Pat Cherry's life story is a testament to his resilience and determination. Born in 1951 in Emporium, Pennsylvania, Cherry's early life was marked by adversity. Weighing only 1 pound 2 ounces at birth, he struggled with Cerebral Palsy throughout his childhood. Despite these challenges, Cherry's father, an atomic bomb survivor, instilled in him a love for literature and the arts.
Cherry's high school years were spent in a Shriners hospital, where he excelled in literature and eventually graduated with honors. After obtaining his broadcasting license, he worked as a disc jockey for a few years before transitioning to acting. He ran sound equipment for a theater company in Daytona, Florida, and later took his first acting class, which led to a full-time teaching position.
Pat studied under the renowned Kenny Walker, Dean of Fine Arts at Daytona Community College, and later received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from the University of South Florida. He became affiliated with actor Charles Nelson Reilly, who sent him to the Uta Hagen HB Studios in New York City to study and substitute teach.
When both of his parents passed away within a 14-day period, Cherry moved back to Pennsylvania, where he faced another devastating loss when his closest friend since childhood drowned. In the midst of these challenges, he found solace in his acting career, eventually opening his own studio in Tampa, Florida, teaching acting for the camera.
Cherry's teaching credentials and extensive film and theater work led him to open his own studio, teaching 'on camera techniques' in Tampa. He appeared in several plays in the Tampa area before moving to Orlando, where he took advantage of more opportunities to work in motion pictures. He worked alongside notable actors such as Ann Jillian, Arliss Howard, and Dedee Pfeiffer.
In addition to his acting career, Cherry is currently teaching 'on camera acting techniques' at Zoe's and Company in Maitland. He also teaches 'audition technique for the camera', 'beginning acting', 'beginning camera technique', and 'advanced camera technique'. Cherry is in the process of teaching seminars throughout Florida about acting and auditioning for the camera and is finalizing a book he has written, 'What Just Happened?', about auditioning for motion pictures.
