Gene Collins Home Page

Gene Collins was in reality a 79-year-old kid, who refused to grow up. He left a 20-year career in Pharmacy to seek a new life in the theatrical world. At 45, he was selected to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the country’s oldest drama school, and in a short time he was appearing in plays and on TV as a genuine character actor.

He had appeared on General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, Young and the Restless, Capitol, Happy Days, LaVerne and Shirley, Archie Bunker’s Place, as well as Hardcastle and McCormick. Also in many “industrial” how-to films, but his first love had always been the stage. He had appeared in more than 100 stage productions, including summer stock in West Virginia, dinner theater in Orange County, and many Hollywood drama productions. In all, he had appeared on stage more than 40,000 times and showed no signs of stopping.
He became interested in American History while employed at Knott’s Berry Farm as a melodramatic villain and an 1850's medicine man. He first portrayed Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, and later Benjamin Franklin as he became a born-again Patriot,

Gene had studied Franklin’s life through books, films and first-hand visits to Franklin’s Philadelphia. His admiration for the man and his life works had continued to grow as his studies increased. His dedication to this man’s legacy continued with his one-man show of Benjamin Franklin. He hoped that his portrayal had inspired you to learn more about this man and our country’s rich history.
Franklin was an ever-changing renaissance man, a printer, philosopher, statesman, inventor, philanthropist, author, and yes, a ladies man. His 84 years encompassed some of the most important times of our country’s beginnings and indeed was the only man in our history to sign The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the United States Constitution, and the Paris Peace Treaty that finally enabled us to emerge as a world power.