982, on ABC and ran on the network un ...

'' and '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''.

Life and career

Coster was born in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

to an American mother and a New Zealand father who was a London theatre critic and marine commander. Coster was raised in the United States, primarily in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Coster returned to England to study acting at the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Art. He also studied acting with Lee Strasberg in New York City. Coster was in ''Twigs'' with Sada Thompson, '' Seesaw'' with Michele Lee, '' Otherwise Engaged'' with

Tom Courtenay Sir Thomas Daniel Courtenay (; born 25 February 1937) is an English actor. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Courtenay achieved prominence in the 1960s with a series of acclaimed film roles, including ''The Loneliness of t ...

, and '' Little Foxes'' with

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

, which was staged on Broadway and the Victoria Theatre in London. Coster appeared in the NBC soap opera ''

Young Doctor Malone ''Young Doctor Malone'' (a.k.a. ''Young Dr. Malone'') is an American soap opera, created by Irna Phillips, which had a long run on radio and television from 1939 to 1963. The producer was Betty Corday (1912–1987), who also produced ''Pepper Youn ...

''. He created the role of Professor Paul Britton on ''

The Secret Storm ''The Secret Storm'' is an American soap opera that the CBS television network transmitted from February 1, 1954, to February 8, 1974. It was created by Roy Winsor, who also created the long-running soap operas ''Search for Tomorrow'' and ''Love ...

'', a role he played in 1964 and from 1967 to 1968. He played John Eldridge in the primetime serialized drama ''

Our Private World Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a government utility regulat ...

'' and on '' As the World Turns''. His first appearance on television was an episode of '' The U.S. Steel Hour'' in 1959. Coster has appeared more than 80 times on 36 television shows, notably in the role of David Warner, the father of character

Blair Warner This is a list of characters from the NBC sitcom '' The Facts of Life''. Characters table Edna Garrett Edna Ann Garrett Gaines, known as Mrs. Garrett or Mrs. G, was played by the actress Charlotte Rae from 1978 to 1986. Garrett was the you ...

, on the sitcom '' The Facts of Life''. Coster created the role of Robert Delaney on ''

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'' in March 1970 and later moved to '' Another World'' playing the same character. He played gangster-turned-informant Anthony Makana on ''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

,'' but left that series to create the role of

Lionel Lockridge '' Santa Barbara'' is an American television soap opera that aired on NBC from July 30, 1984, to January 15, 1993. The show initially revolved around the lives of four families; the wealthy Capwell family, rivals the Lockridge family, and the mor ...

on '' Santa Barbara''. He played kidnapper Steve Andrews on the ABC soap opera ''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 20 ...

'' and returned to ''Another World'' for its 25th anniversary in 1989. He returned to his role on ''Santa Barbara'' in 1990 until the show was canceled in January 1993. He appeared on '' As the World Turns'' from 1993–1995.

Personal life

Coster is a scuba diving instructor and maintains a foundation that organizes sailing trips and teaches scuba diving for people who are disabled. Coster has a captain's license. Coster married actress

Candace Hilligoss Mary Candace Hilligoss (born August 14, 1935) is an American former actress and model. She gained fame for her role as Mary Henry in the independent horror film ''Carnival of Souls'' (1962). Life and career 1935–1946: Early life Mary Candace ...

(divorced 1981), with whom he has two children.

Selected film roles

* ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United ...

'' (1953) - Seaman (uncredited) * ''

The Desert Rats The 7th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army that saw distinguished active service during the Second World War, where its exploits in the Western Desert Campaign gained it the ''Desert Rats'' nickname. After the Muni ...

'' (1953) - Medic (uncredited) * ''

Sea of Lost Ships ''Sea of Lost Ships'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Joseph Kane and starring John Derek, Wanda Hendrix and Walter Brennan. It is a tribute to the US Coast Guard. Plot The son of a deceased Coast Guard hero is raised by a Coast Gu ...

