Michael Schoeffling
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Michael Earl Schoeffling (born December 10, 1960) is an American former actor and model. He is known for playing the roles of Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles, Al Carver in Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, Kuch in Vision Quest, and Joe in Mermaids.<ref name=NYT>Template:Cite news</ref>
Early life and education
Schoeffling was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and raised in South Jersey. He graduated from Cherokee High School in Evesham Township, New Jersey.Template:Citation needed He attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where he majored in liberal arts.Template:Citation needed In the mid-1980s he began modelling for GQ,<ref name="NYT" /> and photographer Bruce Weber paid for his acting classesTemplate:Citation needed at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Manhattan.<ref name=NYT/>
Acting career
Schoeffling came to international prominence at the age of 23 for his role as Jake Ryan, the popular yet sensitive high school athlete on whom Molly Ringwald's character has a crush in the teen film Sixteen Candles. For Valentine's Day in 2004, twenty years after the film's American premiere, The Washington Post published an article entitled "Real Men Can't Hold a Match to Jake Ryan of Sixteen Candles", which discussed the character's enduring appeal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
He appeared in eight additional films after Sixteen Candles, including roles in Vision Quest and Mermaids, and starring roles in the 1986 action film Let's Get Harry and 1991's Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken.<ref name=NYT/>
Post-acting career
After his acting career, Schoeffling opened a woodworking shop, married Kathryn Marty, and produced handcrafted furniture.<ref>"9 Actors Who "Quit" Being Famous Template:Webarchive</ref>
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Sixteen Candles | Jake Ryan | |
| Racing with the Moon | Amputee Soldier | Uncredited | |
| 1985 | Sylvester | Matt | |
| Vision Quest | Kenny "Kuch" Kuchera | ||
| 1986 | Let's Get Harry | Corey Burck | |
| The Hitchhiker | Lance | TV series (episode: "Dead Man's Curve") | |
| Belizaire the Cajun | Hypolite Leger | ||
| 1989 | Longtime Companion | Michael | |
| Slaves of New York | Jan | ||
| 1990 | Mermaids | Joe Perretti | |
| 1991 | Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken | Al Carver |