Andreas Katsulas was born in St. Louis, Missouri, into a working-class Greek-American family. His early fascination with the stage began when his mother took him to a community theater performance at the tender age of four. This initial exposure sparked a lifelong passion for theater, which he pursued as an extra-curricular activity throughout his high school years.
As he matured, Andreas further honed his craft by majoring in theater at St. Louis University, where he worked multiple jobs to support himself, including waiting tables. Following his graduation, he earned a drama fellowship, which enabled him to pursue a Master's Degree in Theater Arts from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, one of the nation's top institutions for the field.
With unwavering dedication, Andreas embarked on a professional theater career, performing in various productions in his hometown of St. Louis with the Loretto-Hilton Repertory Theater. He subsequently worked with the Theatre Company of Boston before moving to New York to explore the world of off-off-Broadway theater at La Mama.
Andreas's most notable and enduring commitment was his 15-year tenure with Peter Brook's International Theatre Company in Paris. During this period, he performed in numerous productions around the world, showcasing his versatility in a wide range of settings, from traditional theaters to unconventional spaces, including prisons, mental institutions, and even remote African villages.
Throughout his illustrious career, Andreas trod the boards at esteemed venues such as Lincoln Center in New York, The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and Theatre Festivals in Iran, Avignon, and Belgrade. He also performed in various street settings, including Brooklyn, Venice, and Minnesota, often in challenging conditions such as extreme weather.
In addition to his stage work, Andreas transitioned to film, securing a role in Michael Cimino's The Sicilian (1987) and subsequently appearing in Ridley Scott's Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) and Blake Edwards's Sunset (1988).
Tragically, Andreas's life was cut short when he was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer in early 2005. He passed away a year later in Los Angeles, just three months shy of his 60th birthday, having hoped to return to the theater before his untimely demise.