'' (1953) - Cadet Wilson (uncredited) * ''

The Outcast Outcast or Outcasts may refer to: *Outcast (person), a person with social stigma or untouchability Literature * ''Outcast'' (Ballas novel), 1991 book by Iraqi-Israeli author Shimon Ballas * ''Outcast'' (Sutcliff novel), 1955 children's novel by R ...

'' (1954) - Asa Polsen * ''

The Black Shield of Falworth ''The Black Shield of Falworth'' is a 1954 American Technicolor film from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur and Melville Tucker and directed by Rudolph Maté. It stars Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, David Farrar, Herbert Marshall, an ...

'' (1954) - Humphrey, Young Squire (uncredited) * ''

The Eternal Sea ''The Eternal Sea'' (aka ''The Admiral Hoskins Story'') is a 1955 American war film directed by John H. Auer and starring Sterling Hayden, Alexis Smith and Ben Cooper. After an American naval officer loses his leg at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, he ...

'' (1955) - Student (uncredited) * '' City of Shadows'' (1955) - Roy Fellows * ''Light Fantastic'' (1964) * '' My Blood Runs Cold'' (1965) - Harry Lindsay * ''

The Sporting Club ''The Sporting Club'' is the 1968 debut novel of author Thomas McGuane. Plot summary ''The Sporting Club'' chronicles the friendship and rivalry of Vernor Stanton, an unstable patrician iconoclast, and the protagonist, Stanton's lifelong friend, J ...

'' (1971) - James Quinn * ''

1776 Events January–February * January 1 – American Revolutionary War – Burning of Norfolk: The town of Norfolk, Virginia is destroyed, by the combined actions of the British Royal Navy and occupying Patriot forces. * January 1 ...

'' (1972) - South Carolina Delegate (uncredited) * '' All the President's Men'' (1976) - Markham * ''

Ebony, Ivory & Jade ''Ebony, Ivory & Jade'' is a 1976 film by director Cirio Santiago, made in Manila, Philippines. A relatively well-budgeted martial arts feature by Santiago's standards, the film was seen mainly in US drive-in movies, where it was first released as ...

'' (1976) - Linderman * '' MacArthur'' (1977) - Colonel Huff * ''The Court-Martial George Armstrong Custer'' (1977) - Gen. Philip Sheridan * '' The Big Fix'' (1978) - Spitzler * ''

Slow Dancing in the Big City ''Slow Dancing in the Big City'' is a 1978 American romantic drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Paul Sorvino and Anne Ditchburn. This was the first film made by Avildsen after 1976's ''Rocky'' won Academy Awards for Best Picture ...

'' (1978) - David Fillmore * '' The Word'' (1978, TV Mini-Series) - Peter Ajemian * ''

A Fire in the Sky ''A Fire in the Sky'' is a made-for-television disaster movie that debuted on NBC on November 26, 1978. The movie is based on a story by Paul Gallico where the earth is threatened by a large comet, which impacts near Phoenix and causes massive ...

'' (1978, TV Movie) - Governor * ''The Solitary Man'' (1979 TV Movie) - Bud Henson * ''

Goldengirl ''Goldengirl'' is a 1979 American drama sci-fi sports film directed by Joseph Sargent, based on the 1977 science fiction novel of the same title by Peter Lear, a pseudonym of Peter Lovesey. The screenplay was by John Kohn, with music by Bill Con ...

'' (1979) - US Olympic Team Doctor * ''

Just You and Me, Kid ''Just You and Me, Kid'' is a 1979 American comedy film starring George Burns, Brooke Shields, Lorraine Gary, Ray Bolger, Leon Ames, Carl Ballantine, Keye Luke and Burl Ives. It was directed by Leonard B. Stern and was released in July 1979 by ...

'' (1979) - Harris * '' The Concorde ... Airport '79'' (1979) - Dr. Stone * '' The Electric Horseman'' (1979) - Fitzgerald * '' Little Darlings'' (1980) - Mr. Whitney * '' The Hunter'' (1980) - Poker Player (uncredited) * ''

Why Would I Lie? ''Why Would I Lie?'' is a 1980 American comedy-drama film about a compulsive liar named Cletus (Treat Williams). The film, which was directed by Larry Peerce and shot in Spokane, Washington, is based on the novel ''The Fabricator'' by Hollis Ho ...

