 One of the few successful hits of the 2005 television season was the episodic show, Prison Break, which airs on Fox. The story of a young brother who attempts to break out his older brother, who has been accused of a murder he did not commit, grabbed viewers with its slow-burn pace mixed with an edge-of-your seat ending in every episode. It is the old 1930s cinematic cliffhanger come to life on the small screen. Among the several polished and seasoned actors such as Wentworth Miller, Robin Tunney, and Peter Stormare, was a younger actor who looked like a kid amongst the adults. Lane Garrison, a relative newcomer to acting, took on the role of prison rat, David 'Tweener' Apolskis, a jailhouse snitch who out-creeped some of the creepiest characters on the show. Garrison seemed a natural for the role since he spent most of his early years living a similar lifestyle to that of “Tweener.” By his own admission, Garrison was a troubled youth. He admitted getting caught up in “petty theft” and other instances of juvenile delinquent behavior. The son of divorced parents, at the age of seventeen, he finally upset his mother one too many times with his actions. She threatened to take him into the police station herself so he would be forced to spend the night in jail. It was a supposed turning point for the young hoodlum. Garrison promised to clean up his act, and sought out help from Joe Simpson, a minister and the father of songstresses Jessica and Ashlee Simpson. Garrison lived with the Simpson family for a year and was grateful for the guidance provided by Simpson; however, he described it as “torturous” because Jessica was “so hot.” Garrison also took up the craft of screenwriting. His efforts led to interest from production companies, which, in turn, gave him the confidence to pack his bags and try his luck in Hollywood. He soon landed roles in commercials and small movies such as 4 Faces and Quality of Life. His big break came when he was brought on late in the first season of Prison Break. Despite Garrison’s success, he allegedly was depressed about the deaths of both his mother and father within one year’s time, just as he was finally hitting his stride with fledgling career. A friend noted that Garrison was very lonely in Los Angeles, despite his sister living there and being employed on a popular television program. To compound his alleged despondency, his character was killed off in the show during an episode entitled “Buried,” which aired on October 2, 2006. |
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