Sam Ayers: (Nashua) Telegraph

From The Telegraph, Serving Nashua and Southern New Hampshire -- September 25, 1999

Hollywood, lunch-bucket style

Merrimack man finds success in L.A., but also realizes acting career is tough way to survive.

By KAREN SPILLER
Telegraph Staff

He was Merrimack High School's first varsity quarterback. Now, he is heading into his fourth season as a regular on NBC's "The Pretender."

Sam Bielich, who now goes by the name Sam Ayers -- his mother's maiden name -- plays "Sam the Sweeper," a bodyguard and hit man in the one-hour suspense series beginning its fourth season tonight at 9 on NBC.

Although the former football star starred in a couple of skits while in junior high in Merrimack, his career in the entertainment business didn't take off until he got to Memphis State University.

Ayers was discovered at a Memphis Chicks baseball game, where one night in the stands, he donned a big, furry headpiece with horns and started spelling C-H-I-C-K-S out with his arms. He got the crowd to cheer with each move of his body and caught lots of attention.

That stint lead to more performances at sports arenas in Memphis and then to modeling jobs, TV and radio appearances -- and now, "The Pretender."

In "The Pretender," Ayers' character helps search for a genius who has escaped from a conspiracy-filled think tank.

Tonight's episode is one of the biggest of Ayers' career, which he has been pursuing for 20 years.

"It's a good episode for me," he said Friday in a telephone interview from his Hollywood home, which is about 10 minutes from the famous Hollywood sign.

Because Ayers' character isn't written into every script, he is called a "recurring co-star." In tonight's episode, Ayers' character will be seen in one of three plots unfolding during the one-hour show.

"I'll probably get five minutes, 10 minutes maybe," in total screen time, he said. "I tell people, 'Don't blink.'"

But that's just fine with the 41-year old actor, who was born in Youngstown, Ohio, but grew up in Merrimack.

"You want to get the bigger role, but you're going to have to start with a little role and be on the set for a long time," he said. "Even in my little bit parts, there are people who will never get this chance."

Even as an extra, who typically has no lines, you're still acting, Ayers said.

"You're the seasoning to the scene," he said. "You might not be the meat, but you're the carrot or the peas."

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