Michael Tylo - Career

Career

Among his numerous soap opera roles, he is best known for his portrayal of Quinton Chamberlain (aka Quint McCord, Quinton R. McCord, Sean Ryan, and Quinton Ryan McCord) on Guiding Light. He played the role from 1981 to 1985 and again from 1996 to 1997. He was half of the very popular supercouple Quint and Nola, with the role of Nola played by actress Lisa Brown.

Quinton R. McCord was a mysterious archaeologist who lived in a mansion on Thornway Road. Quinton's housekeeper/ confidante was Violet Renfield, the widow of Quinton/ Sean's late mentor, Professor Archibald O. Renfield. Quinton's best friend and fencing partner was Gunther Lugosi, and his arch-enemy was fellow archaeologist and former classmate at Oxford University Silas Crocker (portrayed by the late Benjamin Hendrickson). Both Gunther and Silas met violent demises during the course of Quint's time in Springfield (the fictional setting of Guiding Light). Quinton was created by the late soap opera head writer Douglas Marland, who created many enduring soap characters during his career and revolutionized soap operas by infusing them with elements of the gothic, espionage, and science fiction genres. These elements in Marland's work were often taken to further extremes by Pat Falken Smith, who succeeded Marland as head writer on both General Hospital and Guiding Light. On Guiding Light, Smith explored Quinton's tortured past, angst-filled affair with Nola, and constant succession of secrets and revelations in such depth that for a time Quint almost became the show's pivotal character. Quint's introspective, cerebral, and gloomily romantic nature set him apart from all other previous soap leading men (save possibly for some of Dark Shadows' anti-heroes). His personality alternated between tranquil passivity and intense passion and rage, and Michael Tylo created an indelible characterization that won him many loyal fans.

McCord's story arc in Tylo's first two years on Guiding Light paid homage to gothic and romantic fictions such as the novels (and their cinematic adaptations) Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights; the 1931 film Dracula; and the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. Quint's occupation as an archaeologist and his occasional donning of a fedora were possibly inspired by the character Indiana Jones from the then-recent film Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is possible, given Marland's affinity for classic and pulp literature that McCord was also partially inspired by H. Rider Haggard's character Allan Quatermain, who was a heavy influence on the Indiana Jones character.

Tylo also appeared on the soap operas All My Children (as Matt Connolly), General Hospital (as Charlie Prince), and The Young and the Restless (as Alex Bladeson and Rick Bladeson). He also made a brief appearance in The Bold and the Beautiful (as Sherman Gale). In addition to soaps, Tylo has done several movie and television roles, including two seasons as Alcalde Luis Ramon in Zorro and as Dee Boot in Lonesome Dove.

Tylo is a full-time professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, teaching in the film and theatre departments of the College of Fine Arts. He has also been appearing in several productions at the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, most recently in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Twelfth Night and Come Back, Little Sheba.