WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO: JAY UNDERWOOD

Throughout the 1980’s, the actor who I was most jealous of was probably Jay Underwood. He seemed to play opposite all my favorite actresses of the decade. What a lucky guy, I thought.

While he made his film debut in the critically acclaimed 1986 film DESERT BLOOM, his next film was one of my favorites, THE BOY WHO COULD FLY. Getting to fly around with Lucy Deakins? Being an actor must be fun.

In the next year there was the Meg Ryan / Kiefer Sutherland film PROMISED LAND, the Disney Channel film NOT QUITE HUMAN and the role that would make me even more envious of him. In 1987, he played Amanda Peterson’s boyfriend on the TV series A YEAR IN THE LIFE.


He remained incredibly busy. The lead in THE INVISIBLE KID, Bug in UNCLE BUCK, two sequels to NOT QUITE HUMAN, and countless TV shows.

Not everything was a success. He played the Human Torch in the infamous, unreleased, Roger Corman version of THE FANTASTIC FOUR. And, there were not one but two episodes of the great 80’s career killer MURDER SHE WROTE.

There were some good films along the way. 1995’s A REASON TO BELIEVE, Alan Rudolph’s AFTERGLOW, and the excellent TV film DANCING IN SEPTEMBER. He even played Sonny Bono in a TV biopic AND THE BEAT GOES ON

He still continues to act. I still seem him quite often in an Advil commercial. Which may make you question why I am even covering him here.

Well, he seems to have moved away from acting, at least on a full time basis.


So, What Ever Happened To Him?

In 1995, Jay and his wife, while attending church in Burbank became saved. He began to find that he was losing interest in Hollywood. In 2003, he entered a seminary in California.

Today, Jay Underwood is now Pastor Jay Underwood. He is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Weaverville, in Northern California.

If you visit the website, you can even listen to some of his sermons.

He is married with three children.

He continues to act, but in Faith based films. He is starring in the soon to be released NO GREATER LOVE.

Jay Underwood on DVD




Jay Underwood on VHS