Early life
Born in Mound, Minnesota and educated at Moorhead State University he worked as a model for print and television advertising in the 1980s. He then made guest appearances in several television series such as 1st & Ten, Murder She Wrote and The Commish. He was considered for and lost out to Dean Cain as Superman in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and was a possible contender for the role of Agent Mulder in The X Files which went to David Duchovny.
Career
He became known internationally when he landed the role of Hercules in several television films in 1994 that served as television pilots for the upcoming TV series. He then played the role regularly in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys from 1995 to 1999. The series was a huge ratings success throughout different countries making this his most famous and best known role. He also guest-starred as Hercules in episodes of the spin-off series Xena: The Warrior Princess and provided the voice of Hercules in the animated film Hercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus which released in 1998.
After the cancellation of Hercules in 1999, he played the starring role of Captain Dylan Hunt in the science-fiction drama series Andromeda from 2000 to 2005. He also played the leading role in the fantasy film Kull the Conqueror (1996). He then appeared in the direct-to-video film Walking Tall 2 which is a sequel to the 2004 film Walking Tall. In 2006 he played a recurring role on the final season of The O.C and guest-starred in the sitcom Two and a Half Men. He is also set to reprise his role in another upcoming direct to video sequel to Walking Tall titled Walking Tall 3. He most recently starred in the Hallmark Channel movie Avenging Angel, co-starring his real life wife Sam Sorbo.
He also guest starred as a bounty hunter in the midseason finale of season 2 of USA network series Psych.
Private life
Sorbo married actress Sam Jenkins on January 5, 1998. Their first child, 7lb. 8oz. son Braedon Cooper Sorbo, was born on August 22, 2001. Second child, son Shane Haaken Sorbo was born on March 31, 2004. His birth weight of 12lbs. 6oz. broke the Nevada hospital’s record. The couple’s third child, 8lb. 7oz. daughter Octavia Flynn Sorbo was born on October 16, 2005.
Charity
Sorbo is the spokesman and chair of AWFFK! A World Fit For Kids!, a non-profit organization that trains teenagers to become mentors to younger children