“You’ve got to accentuate the positive!”

Those were the lyrics of a Johnny Mercer tune. This song also provided the opening for the critically acclaimed, yet sadly, short lived ABC drama, Homefront.  Homefront began in 1993 and ran for only two seasons. It traced the lives of the citizens of the factory town of fictional River Run, Ohio in the post World War II era.

My mother was a young woman in the 1940s so I grew up listening to the music and watching the movies from that time period. Homefront was (and continues to be one of my all-time favorite television shows). Homefront introduced me to Kyle Chandler.

Chandler starred as youngest Metcalf child Jeff, celebrated as a sports hero for his stellar career as a right fielder for the Cleveland Indians. Much of Jeff’s storyline centered around his on again, off again and thankfully! on again romance with the fiery former switchboard operator and later radio personality, Lemo Tomato Juice Girl, Ginger Szabo (the wonderful Tammy Lauren).

Next up for Chandler was CBS’ Early Edition. Chandler portrayed former stockbroker turned bar owner and unsung hero Gary Hobson. Gary received tomorrow’s edition of the Chicago Sun Times today. He placed himself in life threatening positions and unfortunately was subjected to police suspicion as he raced across the streets of Chicago in an effort to prevent foretold disasters.

In a departure from his good guy roles, Chandler was also dastardly lawyer Grant Rashton in NBC’s The Lyon’s Den.

But it wasn’t until his two-part guest role as ill-fated bomb squad leader Dylan Young in Grey’s Anatomy when Chandler received serious industry attention. He earned the first of multiple Emmy nominations finally winning a Best Actor in a Dramatic Series Emmy for his performance as Dylan Panthers coach Eric Taylor in another critically acclaimed drama, Friday Night Lights.

Chandler also appeared in such as films King Kong, The Day That The Earth Stood Still and The Wolf of Wall Street.

Kyle Chandler delivered a riveting performance as John Rayburn in the Netflix original series, Bloodline.

Today, September 17, is Kyle Chandler’s birthday. I extend my best wishes as he celebrates his special day.

Photos and video obtained from the internet; credit given to the original sources