Christopher Atkins

Christopher Atkins (born Christopher Atkins Bomann; February 21, 1961) is an American actor, who became famous in his debut role with co-star Brooke Shields in the 1980 film The Blue Lagoon.

Early life
Atkins was born in Rye, New York, to German Americans Donald Bomann and Bitsy Nebauer. In high school, he was a lifeguard and sailing instructor, where he was discovered for The Blue Lagoon.

Career
Atkins had no previous interest or experience in acting, but an agent he knew persuaded him to audition for The Blue Lagoon. Atkins won the role over 2,000 other actors. In the film, he and co-star Brooke Shields played two teenaged cousins living alone together in a tropical paradise after being marooned there as children. Released in 1980, the film grossed over $58 million with a production cost of $4.5 million  but received a negative critical response. Atkins appeared nude (including frontal nudity ) in the film, and spent much of the film wearing a loincloth. Atkins went on to star with Kristy McNichol in The Pirate Movie (1982), an update of Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta The Pirates of Penzance. From that movie, he sang "How Can I Live Without Her", which peaked at #71 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1982.

In A Night in Heaven (1983), also starring Lesley Ann Warren, Atkins played Rick Monroe, an outspoken and overconfident student working his way through college as an exotic dancer. For one season (1983–1984), Atkins had a recurring role as camp counselor Peter Richards on Dallas in which his character has an affair with Sue Ellen Ewing.

Atkins posed for Playgirl in 1982. He has been on the cover of many teen magazines, and he has appeared in several television commercials representing Coke and Adidas.

In the 1990s and 2000s, he appeared in the movies Fatal Charms, Project Shadowchaser III and Angel Flight Dawn. Other projects included Caved In, Spiritual Warriors, 13th Child, The Employee of the Month, Tequila Express, Quigley and True Legends of the West. Comic roles include Mortuary Academy (1988) and Shoot (1992), and he reunited with Shields on her series Suddenly Susan as a fellow journalist who is uninterested in her.

In 2007, he starred in 100 Million BC, a direct-to-DVD, sci-fi movie. In 2009, he appeared on VH1's Confessions of a Teen Idol, a reality show featuring former teen idols.

Recognition
Atkins was nominated for a Golden Globe Awards for New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture – Male for The Blue Lagoon as well as Best Young Actor for the Young Artist Awards. He also has been twice nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor, winning in 1983 for his performance in A Night in Heaven.

He is ranked #76 on VH1's "100 Greatest Teen Stars".

Personal life
Atkins married Lynne Barron Weber of Sydney, Australia, on 25 May 1985; the couple have two children: son Grant Bomann (born 10 December 1985) and daughter Brittney Bomann (born 1 May 1987). The couple divorced in 2007.

In a 2009 interview, Atkins acknowledged his past struggle with alcoholism and stated that he had been sober for 22 years.

Atkins owns an outdoor sports company and has patented a fishing lure.

Filmography

 * The Blue Lagoon (1980) as Richard Lestrange
 * Child Bride of Short Creek (1981) (TV) as Isaac King
 * Swan Lake (1981) (voice) as Prince Siegfried
 * The Pirate Movie (1982) as Frederic
 * Aladdin and the Magic Lamp (1982) (voice) as Aladdin
 * A Night in Heaven (1983) as Rick Monroe
 * Dallas (1983–84) as Peter Richards
 * Secret Weapons (1985) as Allan Collier
 * El ataque de los pájaros (1987) as Peter
 * Mortuary Academy (1988) as Max Grimm
 * Listen to Me (1989) as Bruce Arlington
 * Shakma (1990) as Sam
 * Fatal Charm (1990) as Adam
 * King's Ransom (1991) as Spence
 * Extralarge: Miami Killer (1991) as Blake
 * Wet and Wild Summer! (1992) as Bobby McCain
 * Dracula Rising (1993) as Vlad
 * Die Watching (1993) as Michael Terrence
 * ¡Dispara! (1993) as Spence
 * Trigger Fast (1994) as Dusty Fog
 * Signal One (1994) as Martin Bullet
 * Guns of Honor (1994) as Dusty Fog
 * Bandit Goes Country (1994) as Johnny Bruce
 * Smoke n Lightnin (1995) as Lightnin'
 * Project Shadowchaser III (1995) as Snake
 * Red Shoe Diaries (1996) (segment "Four on the Floor")
 * It's My Party (1996) as Jack Allen
 * Dead Man's Island (1996) (TV) as Roger Prescott
 * Angel Flight Down (1996) as Jack Bahr
 * Mutual Needs (1997) as Andrew
 * Shoot (1998) as Spence
 * The Little Unicorn (1998) as PC Sid Edwards
 * Lima: Breaking the Silence (1998) as Jeff
 * Deadly Delusions (1999) as Sam Gitlin
 * Stageghost (2000) as Matthew Bronson
 * Dark Realm (2000) (TV Series)
 * Civility (2000) as John Cade
 * Title to Murder (2001) as Paul Shaughnessy
 * Tequila Express (2002) as David Manning
 * The Stoneman (2002) as Kip Hollings
 * Mending Fences (2002) as Tom
 * The Employee of the Month (2002) as Bill
 * The Color of Water (2002) as Clay
 * 13th Child (2002) as Ron
 * Quigley (2003) as Woodward Channing
 * True Legends of the West (2003) as Theodore Sutherland
 * ''The Librarians (2004) as Ringo
 * Caved In: Prehistoric Terror (2005) as John Palmer
 * Spiritual Warriors (2005) as King of Sparta
 * 100 Million BC (2007) as Erik Reno
 * Hidden (2008) as Walter
 * Chinaman's Chance: America's Yellow Slaves (2008) as Jacob
 * Forget Me Not (2008) as Mr. Channing
 * Confessions of a Teen Idol (2009)
 * Exodus Fall (2009) as Wayne Minor
 * Gathering of Heroes: Legend of the Seven Swords (2009) as Garrik Grayraven
 * The Hard Ride (2009) as George Custer
 * Prism (2009) as Detective Shane Dover
 * The Earth Empires: Ottoman Invasion (2010) as jannisery Commander Murat of the Dark
 * Harley's Hill (2011) as Mr. Miller
 * Blue Lagoon: The Awakening (2012) as Mr. Christiansen
 * Waiting in the Wings: The Musical (2014) as Priest
 * A Horse for Summer (2015) as Pastor Bob
 * Kids vs. Monsters (2015) as Charles
 * The Sparrows (2015) as Mike Sparrow