David Walsh Naughton (born February 13, 1951) is an American actor and singer. He is known for his starring roles in the horror film An American Werewolf in London (1981) and the Disney comedy Midnight Madness (1980), as well as for a long-running "Be a Pepper" ad campaign for beverage maker Dr Pepper. He also starred in the short-lived sitcom Makin' It and sang its hit theme song, giving him a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Early life Naughton was born on February 13, 1951, in West Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Rosemary (née Walsh) and Joseph Naughton, both of whom were teachers. He is the younger of two boys; his older brother is theater and film actor James Naughton. His family is Irish American.
Naughton attended the University of Pennsylvania and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He earned a soccer scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania where he studied drama and graduated in 1973. He then moved to London to further his acting training. After two years in London, he moved to New York where he worked as a waiter and pursued his acting career.
Career Naughton's professional acting debut was in the New York Shakespeare Festival's production of Hamlet starring Sam Waterston. Naughton subsequently found steady work in various other local theater productions. He was an assistant stage manager and understudy for the Broadway production of Hugh Leonard's Da.
Naughton first became widely known as a result of his four-year stint (1977–1981) singing and dancing in television commercials and personal appearances to promote Dr Pepper. The commercials were considered creative and wildly popular. They involved Naughton dancing and singing in a Broadway musical style while handing out bottles of the beverage to people who then followed his lead Pied Piper style. The commercials won numerous Clio awards and involved a multitude of celebrities from Mickey Rooney and Jimmie Walker to Fred Flintstone and Popeye.
By 1981, Naughton was at the height of his success as a soft drink spokesperson but he wanted to try other ventures and decided to end his role in the commercials. Though the main commercial stint ended in 1981, Naughton occasionally returned to the pitchman role for the soft drink. In 1988, he did a commercial for Diet Dr. Pepper that was reminiscent of the earlier commercials. In 2010, Naughton joined a flash mob singing the iconic jingle at the New York Stock Exchange.
Naughton's popularity from the Dr Pepper commercials led to him being cast as the star of the sitcom Makin' It. In 1979, he also recorded the show's theme song, also titled "Makin' It.", which peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. A US million-selling disc, the track also peaked at #44 in the UK Singles Chart. The sitcom itself was less successful and lasted only nine episodes but his career continued to blossom. The next year, he starred in his first film, the Disney comedy Midnight Madness (1980).
Naughton then had a starring role in a higher-profile film: An American Werewolf in London (1981). The film was directed by John Landis, who had already made a name for himself with National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) and The Blues Brothers (1980). An American Werewolf in London was a comedy-horror film whose special effects and make-up (used to show the werewolf metamorphosis) were particularly innovative for their time. Rick Baker's make-up work won the inaugural Academy Award for Best Makeup at the 54th Academy Awards. The film was a critical and box-office hit.
After the success of An American Werewolf in London, Naughton continued to work steadily, but never regained the same level of success. He appeared in various lesser known movies, as well as smaller roles in numerous episodes of television shows including MacGyver, Melrose Place, Murder, She Wrote, JAG and Seinfeld.
From 1986 to 1988, Naughton had a recurring role on My Sister Sam as Jack Kincaid, the goofy ex-boyfriend of the series' main character Sam Russell (Pam Dawber). Naughton appeared in 19 episodes. The series had a strong first season but was cancelled due to low ratings in its second season. The following year, series co-star Rebecca Schaefer was murdered at her apartment by Robert John Bardo, a stalker who had pursued her for three years. In the wake of the tragedy, several actors from the sitcom including Naughton did a PSA to raise awareness of handgun violence.
