SCI Superstar: Mitch Longley

Why He’s Fearless

A small town boy from Connecticut who knew acting was his destiny long before he was injured, Mitch may no longer have his original dark-brown long hair (now salt & pepper), but this man loves his craft. After breaking his back in a car accident his senior year of high school, Mitch went on to graduate from Northwestern College with a degree in Speech Communication.

He actually had his eyes set on becoming a professional speaker on disability issues, but his looks brought him into the industry. He was discovered by Ralph Lauren through a photographer friend and began modeling. Next, he was asked to be on Another World after the director saw his photos.

On Another World, Mitch played a young attorney named Byron Pierce. He was a hit among fans for his good looks and his strong personality. After starring on the show for 2 years, he traveled the world. After his travels, he was cast on General Hospital as Dr. Matthew Harmon, playing him as well in the spin-off Port Charles from 1997-2000.

After Port Charles was canceled in 2000, Mitch went on to have reoccurring roles on Judging Amy and Joan of Arcadia. He played a quad rugby coach on an episode of Weeds. But perhaps one of Mitch’s biggest roles was on NBC’s Las Vegas where he played a surveillance expert. And he was  on Desperate Housewives (tearing apart Eva Longoria’s character for parking in a handicapped spot) in 2008.

What’s Next?

Mitch’s career continued to stay busy despite the Hollywood curse of shows being cancelled. In 2010, he was on Law & Order in 2010, and in 2011 he was on NCIS: Los Angeles. He also had a small role in the film How to Score Your Life, a movie about a guy who doesn’t want to stop being a couch surfer, in 2012.

And in 2013, Mitch took part in a roundtable discussion featuring prominent people with disabilities called CinemAbility. They discussed the portrayal of disability in the media and how it’s evolved. And Mitch founded the non-profit, Spirit of the Wounded Horse, an organization dedicated to helping underprivileged Native Americans with disabilities. Mitch is a Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Native American. 

Mitch has shown an explosive acting career is possible for actors with spinal cord injuries. While he hasn’t done any acting since 2016 (when he starred in the short Shitfaced), he also enjoys photography and has been a gallery represented photographer.