Mark Durbin

Born Mark Anthony Durbin in Washington, D.C. Married to professional ballet dancer Nicole Harlan whom he met in 1995 while she was doing the role of Helena in the ballet, 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles. He has three children with her. He has led a colorful life. He grew up working tobacco farms in Maryland. Thinking he was interested in the theater, Mark left Maryland and headed South to see Stacy Keach in a production of Barnum in New Orleans. Mark ended up living there for a while on St. Anne's just off Bourbon St. in the Quarter. He then headed to Florida to try to enter Burt Reynolds theater in Jupiter. After that he headed to the Florida Keys because he heard Tennessee Williams had a school there. He ended up working on various boats giving tours in Key West at sunset and even volunteered help looking for the wreck of the Atocha with Mel Fisher, which was actually discovered a few years later loaded with treasure. He also worked on scuba boats and shrimp trawlers. While walking to the docks one day he was spotted by Frank Romano, the then owner of Key West Aloe, a pioneer in the Aloe Vera industry. He was asked to do a modeling campaign for them. He did their line of advertising internationally, then continued to model in New York and Italy doing runway and appearing in various magazines such as GQ and Italian Uomo. Mark later graduated from the University of Maryland where he studied business, agriculture and theatre. He also was a walk-on for the football team, having never played in high school. He then went back to New York and later Los Angeles where he studied with the late Peggy Feury and Stella Adler. He also studied voice with famous old time radio show actress Lurene Tuttle before she passed away. He worked various interesting jobs while starting out as an actor including a stint as a bodyguard for Elton John whom he has said is one of the nicest and most generous people around. He once performed a small part in Petrouchka with the Joffrey ballet at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion. He has worked internationally acting in TV commercials for more than 20 years. He has appeared in commercials alongside actresses such as Meg Ryan and Kelly LeBrock and models Christy Turlington, Iman, Rebecca Broussard and Mitzi Martin. He has also worked with directors such as Clint Eastwood, Edward Burns, Marek Kanievska, Leslie Dektor and Paul Giraud. Show less «