Jason Dohring

Possessing boy-next-door appeal combined with a roguish charm, actor Jason Dohring has been a consistent fan favorite on a number of television endeavors. After early bit parts in made-for-TV movies like the family drama "Journey" (CBS, 1995) and the big budget feature film "Deep Impact" (1998), the young actor increased his visibility with costarring roles in such projects as "Ready to Run" (Disney Channel, 2000).

A memorable recurring turn on "Boston Public" (Fox, 2000-04) led to Dohring being cast as the scheming, but charming rich kid Logan Echolls on "Veronica Mars" (UPN, 2004-06 / The CW, 2006-07 ). Originally planned as a single episode character, Dohring's range took him from being just the titular character's nemesis to her on-going love interest on a show that critics felt ended long before its time. More regular cast roles came on the vampire romance "Moonlight" (CBS, 2007-08) and the convoluted mystery "Ringer" (The CW, 2011-12), although neither program attracted the critical acclaim or fan loyalty enjoyed by "Veronica Mars," especially when a Kickstarter Internet fundraising campaign made a long-hoped for feature version a reality. Talented and endearing, Dohring was guaranteed a lengthy and versatile career.

Jason William Dohring was born on March 30, 1982 in Toledo, OH and raised in Glendale, CA along with two sets of twin siblings - two girls, two boys. At the age of seven, the photogenic youth was signed - along with his four siblings - with an agency that found the kids work on several ad campaigns, including a commercial for Toyota. Dohring made his television acting debut in the mystery-drama "Someone She Knows" (NBC, 1994). Dohring doubled his output the next year with the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" family drama "Journey" (CBS, 1995) followed by a guest appearance on the ever-popular "Baywatch" (syndicated, 1989-2001). The young actor then segued into a 1996 guest role on the quirky drama "Picket Fences" (CBS, 1992-96) and the pilot of NBC's short-lived comedy "Mr. Rhodes" (1996-97). In 1998, Dohring graduated to feature films, landing a supporting role in the star-studded apocalyptic disaster movie, "Deep Impact" (1998).

Dohring was quickly becoming a familiar young face on several high-profile network series, starting with an appearance on the drama "Once and Again" (ABC, 1999-2002) in 2000. He nabbed a leading role as a wily jockey in the horseracing family drama "Ready to Run" (Disney Channel, 2000), before tackling nearly ever conceivable genre in the years that followed. Dohring was seen on everything from the conspiracy theory thriller "Roswell" (The WB, 1999-2002), to the urban UPN sitcom, "The Parkers" (1999-2004), to the military procedural "JAG" (CBS, 1995-2005).

After numerous guest spots, Dohring took on a recurring stint for two episodes of the provocative legal drama "Boston Public" (Fox, 2000-04), memorably playing the troubled, sometime drug pusher Ian Bridgeman in the 2002 episode "Chapter Forty-Six" and was asked back for a second episode in 2003. That year also saw Dohring star alongside Randy Quaid in the indie horror tale "Black Cadillac" (2003), which played at the Tribeca Film Festival.

After a rapid succession of guest spots in 2004, including turns on "Judging Amy" (CBS, 1999-2005), "Cold Case" (CBS, 2003-2010) and a two-parter on "The Division" (Lifetime, 2001-04), Dohring landed his big break when he scored a regular role on the teen mystery series "Veronica Mars" (UPN, 2004-06 / The CW, 2006-07). Working from an exceptionally clever premise, it followed the adventures of the eponymous high school student (Kristin Bell) who moonlights as a private investigator under the guidance of her detective father (Enrico Colantoni) as she navigates the always turbulent social dramas of adolescence. As Logan Echolls, Veronica Mars' once-childhood friend, Dohring brought a roguish charm to a cast populated with such talented up-and-comers as Alyson Hannigan and Amanda Seyfried. Initially starting out as a spoiled, rich teenager, Dohring took it upon himself to showcase the character's inner complexities, as he went through a rocky romance with Veronica, became a murder suspect and contended with a domineering celebrity father (Harry Hamlin).

In the summer of 2005, Dohring took part in the annual Sundance Institute Filmmaker's Lab, acting out the role of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. Work-shopped by director Dante Harper, the intended biopic "Dreamland" told the story of the events which led McVeigh to commit his crimes. While the project continued to work its way through the development process, Dohring resumed filming on "Veronica Mars." The series - now both a cult hit with audiences and acclaimed with TV critics - made the transition from the UPN network to The CW in the 2006 fall season. During his time off, Dohring kept busy in the lead role of Will Taylor, a young man hoping to discover his past in a town submerged under water in the thriller "The Deep Below" (2007).

To the dismay of the show's diehard fans and scores of television critics, "Veronica Mars" was canceled at the end of its third season. Dohring managed to bounce back quickly when he transitioned to the regular cast of "Moonlight" (CBS, 2007-08), a supernatural romance revolving around a modern-day vampire (Alex O'Loughlin) and his quest to become human again. Dohring brought his signature roguish charm to the role of O'Loughlin's mentor and friend, Josef Kostan; however, the ripple effect of the 2007 Writers Strike led to the show's early demise. As he looked for his next regular gig, Dohring kept busy with guest stints on such diverse series as the catering comedy "Party Down" (Starz, 2009-2010), police procedurals like "Lie to Me" (Fox, 2009-2011) and the macabre adventure series "Supernatural" (The WB, 2005-06 / The CW, 2006- ).

In one of his few theatrical endeavors, Dohring starred in "Searching for Sonny" (2011), a comedy-mystery involving high school friends (Dohring and Minka Kelly) who become embroiled in a murder mystery that bears a striking resemblance to the plot of a play they performed in years earlier. At about the time "Sonny" was playing the festival circuit, Dohring picked up a recurring role on the Sarah Michelle Gellar mystery series "Ringer" (The CW, 2011-12) as the teacher of a privileged teenager (Zoey Deutch) whose mother (Gellar) is being impersonated by a twin sister on the run from the mob. Unfortunately for Dohring, the exceedingly complicated potboiler performed far below network expectations and was canceled after a single season. Returning to guest star status, Dohring landed episodes of "Supernatural" (The WB / The CW, 2005- ), where he played the god of time Chronos, and "Rules of Engagement" (CBS, 2007-13), before thrilling "Veronica Mars" fans by agreeing to reprise Logan Echolls for Rob Thomas' big screen treatment of the beloved series. Thomas and star Kristen Bell started a Kickstarter fundraising campaign to raise money for the film after struggling with traditional sources of financial backing. Within 24 hours, Thomas surpassed his $2 million goal and the film was put immediately into development at Warner Bros.

By Bryce Coleman