Steve Gardner

Male, age 51
Height: 6′
Weight: Varies
Type: Athletic, Outdoors, Physical
U.S. Army Veteran
Stage 4 Cancer Survivor
Class V Whitewater River Guide

Steve has never been married, has no children, and is very young at heart. What he does for work is considered playtime for most people. He helps to create exciting whitewater rafting excursions for people who want to experience natural challenges and thrills in the wilds.

Sometimes the river can be a dangerous place. Rocks, high water, and unforeseen circumstances require a skilled navigator and a fast-thinking mind. In those cases, Steve shifts into a very mature and serious mode to get people through the worst conditions as safely as possible. He not only guides full boatloads of people down the river, but he also helps set up camp, cooks delicious meals. It is not unusual for Steve to take the stage at night and entertain the crowd with his unique brand of storytelling and ripping off spontaneous jokes. This fun, outdoor lifestyle has kept Steve youthful, agile, and happy. And it has kept him acting.

But what’s with the career shift now?

Let’s face it. Time marches on and we all need to be flexible as we age. Steve was trained as a model 20 years ago and did a few acting and modeling gigs out of his agency in San Francisco. Soon, he realized he did not have the body type for serious fashion modeling in those years, and his look was not quite right for most commercial assignments. He left his modeling ambitions behind and headed for the wild country to enjoy a lifetime of outdoor experiences in the mountains and on the rivers.

Today more producers and commercial clients use models and actors of all ages, all body types, and all sizes. More commercial projects feature spokespersons who have a quirky look or a unique attitude. There are good roles for guys like Steve, who might resemble “Everyman” in America. It is obvious there are opportunities for older models and actors that don’t require glamour; and at his current age of 51, Steve has decided to shift his direction in life.

Something changed and he beat the odds.

A couple of years ago, Steve came face-to-face with a dire medical crisis and it caused him to re-examine his current life path. He developed rapidly advancing Stage 4 Throat Cancer and was given a 10% probability of survival at that point. For those in the know, this is the same throat cancer Michael Douglas survived. Like Michael, Steve did survive, but the cancer shocked him and rocked his world. The surgery was brutal and the recovery was agonizing, leaving scars on his neck and throat that today, are barely visible, but reminders of his near death experience. Now he is healthy and thriving; and ready to resume his youthful dreams of being in film, TV, videos, commercials, etc. He knows his soul has unfinished business in that realm.

Experience? Well… some.

It is probably outrageously optimistic for him to bank on his eclectic experience, but here it is. Throughout Steve’s life, he has entertained people, something that comes second-nature to him. People always comment that he should have been a model, or an entertainer, or an actor, or comedian. Well, he did all those things. He just did it in a different context. Steve entertained people for 20 years on the river, in a boat, while propelling through high, rough whitewater. This kept his guests calm, stable, and alert. A long time before that, he entertained in high school and junior high. He got rave reviews from his peers and their parents as he acted in school stage productions. He did musical performances and outlandish air jams. He gave an extremely credible and memorable performance impersonating Prince, in a stage production that his peers still talk about at class reunions. To this day, Steve soaks up every opportunity to give a good show, whether it is needed on the job, or for the crowds of people who seem magnetized by his outgoing, charismatic personality. Acting is something he has always loved doing.

You can see, Steve has very little conventional experience but a huge desire and a strong commitment to learn the skills needed to work in this industry.

Attitudes matter 100%

Steve is a lively, charismatic dude with the look and attitude that is punk rock and new wave, with an overlay of athletic, military discipline and a seasoning of bad-assery. His acting ability, mostly personality portrayals, moves easily from gentle to rough, from competitive to compassionate, and from do-good to do-evil. He has the chops to bring those attitudes into his work. Steve can just as easily play the role of the sweet bumbling repair guy, with an ability to do physical comedy; or he can also act as a businessman, a thug, or a lover. He can be military, (3 years of actual experience in the US Army), and can be the bad cop or good cop. He can be a sleazy dude or the barbecue-buddy next door. Some people even liken his demeanor to actors like Adam Devine, Kevin Hart, or Danny McBride.

To round out Steve’s bio, he is not ashamed to admit he has kept a “day job” for many years as a painter and construction laborer, and can do any kind of home repair and can build anything, as he waits for good roles to show up for him. He looks forward to standing with the casts of Emmy or Oscar winning productions.