Ryan James Bittle (born March 21, 1976) is an American actor. He began appearing on television in 1994.
Early life 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.
While attending Crescenta Valley High School, Bittle was a successful water polo athlete for the Crescenta Falcons. He later attended Pasadena City College, The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and The Juilliard School, Drama division (group 31), in New York City, graduating in 2002.
Career As a teenager, Bittle modelled for magazines and catalogues, including Vogue. He had planned to study environmental law at the University of California, Santa Barbara when he landed the role of Todd Wilkins in Sweet Valley High in 1994, causing him to delay attending university. He played the role of Todd for the first two seasons, before handing it over to Jeremy Garrett in 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 In 2003, Bittle married Jennifer Davis; they divorced in 2006. In 2022, Bittle married Elizabeth Chang.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1997Tear It DownJohn Scott1998Devil in the FleshGreg StrafferVideo1999Taylor Marshall2004Who's Your Daddy?Hudson ReedVideo2009Bill2010LureMr. ReedVideo2011Ricky and Ravi (Are Between Jobs)SteveVideo short2011Take Me Home TonightRick Herrington2016Marriage of LiesDylan
Television Year Title Role Notes1994–96Sweet Valley HighTodd WilkinsMain role1996Bradley Lewis"An American Class President"19967th HeavenJeffRecurring role1997Boy Meets WorldGary"Chick Like Me"1997Buffy the Vampire SlayerMitch"Out of Mind, Out of Sight"2001Walker, Texas RangerHarley"Reel Rangers"2001Jon JacksonTV film2001–02Dawson's CreekEricRecurring role2002American FamilySgt. Williams"The Forgotten War"2003CSI: MiamiDavid Kendall"Death Grip"2007CSI: NYJackson Rudnick"The Lying Game"2008DirtPaul Trisko"Ties That (Don't) Bind"2008NumbersPat Drummond"Charlie Don't Surf"2008NCISMetro Det. Justin Kemp"Silent Night"2010Backyard WeddingBackyard Wedding, hallmarkfamily.com. Accessed June 19, 2024.Jeffrey BlakeTV film2010Life UnexpectedSteve"Honeymoon Interrupted"2010All My ChildrenLogan2 episodes2011Femme FatalesArchie Beecham"Speed Date"2011BonesBrock Vorback"The Prince in the Plastic"2011Annie Claus Is Coming to TownDeanTV film2012Operation CupcakeThad ChristopherTV film2012Charlie"Hostile Witness"2012Mitch Madison"Unplugged"2013ShamelessSteven Redel"A Long Way from Home"2013All My ChildrenJR ChandlerRecurring role2014Andrew SteeleTV film2014Love by the BookLandon CrestTV film2017LuciferMr. Taylor"Deceptive Little Parasite"2018–2019Hawaii Five-0John McGarrettGuest role; two episodes
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