Yan Birch
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
The son of a Swedish Actor-Comedian, Producer, Director and Musician;
music and the arts were a natural part of Yan Birch's life, surrounding
him throughout his early childhood. He learned to play the flute and
trumpet at a tender age, and his passion for acting led him to the
stage as a young child, appearing in several plays, including "Miss
Julie", by August Strindberg.
Yan's early television career in Sweden included two successful youth
programs "Barnjournalen", a popular weekly kid's show, and "Unga
Tvaan", at that time Sweden's MTV equivalent. Yan also had a band and
released several successful recordings which received much radio
airplay.
Graduating with a BA in Mechanical Engineering and a degree in
Mathematics, Yan completed his studies from the technical college
Teknikum in Vaxjo, Sweden.
At this point in his life, Yan decided to have a dramatic "Life
Learning Experience." He traveled the world and lived in almost every
country before making the big Hollywood move to live out his dream. He
took nothing with him but the determination to "Experience" people from
all over the world so that he would be well prepared for Hollywood and
whatever was to come his way.
With talent, experience, unending support from his family, and maybe a
little genetic determination to perform, Yan swiftly obtained acting
parts in music videos and commercials, working with people like
Billy Idol,
David Fincher,
Mark Rezyka and
Mickey Rourke before landing his first
American feature roles in
Slumber Party Massacre III (1990),
and The Runestone (1991). From
these, he was flown to Italy where he landed a starring role in the
feature film "Scrondo" and several other Italian television shows.
In 1991, Yan got a major part in Wes Craven's cult horror film
The People Under the Stairs (1991),
as "The Stairmaster." While his love for the fun of working on Horror
and Science Fiction films took him on a road through the underground,
his acting ability landed him the steadier roles in two popular network
daytime soaps
Santa Barbara (1984) and
The Young and the Restless (1973).
Yan capitalized on his Swedish good looks, and his menacing appearance,
playing both a sensitive health club owner and a mobster, while working
to better his craft in this different media.
After working on a few more Indy films like
Cyber Bandits (1995) together with
Grace Jones,
Alexandra Paul,
Martin Kemp and
Adam Ant, helmed by
Erik Fleming and
Sucker (1998)
written and directed by Hans Rodionoff,
in 1999 Yan received a phone call from
Chuck Russell and was offered the
role of the "Guardian Angel" in Paramount's
Bless the Child (2000). Directed
by Chuck Russell and starring
Kim Basinger,
Jimmy Smits,
Christina Ricci and
Rufus Sewell. Since then, Yan has appeared
in several more independent films including
Essence of Echoes (2002) and
Ghost Rock (2003). Yan also has a
recurring role on Spelling television's hit series
Charmed (1998) on WB, as "Kane" - the
head of the Warlocks.
Yan has also starred in a multitude of television commercials during
the years working with Directors such as
Mark Pellington,
David LaChapelle,
Jake Scott,
Ralf Schmerberg, Pierre Winther,
Albert Watson,
'Regis Roinsard' ,
Paul Minor and
Paul Hunter.
Yan has incorporated his love of the arts with his business and
deciding to expand his professional career, Yan also dove into
producing. At the start of the year 1996 he produced "Mega Man" for Fox
Television. He is the co-owner of the film production company Pure
Entertainment together with his partner
Victoria Tarazi. Yan produced and line
produced the feature film documentary "Gone Soul Fishin" for MTV. He
also produced and line produced the feature film
Essence of Echoes (2002) (in
which he also starred as the main villain). Yan continues to produce
and develop a multitude of other projects with his company Pure
Entertainment.
Yan continues to expand his professional career while soaking up life's
experiences like a sponge. His range and ability as an Actor and
Producer continue to grow as he applies himself, and all that he is, to
his roles and projects. Embracing every challenge with his eternal
positive energy, inner peace, and great style, he has certainly come a
long way since his first days on the stage in Sweden.
music and the arts were a natural part of Yan Birch's life, surrounding
him throughout his early childhood. He learned to play the flute and
trumpet at a tender age, and his passion for acting led him to the
stage as a young child, appearing in several plays, including "Miss
Julie", by August Strindberg.
Yan's early television career in Sweden included two successful youth
programs "Barnjournalen", a popular weekly kid's show, and "Unga
Tvaan", at that time Sweden's MTV equivalent. Yan also had a band and
released several successful recordings which received much radio
airplay.
Graduating with a BA in Mechanical Engineering and a degree in
Mathematics, Yan completed his studies from the technical college
Teknikum in Vaxjo, Sweden.
At this point in his life, Yan decided to have a dramatic "Life
Learning Experience." He traveled the world and lived in almost every
country before making the big Hollywood move to live out his dream. He
took nothing with him but the determination to "Experience" people from
all over the world so that he would be well prepared for Hollywood and
whatever was to come his way.
With talent, experience, unending support from his family, and maybe a
little genetic determination to perform, Yan swiftly obtained acting
parts in music videos and commercials, working with people like
Billy Idol,
David Fincher,
Mark Rezyka and
Mickey Rourke before landing his first
American feature roles in
Slumber Party Massacre III (1990),
and The Runestone (1991). From
these, he was flown to Italy where he landed a starring role in the
feature film "Scrondo" and several other Italian television shows.
In 1991, Yan got a major part in Wes Craven's cult horror film
The People Under the Stairs (1991),
as "The Stairmaster." While his love for the fun of working on Horror
and Science Fiction films took him on a road through the underground,
his acting ability landed him the steadier roles in two popular network
daytime soaps
Santa Barbara (1984) and
The Young and the Restless (1973).
Yan capitalized on his Swedish good looks, and his menacing appearance,
playing both a sensitive health club owner and a mobster, while working
to better his craft in this different media.
After working on a few more Indy films like
Cyber Bandits (1995) together with
Grace Jones,
Alexandra Paul,
Martin Kemp and
Adam Ant, helmed by
Erik Fleming and
Sucker (1998)
written and directed by Hans Rodionoff,
in 1999 Yan received a phone call from
Chuck Russell and was offered the
role of the "Guardian Angel" in Paramount's
Bless the Child (2000). Directed
by Chuck Russell and starring
Kim Basinger,
Jimmy Smits,
Christina Ricci and
Rufus Sewell. Since then, Yan has appeared
in several more independent films including
Essence of Echoes (2002) and
Ghost Rock (2003). Yan also has a
recurring role on Spelling television's hit series
Charmed (1998) on WB, as "Kane" - the
head of the Warlocks.
Yan has also starred in a multitude of television commercials during
the years working with Directors such as
Mark Pellington,
David LaChapelle,
Jake Scott,
Ralf Schmerberg, Pierre Winther,
Albert Watson,
'Regis Roinsard' ,
Paul Minor and
Paul Hunter.
Yan has incorporated his love of the arts with his business and
deciding to expand his professional career, Yan also dove into
producing. At the start of the year 1996 he produced "Mega Man" for Fox
Television. He is the co-owner of the film production company Pure
Entertainment together with his partner
Victoria Tarazi. Yan produced and line
produced the feature film documentary "Gone Soul Fishin" for MTV. He
also produced and line produced the feature film
Essence of Echoes (2002) (in
which he also starred as the main villain). Yan continues to produce
and develop a multitude of other projects with his company Pure
Entertainment.
Yan continues to expand his professional career while soaking up life's
experiences like a sponge. His range and ability as an Actor and
Producer continue to grow as he applies himself, and all that he is, to
his roles and projects. Embracing every challenge with his eternal
positive energy, inner peace, and great style, he has certainly come a
long way since his first days on the stage in Sweden.