Ryan James Bittle (born March 21, 1976) is an American actor. He began appearing on television in 1994.

Ryan Bittle
Born
Ryan James Bittle

(1976-03-21) March 21, 1976 (age 48)
EducationJuilliard School (BFA)
OccupationActor
Years active1994–present
Spouses
  • Jennifer Davis (2003–2006; divorced)
  • Elizabeth Chang (August 2022-present)

Early life

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Bittle was born in La Crescenta, California, the son of Kathy Homewood, a nurse, and ICU director, and Jim Bittle, a Glendale fire captain. He has a younger brother, Ron, and an older brother, Jeff. Bittle attended Crescenta Valley High School (where he was an All-American water polo player), Pasadena City College, The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and The Juilliard School, Drama division (group 31), in New York City.

Career

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Bittle originally had plans to play NCAA water polo and then to attend medical school before he discovered acting in his senior year of high school. This led him to postpone college in order to play a role in the television series Sweet Valley High. He played the role of Todd Wilkins in the first two seasons of the series (1994-1996).

While studying at Pasadena City College, Bittle continued to work as an actor with guest starring roles in 1996 on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Boy Meets World and The Parent 'Hood. He also had a recurring role on 7th Heaven as Jessica Biel's early love interest and supporting roles in the films Devil in the Flesh and The Clown at Midnight.[1]

While working on the latter with Christopher Plummer in 1998, Bittle decided he wanted to leave Hollywood for New York to spend some more time studying at the Juilliard School. Back in Los Angeles, Bittle continued with a recurring role on the successful WB drama Dawson's Creek and the PBS drama American Family. He had varying guest star roles on shows such as the CBS dramas CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Numb3rs and NCIS.[1]

He played an actor for the second time in his career on Courteney Cox's TV show Dirt. In 2003, Bittle starred as Christian opposite Mark Harelik and Gregory Itzin in Cyrano de Bergerac at South Coast Repertory.[1]

Bittle was in three films released in 2010-11: Take Me Home Tonight, a 1980s set comedy starring with Topher Grace and Anna Faris; Backyard Wedding, starring with Alicia Witt and Frances Fisher and the horror/thriller A Lure: Teen Fight Club.[1]

In 2012, Bittle starred in Annie Claus Is Coming To Town, opposite Maria Thayer and Sam Page, as well as the made-for-TV movie Operation Cupcake, opposite Dean Cain and Kristy Swanson. He guest starred on The Closer and the NBC comedy The New Normal. In 2013, he guest starred on the Showtime series Shameless as well as reviving the role of JR Chandler on the revived Prospect Park's All My Children. In 2014, he starred in two films, Love By the Book, starring opposite Leah Renee, and A Christmas Mystery opposite Esmé Bianco.

Personal life

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Bittle enjoys playing sports. He plays golf and tennis when he can. In his spare time he plays masters water polo and coaches polo at high school and club level.[citation needed]

In 2003, Bittle married Jennifer Davis;[2] they divorced in 2006. In 2022, Bittle married his girlfriend, Elizabeth Chang. [3]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Tear It Down John Scott
1998 Devil in the Flesh Greg Straffer Video
1999 The Clown at Midnight Taylor Marshall
2004 Who's Your Daddy? Hudson Reed Video
2009 A Good Funeral Bill
2010 Lure Mr. Reed Video
2011 Ricky and Ravi (Are Between Jobs) Steve Video short
2011 Take Me Home Tonight Rick Herrington
2016 Marriage of Lies Dylan

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1994–96 Sweet Valley High Todd Wilkins Main role
1996 The Parent 'Hood Bradley Lewis "An American Class President"
1996 7th Heaven Jeff Recurring role
1997 Boy Meets World Gary "Chick Like Me"
1997 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Mitch "Out of Mind, Out of Sight"
2001 Walker, Texas Ranger Harley "Reel Rangers"
2001 The Big House Jon Jackson TV film
2001–02 Dawson's Creek Eric Recurring role
2002 American Family Sgt. Williams "The Forgotten War"
2003 CSI: Miami David Kendall "Death Grip"
2007 CSI: NY Jackson Rudnick "The Lying Game"
2008 Dirt Paul Trisko "Ties That (Don't) Bind"
2008 Numbers Pat Drummond "Charlie Don't Surf"
2008 NCIS Metro Det. Justin Kemp "Silent Night"
2010 Backyard Wedding[4] Jeffrey Blake TV film
2010 Life Unexpected Steve "Honeymoon Interrupted"
2010 All My Children Logan 2 episodes
2011 Femme Fatales Archie Beecham "Speed Date"
2011 Bones Brock Vorback "The Prince in the Plastic"
2011 Annie Claus is Coming to Town Dean TV film
2012 Operation Cupcake Thad Christopher TV film
2012 The Closer Charlie "Hostile Witness"
2012 The New Normal' Mitch Madison "Unplugged"
2013 Shameless Steven Redel "A Long Way from Home"
2013 All My Children JR Chandler Recurring role
2014 A Christmas Mystery Andrew Steele TV film
2014 Love by the Book Landon Crest TV film
2017 Lucifer Mr. Taylor "Deceptive Little Parasite"
2018-2019 Hawaii Five-0 John McGarrett Guest role; two episodes

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Ryan Bittle at IMDb
  2. ^ Manis, Aimee; Epic Imagery (photography). "Actor Ryan Bittle's Classic Fall Wedding in Long Beach, California". Inside Weddings. Retrieved 2018-10-20.
  3. ^ "Jennifer Bittle Vs. Ryan Bittle". UniCourt. Retrieved 2018-10-20.
  4. ^ Backyard Wedding, hallmarkfamily.com. Accessed June 19, 2024.
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