Born in October 1954, Ken Wahl was one of 10 siblings and left school at age 17 to drift through a variety of jobs such as pumping gas before heading to California with a burning desire to succeed in the dramatic arts. Wahl was tall, handsome and athletically gifted, plus he oozed on screen appeal to both sexes. Talented Wahl's first key role was as the lead character of "Richie Genaro", the head of a Bronx, NYC street gang, in the scintillating The Wanderers.

Within two more movies he was appearing alongside his onscreen hero 'Paul Newman' in the explosive cop drama _Fort Apache, The Bronx (1981)_ . Wahl headlined again in his next film The Soldier, about a covert assassin tracking down stolen nuclear arms and eliminating the opposition! He appeared alongside Cheryl Ladd in the Vietnam war romance of Purple Hearts and roles in several other films, before landing the key TV role of undercover FBI agent "Vinnie Terranova" in _Wiseguy (1987)_. Wiseguy ran successfully from 1987 to 1990 scoring Wahl a Golden Globe Award, and it was resurrected again briefly for a TV movie in 1996.

Unfortunately, Wahl was involved in a terrible accident in 1992 with near life threatening neck injuries and for many years battled several addictions in an attempt to ease the chronic pain. Thankfully, he overcame these demons and presently he is managing his pain with professional medical assistance and sharing his life with his third wife, Shane Barbi, plus his four children Louie, Raymond, Cody & Kyra. One can only hope that one day we see this exciting, passionate and sensitive actor back in front of the cameras.


Ken was working as a gas station jockey in the Midwest when he decided to drive out to LA and try to his luck in Hollywood. Was arrested in December 1996 after pulling a knife on a bartender who refused to serve him any more alcohol at the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel. Was charged with making a terrorist threat, assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a knife, and vandalism for $800 in damage done to the bar with the knife. Pleaded no contest, and was sentenced to a live-in alcohol rehabilitation program and ordered to pay the hotel damages. Was also ordered to stay away from the hotel and write a letter of apology to the bartender. Selling personally designed September 11th commerative American Flags, for $155 each on his web site (August 2002) He chose the stage name of Ken Wahlis in honor of a man who saved his father's life in the Korean War.