Valley Classes Put Actor on Path to Fame

When Kevin Spacey accepted an Oscar last year for his part in “The Usual Suspects,” one of the first people he thanked was his mother “for driving me to those acting classes on Ventura Boulevard when I was 16. I told you they would pay off.”

Indeed. He could have said the same thing five years earlier, when he won a Tony for his portrayal of Uncle Louie in “Lost in Yonkers.”

And to think, it all started in Chatsworth. A New Jersey transplant, Spacey reportedly was a rebellious kid until he found acting. As a senior, he transferred to Chatsworth High School--Class of 1977--which had a respected drama program and did a short stint at Valley College before heading on to the Juilliard School and Broadway.

Not flashy or glamorous but nearly always impressive, Spacey has made a career out of unusual parts. Among them: televangelist Jim Bakker for a TV movie; Jamie Tyrone in a Broadway revival of “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”; and the evil Mel Profitt on the CBS series “Wiseguy.”

His film roles have been equally bizarre, including Verbal Kint in “Suspects,” the wicked district attorney in “A Time to Kill,” the sadistic movie producer in “Swimming With Sharks” and a methodical sociopath in “Seven.” His directorial debut, “Albino Alligator,” was recently released to strong reviews.