'80s Star Lorenzo Lamas Has Transformed From TV Hunk To Distinguished Silver Fox

In the early 1980s, Lorenzo Lamas went from landing extra work and supporting roles to becoming an in-demand leading man in what might've seemed like a blink of an eye. His first movie credit, a minor character in "Grease," came in 1978, and three years later, he was the star of a hit soap. And over the next several decades, he continued to rule the primetime soap opera world, dabbled in reality TV, popped up in scripted comedies, made his mark on the action genre, and played fictional versions of himself more than once. In the 2010s, he then pursued a totally different career path: working as a helicopter tour pilot. As he said in a 2024 interview with "The Kelly Williams Show," "I just recently, last April, retired from my decade flying helicopters professionally."

Not unlike his career trajectory, Lamas' look — especially his hair — certainly has evolved over the years, too. The classic 1980s hunk is now a bona fide silver fox. If there is one thing that remains true about the soap opera icon, it is that rain or shine, long hair or not, he sure has had quite a transformation.

Lorenzo Lamas was born in Santa Monica, California, on January 20, 1958. His parents were actors Fernando Lamas and Arlene Dahl, two nepo baby parents all but forgotten by Hollywood. After he graduated from high school, Lorenzo told his dad he was interested in getting into the family business. And so, his dad suggested he go to junior college and take some acting classes instead of going to a four-year university. "It was very supportive," he said on "The Kelly Williams Show.""And my mom ... was 100% supportive as well."

Lorenzo Lamas made his TV debut in 1977 on two episodes of "Switch," which starred Robert Wagner, Eddie Elbert, and his father. After playing the oh-so quiet football player Tom Chisum in the 1978 musical "Grease" (an iconic role Lamas almost didn't land), he showed up in three more films the following year: "Take Down," "Tilt," and "Promises in the Dark," with the last role being uncredited. The same year, 21-year-old Lamas played Rick in "California Fever," a short-lived teen drama on CBS. Ten episodes aired before its cancellation, although 13 were reportedly made. 

Lorenzo Lamas didn't appear in another theatrical release until 1984, although he did star in one TV movie, "Detour to Terror." In 1980, Lamas secured another role, this time as Burt Carroll on the soap opera "Secrets of Midland Heights." The CBS show only lasted eight episodes before it got the ax due to low ratings; three additional episodes never aired. His co-stars included Linda Hamilton, who has since undergone her own major transformation and "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" actor Bibi Besch.

Though he wasn't a main member of "The Love Boat" cast, Lorenzo Lamas was a memorable guest star. He appeared in a total of five episodes. In 1982, for example, Lamas took on the role of Gregori Papanopolis in "The Spoonmaker Diamond/Papa Doc/The Role Model/Julie's Tycoon" (Season 6, Episode 7). Four years later, Lamas returned to the show as an unnamed aspiring writer in "Spain Cruise: The Matadors/Mrs. Jameson Comes Out/Love's Labors Found/Marry Me, Marry Me" (Season 9, Episode 23). 

From 1981 to 1990, Lorenzo Lamas played Lance Cumson on the CBS soap opera "Falcon Crest." He was promptly dubbed a "heartthrob," and evidently, Lamas took no issue with it. Rather, he viewed it as being a boon for his overall brand. As he quipped to Daily Blast LIVE in 2022, "Well, I was just happy to have a label." He continued, "A lot of actors complain about the typecasting. I never did because I felt it was actually something that would continue to get me work."

As of this writing, Lorenzo Lamas lives in Idaho, but for years, he primarily resided in different parts of the greater Los Angeles area, including Malibu. As his co-star (and former fiancé) Robin Greer once told The Washington Post in 1987, he apparently purchased a home in the beach town after she took issue with his Marina del Rey bachelor pad. "His answer to that was to go right out and buy a house in Malibu. He did the whole deal in an afternoon," she said.

Before there was "Dancing with the Stars, there was "Circus of the Stars." From 1977 to 1994, this CBS television series rounded up celebrities, put them in a circus ring, and let them at it. From Brooke Shields to William Shatner, no one was safe from a specialized act. Lorenzo Lamas appeared on "Circus of the Stars" in 1986 and successfully tamed several tigers, complete with having them jump through hoops on fire. And yes, a video of the event survives on YouTube for our viewing pleasure. 