Personal life Naughton has been married four times and divorced three times. In 2008, he was arrested for domestic violence in Henderson, Nevada.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1980 Midnight Madness Adam Larson 1981 Separate Ways Jerry Lansing An American Werewolf in London David Kessler 1984 Hot Dog…The Movie Dan O'Callahan Not for Publication Barry Denver 1986 The Boy in Blue Bill Separate Vacations Richard Moore 1987 Kidnapped Vince McCarthy 1988 Private Affairs Mauro 1990 The Sleeping Car Jason McCree Overexposed Phillip 1991 Steel and Lace Dunn 1993 Wild Cactus Philip Marcus Amityville: A New Generation Dick Cutler 1994 Desert Steel Zach Gardener Beanstalk Mr. Ladd Caribbean Kill N/A 1995 Ice Cream Man Martin Cassera The Adventures of Black Feather Professeur Byrd Mirror, Mirror III: The Voyeur Detective Kobeck 1996 Urban Safari Joe 2000 Little Insect Buzz Voice2001 A Crack in the Floor EMT Driver Flying Virus Stephen North 2003 Sky Blue Commander LockeDr. Noah Voice, English dub A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2006 Big Bad Wolf Sheriff Ruben 2007 Brutal Massacre: A Comedy Harry Penderecki Hallows Point Shopkeeper 2009 Little Hercules in 3-D Dwayne Harr 2012 A Thousand Cuts Alan 2013 Cool as Hell Clark 2014Psychotic StateHimself2017 Do It or Die Herb Clough The Hatred Walter 2022Attack of the Killer Chickens: The MoviePresident Robertson2023 Waking Nightmare Dr. Doolin
Television Year Title Role Notes 1974 Planet of the Apes Dr. Stole Episode: "The Surgeon"1976 Muggsy Danny Atwater Episode: "Hit and Run" The Other Side of Victory Michael Dooley Television film 1979 Makin' It Billy Manucci 9 episodes1981FridaysHimself/HostEpisode: "David Naughton/Billy & the Beaters" 1982 I, Desire David Balsiger Television film1983 The Love Boat Edwin Winnaker Episode: "Fountain of Youth/Bad Luck Cabin/Uncle Daddy" At Ease Pfc. Tony Baker 14 episodes 1984 Getting Physical Mickey Ritter Television film 1986–1988 My Sister Sam Jack Kincaid 44 episodes1988 Goddess of Love Ted Beckman Television film Murder, She Wrote Ken Parrish Episode: "Wearing of the Green" 1989 The Twilight Zone John Sellig Episode: "Special Service"1991 The Belles of Bleeker Street Chris Episode: "Pilot" MacGyver LaManna Episode: "Honest Abe" Seinfeld Dick Episode: "The Red Dot"1993 Body Bags Pete Television film Basic Values: Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90's Brad Television film 1994 Diagnosis: Murder Harry Gelson Episode: "My Four Husbands" 1994–1995 Turbocharged Thunderbirds Scott Tracy, Virgil Tracy, additional voices Voice, 8 episodes1996 Melrose Place Lou Chandler Episode: "Run, Billy, Run" Touched by an Angel Michael Russell Episode: "Birthmarks" Bailey Kipper's P.O.V. Norm Kipper 2 episodes 1997 Cybill Andy 2 episodes1998 Chance of a Lifetime Art Haber Television film Silk Stalkings Max Behring Episode: "Ramone, P.I."1999 V.I.P. Roy Episode: "K-Val" Chicken Soup for the Soul Paul Dinsman Episode: "It's Never Too Late" 2000–2001 JAG Det. Grady 2 episodes2001 ER Ben Stevens Episode: "Thy Will Be Done" Kate Brasher Ames Episode: "Tracy" Out of the Wilderness Professor Byrd Television film The Nightmare Room Mr. Ryan Episode: "Tangled Web" 2002 Justice League The Streak Voice, episode: "Legends"2005 Higglytown Heroes Orchestra Conductor Hero Voice, episode: "Higgly Harmonies" Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder Steven Television film 2009 Psych Ken Tucker Episode: "Let's Get Hairy" 2010 Big Love Mr. Usher Episode: "Next Ticket Out" 2011 The Mentalist Neurologist Episode: "Fugue in Red" 2012 Major Crimes State Senator McAustin Episode: "The Shame Game" 2013 Grey's Anatomy Nick Parker Episode: "Transplant Wasteland" Holliston Mark Ward Episode: "Joe's Soda" 2013–2015 Granite Flats Millard Whittison 23 episodes 2015 American Horror Story Mr. Samuels Episode: "Mommy" 2017 Sharknado 5: Global Swarming Ambassador Kessler Television film 2018 SuperMansion Himself Voice, episode: "Comicarnage"2019Rediscovering ChristmasHarryTelevision film
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2005 Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure Manfred 2006 Marvel Ultimate Alliance Mister Fantastic 2016 Fallout 4: WRVR Traveler 2017 Saga of the Nine Worlds Guard Captain The Four Stags Collector's Edition 2018 Project Pro Skater God
Theatre Year Title Role Location Other work/notes 1975–1976 Hamlet FranciscoPlayer QueenEnsemble Vivian Beaumont Theater Understudy for Osric 1978–1980 Da Morosco Theatre Assistant Stage ManagerUnderstudy for Young Charlie Tynan
References
External links
[ David Naughton] at AllMusic