| LONGLEY'S SHIP COMES INTO PORT CHARLES
Nearly 15 years ago an automotive accident rendered Mitchell Longley's legs useless. It didn't, however, destroy the teen-age tennis player's competitive spirit or ambitious nature. After an extended absence from tennis, Longley played on the wheelchair circuit for a couple of years, capturing several doubles titles. He has since left the court's confines for the television screen. Longley currently stars as Dr. Matt Harmon in the ABC daytime drama "Port Charles," a spin-off of the long-running "General Hospital." Longley's character uses a wheelchair after being injured in a skiing accident and is determined to prove physical limitations cannot prevent him from achieving his career goals in medicine. "I don't speak for all people who use wheelchairs, but for those who need positive reinforcement this role may provide an example for them to move forward in their lives," says Longley. Longley first broke into television after a casting agent from "Another World" spotted him in a Polo advertisement. Other television credits include "Vanishing Son" and "Burning Zone" He also appeared on stage in a one- man show that he wrote called "Courting Darkness." Despite his recent success, Longley remains grounded and modest. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization SOWOHO (Spirit of the Wounded Horse Inc.), which helps underprivileged Native Americans with physical disabilities, and traveled to Egypt in 1990 to conduct research on disability-related issues. Though his acting career takes up most of his time, Longley still enjoys tennis. "My work schedule has not allowed much time for tennis, but that passion remains in my heart." |