Early in his career, Lorenzo Lamas' signature look included, for the most part, a clean-shaven face. In 1988, however, he went for a look that was a total pivot. For a black-tie event held in May of that year, he channeled his inner Tom Selleck and wore a thick mustache. What's more, he had the beginnings of a mullet, so it seemed he was really eager to give a new look a whirl. And yes, he still was handsome, of course.

Lorenzo Lamas walked down the aisle three times in the 1980s. His first wife was Victoria Hilbert, whom he divorced after a year. Then, there was Michele Smith, whom he left after two years. In 1989, Lamas married his third wife, actor Kathleen Kinmont. That same year, the two attended the Oscars together. Alas, the two divorced in 1993. "We're both big people, and we really do care about each other and respect each other...we're gonna be friends now," Lamas told the Sun Sentinel in 1994.

Before Lorenzo Lamas and Kathleen Kinmont ended things, they were cast in the action film "Final Round" (also called "Human Target"). Lamas was cast as the main character, Tyler Verdiccio, while Kinmont played the love interest, Jordan. For the role, Lamas grew out his facial hair and the actual hair on his head, with the latter reaching his shoulders. 

Around the same time, Lamas (and Kinmont) also co-starred in "Renegade," a popular action-adventure that ran for five seasons through 1997. Lamas appeared in every episode as Reno Raines, while Kinmont portrayed Cheyenne Phillips. 

Lorenzo Lamas and Tony Curtis never worked together, but Lorenzo's father, Fernando Lamas, and Curtis both came up in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Here, Curtis is pictured with his industry colleague's son at the Hollywood Christmas Parade in 1994. With "Renegade" still in full force, Lamas sported his then-signature long hair, although it was much longer than it was for "Final Round." If you close one eye and tilt your head to the side, one could argue that Lamas resembled another '80s and '90s icon: Fabio Lanzoni. 

Although things with Kathleen Kinmont didn't work out in the long run, that didn't stop Lorenzo Lamas from tying the knot a fourth time (Lamas is one of the many celebs who's been married at least five times). In April 1996, he wed his fourth wife, Shauna Sand, who he's pictured with at a Playboy event. That May, Sand was named Playboy's Playmate of the Month. Lamas and Sand, who actually met on the set of "Renegade" when the latter was an extra, welcomed three daughters together before they eventually divorced in 2002.

While RuPaul and Michelle Visage are best known nowadays for their shenanigans on "RuPaul's Drag Race," their first major TV hosting gig was "The RuPaul Show" in the late 1990s. A number of A-listers appeared on the groundbreaking VH1 talk show back in the day, including but not limited to the Backstreet Boys, Cher, Olivia Newton-John, Eartha Kitt, and of course, Lorenzo Lamas. While we can't find any clips from Lamas' time on the show, he and RuPaul were all smiles as they posed on the set. 

Never heard of the American Comedy Awards? That's because the show ceased to exist in 2001, although it was brought back for a brief time in 2014. Established in 1987, the American Comedy Awards honored the funniest acts and people around, from standard TV programs to live standup routines. While Lamas never walked away with any trophies, he did attend several ceremonies. And at the 14th American Comedy Awards in 2000, Lamas sure did not hold back when it came time to smolder for the camera.

The first "Spy Kids" movie, which hit theaters in 2001, had an insanely stacked cast that included stars like George Lopez, Antonio Banderas, Danny Trejo, Alan Cumming, and George Clooney. While Lorenzo Lamas wasn't in "Spy Kids,"he did attend the Los Angeles premiere. For the event, he slicked his hair back and wore silver sunglasses that would look right at home in the movie. He was joined by Shauna Sand and some of his children. His youngest, Isabella Lamas, was barely a month old at the time. 

If we had a dollar every time we heard the saying "blonds have more fun," let's just say we'd have one less thing to worry about. Lorenzo Lamas apparently had this on the brain in 2002, when he arrived at a Harley-Davidson sponsored event that November with short platinum blond hair. Lamas' locks weren't the only thing that went through a major change that year. About a month before he debuted his bleached 'do, he and Shauna Sand separated. 

