Father was an investor. Mother was an employment agency manager. He attended a year at Ohio University but then dropped out. A year later he began attending Ithaca College where he earned a degree in film production. He has worked as a band singer, alternative newspaper editor, write, waiter, delivery man, blasting worker, beer bottler, fence installer, and has worked in film production and set construction. While working set construction for the Catskill Actors Theater, he was given a role as a waiter with two lines in Death Of a Salesman. He was given a ticket to L.A. by a friend, and got a small part in TV's China Beach (1988) (which was later cut). He continued working odd jobs until he was cast as Scott Bakula's brother, "Tom", in the TV series Quantum Leap (1989) (which was a very memorable role and performance).