'' (1980) - Walter * '' Stir Crazy'' (1980) - Warden Henry Sampson * ''

The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper ''The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper'' is a 1981 American crime thriller film about infamous aircraft hijacker D. B. Cooper, who escaped with $200,000 after leaping from the back of a Boeing 727 airliner on November 24, 1971. The bulk of the film fiction ...

'' (1981) - Avery * ''

Reds Reds may refer to: General * Red (political adjective), supporters of Communism or socialism * Reds (January Uprising), a faction of the Polish insurrectionists during the January Uprising in 1863 * USSR (or, to a lesser extent, China) during th ...

'' (1981) - Paul Trullinger * ''The Day the Bubble Burst'' (1982 TV Movie) * ''M.A.D.D.: Mother Against Drunk Drivers'' (1983 TV Movie) - Maurice Carver * ''

Princess Daisy is a fictional character in the ''Mario'' series of video games. She debuted in 1989's '' Super Mario Land'' as the ruler of Sarasaland. Described as a tomboy, she used to be rumored to be Luigi's love interest, similarly to Princess Peach ...

'' (1983 TV Movie) - Matty Firestone * ''

Beverly Hills Madam ''Beverly Hills Madam'' (also known as ''Ladies of the Night'') is a 1986 American made-for-television drama film directed by Harvey Hart and starring Faye Dunaway, Melody Anderson, Donna Dixon and Robin Givens. It was originally broadcast on NBC ...

'' (1986) - Uncle Edgar * ''

Big Business Big business involves large-scale corporate-controlled financial or business activities. As a term, it describes activities that run from "huge transactions" to the more general "doing big things". In corporate jargon, the concept is commonly kn ...

'' (1988) - Hunt Shelton * '' How I Got into College'' (1989) - Dr. Phillip Jellinak, Sr. * ''Incident at Dark River'' (1989 TV Movie) - Mr. Gorman * ''

Betsy's Wedding ''Betsy's Wedding'' is a 1990 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Alan Alda. The film stars Alda, Joey Bishop, Madeline Kahn, Catherine O'Hara, Joe Pesci, Ally Sheedy, Bibi Besch, Burt Young, and Molly Ringwald. It was theatr ...

'' (1990) - Harry Lovell * '' By Dawn's Early Light'' (1990 TV Movie) - General Renning * ''Natural Selection'' (1994) * ''Full Circle'' (1996 TV Movie) - Arthur * ''Hearts Adrift'' (1996 TV Movie) - Harry Winslow * ''Freedom Strike'' (1998) - Adm. Torrance * '' Love Happens'' (1999) - Charles * ''Blood Type'' (1999) - Bum Joe * '' The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood'' (2000, TV Movie) - Ezra Bushmaster * ''Plot 7'' (2007) - Mr. Stewart * '' Race'' (2008) - Jack Gibson * ''Family of Four'' (2009) - Dr. Wallace * ''Flower Girl'' (2009 TV Movie) - Gavin Green * '' Cold Turkey'' (2013) - Steve Utley * ''Dancing on a Dry Salt Lake'' (2013) - Dr. Woodley * ''The Southside'' (2015) - Mr. Bradshaw * ''Chemical Cut'' (2016) - Veteran * '' A Winter Rose'' (2016) - Drunk * ''

The Deep Ones ''The Deep Ones'' (also known as ''H.P. Lovecraft's the Deep Ones'' or ''H.P. Lovecraft was a Deep One'') is a 2020 American horror science fiction film written and directed by Chad Ferrin and based on H.P. Lovecraft's 1931 novel ''The Shadow ...

'' (2020) - Bob Finley

References

External links

* *
Nicolas Coster and Challenge Foundation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coster, Nicolas Living people 1933 births Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art American male film actors American male soap opera actors American male television actors American people of New Zealand descent English male film actors English male soap opera actors Male actors from California Male actors from London