Lorenzo Lamas's blond phase didn't last long, although it sure was an interesting change. By May 2003, Lamas bid the platinum farewell and embraced a more natural shade of brown. That month, he attended the premiere of "ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration," a TV special about, well, you can probably guess thanks to the title. Lamas didn't take part in the actual program, considering he was a household name on CBS. He did, however, look nice and sharp as he arrived at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre.

Another year, another premiere. In 2005, Lorenzo Lamas was in three movies. On top of that, he played Hector Ramirez on "The Bold and the Beautiful" (he appeared in a whopping 191 episodes between 2004 and 2006). In July 2005, Lamas attended the premiere of the comedy documentary "The Artistocrats" in an eye-catching purple shirt and his voluminous hair combed back. Lamas arrived with his then-girlfriend, Barbara Ann Moore; they reportedly got engaged at some point, but never married. 

Lorenzo Lamas and fellow actor Erik Estrada are two celebs you may not know were best friends. The duo initially met in the 1980s through their respective CBS shows (Estrada starred on "CHiPS"). When Estrada received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April 2007, Lamas attended the ceremony. With his denim overshirt and perfectly floppy hairstyle, he looked casual and cool — but, like, the Hollywood star version. Lamas and Estrada later reunited in 2017 for a revival of ABC's "Battle of the Network Stars."

Lorenzo Lamas starred in a wide variety of TV programs between 2009 and 2013. For one thing, Lamas got into the animation game in a big way when he lent his voice to a character named Meap on "Phineas and Ferb." His family also got their own short-lived E! reality show, "Leave It to Lamas," and he played a doctor on "Big Time Rush." And though he was not "The Guest At The Central Park West," he still stole the show at the 2010 premiere thanks to his flowing and voluminous locks. Mr. Lamas, feel free to drop the haircare routine.

Lorenzo Lamas has a couple of stage credits under his belt. He made his debut in "The King and I" in 2007, appeared in "Dracula" the same year, and starred in two productions of "The Fantasticks" in 2008 and 2016. Amid all this, in 2012, Lamas attended a short-lived production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat" wearing a monochromatic leather coat and his hair slicked back. The former Rydell High jock looked like he was ready to join Danny Zuko and the rest of the T-Birds in shop class.

"The Celebrity Apprentice," which was the all-celebrity version of the reality show "The Apprentice,"  sure knew how to bring the drama that kept reality TV fans tuning in season after season throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Lorenzo Lamas was a contestant on the series in 2015, which was Donald Trump's final season. Though he did not win, Lamas sure did look ready for the boardroom in a vest, tie, and animal print button-down shirt at a show event in January 2015.

What was Lorenzo Lamas up to in 2018? For starters, he divorced his fifth wife, Shawna Craig; they married in 2011 after just a couple of months together and were nearly 30 years apart in age. On the acting side of things, Lamas appeared in the films "Driver" and "Unwritten." That April, Lamas attended the Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey (an event for fans of horror and sci-fi). While he still kept most of his hair dark at that time, some grays peeked out at his hairline.

While Lorenzo Lamas hasn't officially stepped back from acting at the time of writing, his career certainly has slowed down. Lamas last acted in two movies released in 2020 and 2022: "Scorpion Girl Awakening: The Movie," in which he showed up as an FBI agent, and "Bleach," as Elmer Paxton. In 2022, Lamas made a rare appearance at the premiere of "Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths" with his then-fiancée, Kenna Scott (they've since married and separated). At the event, Lamas' silver-gray hair was in full force. 

Lorenzo Lamas has been a motorcycle fanatic for decades. He reportedly purchased his first bike back in 1975 and built his own ride in 1979. Lamas even co-founded a motorcycle company, Lorenzo Lamas Cycles, in 2009. Fast-forward 16 years: in 2025, Lamas participated in Love Ride 34, a charity event hosted by Harley-Davidson to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Lamas not only cohosted the event alongside other celebs like Jay Leno, but sang the national anthem.

Lorenzo Lamas, who turned 68 in January 2026, continues to be the textbook example of a silver fox. And though he's gone through a number of relationship woes, he hasn't given up on love: A few months after his birthday, Lamas and Heather Locklear confirmed their relationship at the Chiller Theatre Expo. Lamas and Locklear actually first crossed paths back in the '80s, only to strike up a romance four decades later. "I've been through a lot of trial and error, and she is the most amazing woman that I think I've ever met," Lamas described to Fox News Digital at the time.