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  It's
one thing to dream of being a famous actor, but it's another thing
to move to Los Angeles and pursue that dream. Having recently appeared
on television hits JAG and ER, Ransford Doherty '97
is a few steps away from reaching his lifelong goal.Alumni Profile In his pursuit for success in L.A., Ransford Doherty '97 has been relentless. He arrived in May 1998 with $1500 and the clothes on his back. He had no job, no vehicle, and no clue what lay ahead. But he did have the determination to succeed.
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Pam
Arkin, Associate Professor of Theatre at Longwood, said, "Ransford
was talented and hungry enough to move to LA to go get it!" Those
who knew him on campus realized he was going to be successful.
When Ransford
walks into a room, people notice. His smooth, silky bald head, strong
cheekbones, slender yet muscular build, and dynamic smile are a sight
to behold. However, Ransford's personality is his most charming quality.
Quick to offer a
hello and always ending conversations and letters with God
Bless, love, and/or peace, he makes people feel good.
His
energy and enthusiasm are contagious, and he treats others with sincerity.
Arkin
recalls a scene from the play Lizard in which Ransford, playing
the role of Willie Tyson, was talking with Lizard, played by Robbie
Winston '99. Lizard, so nicknamed because of his physical deformities,
asked Willie about a sculpture. It was titled, That Which Might
Have Been, and it symbolized the unfulfilled maturity of the four
girls killed in the 1963 baptist church explosion in Birmingham, Alabama.
The two sat down and talked about prejudice, and Arkin called it "the
most truthful, honest moment I've seen on Jarman stage."
In
his pursuit for success in L.A., Ransford has been relentless. He
arrived in May 1998 with $1500 and the clothes on his back. He had
no job, no vehicle, and no clue what lay ahead. But he did have the
determination to succeed. A week after arriving, Doherty took a job
with Enterprise car rental and bought a bike. He also began taking
acting classes. He recently stated,
"The Longwood theatre department gave me the foundation from which to grow and helped me develop as a person." However, he felt the need for more intensive training in television and film. He first took an Art Evans acting workshop and then a course from Leo Rossi. He was working from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Enterprise, and then would go to acting class from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. His mode of transportation to each of these activities was his bike. Ransford's
genuine kindness paid off at Rossi's workshop. He introduced himself,
during a break, to Melanie Sharp, who was introduced to the class
five minutes later as a manager.
They
began working together, and Melanie encouraged Ransford to take
Steven Snyder's acting seminar, which resulted in his first on-camera
experience. His work at Enterprise was also beneficial allowing
him to meet many actors who would come in to rent cars, including,
Cuba Gooding Jr., Theresa Randle, and Minnie Driver. Not being shy,
he would ask for advice on how to "make it" in LA. He said they
all told him the same thing you
need to persevere, have faith, and never give up. After
a year and a half at Enterprise, he left the company to allow time
for auditions during the days.
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He
took a job working the midnight shift at a temp service to help make
ends meet. At
this point, he bought a car, and "ironically enough," Ransford said
with a laugh, "the next day my bike was stolen."
Sharp
helped Ransford sign with the agency Herb Cannon and Associates, and
his professional acting career began with an appearance on an AT&T
commercial in January 2000. He then had guest roles on primetime hits
JAG and ER. While rehearsing off the set for their fight
scene on ER, Ransford and his partner were told, "There is
no fighting here!" The two men laughed and felt confident that their
acting was realistic. Arkin described the scene with these words,
"When I saw him on ER, I beamed
like
I was watching one of my kids or grandchildren doing something because
he had worked so hard to get there!"
Doherty
has also appeared on The Huntress, MTV Undressed, and in the
play 2 G's, and he has recently signed with the agency Ellis
Talent Group. He completed an ESPN promo,
which
pitted the UVA and Virginia Tech mascots against one another leading
up to their November football match-up. His next role is as co-star
in the independent film, What Matters Most, screenplay written
by James Cusumano. The film will be set in Vega, Texas, and depicts
the strength of love. He also recently received a callback for the
lead role in John Singleton's next film.
Ransford
credits his faith for helping him "survive" L.A. life. He
stated that when people see Longwood College in Farmville, Virginia,
on his résumé, it makes a great conversation piece.
They associate his small town experience with being wholesome and
down-to-earth. "Longwood gave me a chance to take risks and molded
me into the person I am," Doherty said. Though from Northern Virginia,
he was naïve when going out to L.A., the
land of lights and glitter. However, the social skills he learned
at Longwood have helped him connect with the right people, proving
that it pays to be friendly, dynamic, and talented. As his former
Longwood professor Pam Arkin stated, "It takes raw courage to go into
audition after audition just to get the chance." Ransford
sums up his experiences with a quotation from Helen Keller, "When
one door closes, another opens, but often, we look so long at the
closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." "God
has opened doors for me," he added. Ransford still works the midnight
shift for the temp service and auditions during the days. He regularly
attends church and finds time on occasion to visit some of L.A.'s
jazz clubs. His dream is alive and well, only one big break away from
the big time.
Bill
Fiege '95
Assistant
Director of Alumni Relations
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