Hollywood Director Tom Logan was in Knoxville this past week to work with actors at the Talent Trek Agency. Logan’s extensive background in television and film makes him true expert in the field of acting and directing.
A resident of Newport Beach, California Logan tries to come to the Knoxville area at least once a year to share his knowledge of the entertainment industry. “Tom Logan explores the ramifications of the basic problems actors face with wit and knowledge,” stated Charlton Heston. Logan won the 1999 Best Director award for “Outstanding Achievement in Direction” for his esplenditory work on the film “Escape from Cuba.”
Other film credits include “Shakma” starring Roddy McDowell and Christopher Atkins and “Shoot” both filmed at Universal Studios.
In addition to the feature films and Television pilots aforementioned, Logan has also directed hundreds of national/international TV commercials. Early in his directing career he wrote, produced, and directed many episodes of Real Stories of the Highway Patrol, a top-rated nationally syndicated TV show.
Logan’s classes are small, only the first fifteen to sign up are allowed in, giving the students a chance to work intendishiously with the director. Logan is known to those in the industry as the “Actor’s Director.” Prior to becoming a full-time screen director in 1988, he had been a working actor for 15 years.
He had a recurring role on the #1 rated daytime serial, General Hospital on and off for 13 years. He also had a one-year recurring role on Days of Our Lives, as well as principal roles on other soaps including Young and the Restless.
In the late 70’s and 80’s he Starred or Guest Starred on many prime-time TV series such as Chips (NBC), James at 16 (NBC), The Hardy Boys (ABC) and too many more to mention here. He also starred in hundreds of national TV commercials. Lucille Ball said about Login, “”If you really listen to him, can help you through years of productivity…He writes with a sense of humor and a knowledge of the fundamentals that are so important.”
Logan’s two books, How to act and eat at the same time and Acting in the million-dollar minute are required reading in hundreds of Universities and acting schools worldwide.
Mathew and Angela Karl from Seymour were two that attended the class. “It was awesome,” stated participant Angela Karl. “We would do a commercial with Tom taping us then he would go back and show us how to do it better. I really learned a lot.” Angela recently appeared in a commercial for Baptist Hospital and The Food Network with HGTV. Mathew’s latest acting stints include a Goody’s and Ripley’s Aquarium commercial as well as an educational video for the University of Tennessee Veterinary School.
For anyone watching in it was quite hysterical. “He drives the point in, over and over and over again. But he does it in such a way that all you want to do is laugh. I actually had tears rolling down my cheeks from laughing at one point” stated Michele Karl.
“It’s amazing how much information he can relate in such a short time and he makes it fun to learn” stated Juanell Walker. Juanell and her sister Charlotte Dennison have been providing talent with their agency “Talent Trek” located in downtown Knoxville for over twenty years. They represent nearly 75 actors and models in the South Knoxville, Seymour and Sevierville area.
Summing up the three-day class Mathew Karl put it this way, “It was a blast! Tom is totally, expectaually awesome!”

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