Have you ever wondered what they give to high school teachers after they retire? A retirement dinner? A gold watch? A pat on the back? Well, in the case of Verdugo Hills High School alumnus John Ingle, he retired from teaching only to be smooched by supermodel Cindy Crawford in front of millions of people!

Well — uh — maybe we should clarify that a little. After John Ingle retired from teaching high school in 1985, he went on to become a successful actor and the on-screen kiss from Cindy appeared in two recent Revlon cosmetics commercials. And while that kiss will probably be better remembered by the current crop of high school students, Mr. Ingle is actually much better known to the loyal fans of ABC's daytime soap opera General Hospital where, since 1993, he has played the role of family patriarch Edward Quartermaine.

But long before John Ingle stepped into the footlights, he was helping young people realize their acting aspirations as a teacher at Hollywood High School and at Beverly Hills High School. In fact, Mr. Ingle was the founder of the well-respected performing arts departments at both schools.

After he graduated from Verdugo Hills High School — where he was Senior Class President — Mr. Ingle attended Occidental College to study theater and journalism. He graduated from Oxy in 1950 with a degree in theater arts and went on to get his teaching credential a year later. In 1955 he joined the faculty of Hollywood High and also began teaching at Los Angeles City College at night. Mr. Ingle moved to Beverly Hills High in 1964 where he taught performing arts courses for the next 21 years. During his high school teaching days, he also taught classes at UCLA for fifteen years. Among the more famous of his students are Albert Brooks, Nicolas Cage, Richard Dreyfuss, Joanna Gleason, Barbara Hershey, Swoosie Kurtz, Stefanie Powers, David Schwimmer and Jonathan Silverman. Mr. Ingle began his own acting career the same year he retired from teaching.

In addition to General Hospital, Mr. Ingle's screen credits include the feature films "Death Becomes Her," "Robocop II," "The Land Before Time, Parts II-V" and "Heathers" as well as numerous television shows including "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Cheers," "Dallas" and "Doogie Howser, M.D."

Married to singer/actress Grace-Lynne Martin since 1954, the couple has five daughters and nine grandchildren. Mr. Ingle is a volunteer for the Pasadena AIDS Services Center. He and daughter Melanie also are co-chairs of the annual "Champions-Run-For-Life" marathon benefiting children with cancer.

Films:

The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists (1996) (voice)

The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving (1995) (voice)

The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure (1994) (voice)

Skeeter (1993) as the Preacher

Suture (1993) as Sidney Callahan

Death Becomes Her (1992) as the Eulogist

Repossessed (1990) as Father Crosby

Robocop 2 (1990) as the Surgeon General

Heathers (1989) as Principal Gowan

Defense Play (1988) as the Senator

Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) as Felix Van Dam

True Stories (1986) as the Preacher

Television Movies:

Bonanza: The Return (1993) as the Judge

Nightmare in the Daylight (1992) as Walter Scripps

Stepfather III (1992) as Father Brennan

For the Very First Time (1991) as Father Talbot

Blind Faith (1990) as Judge Greenberg

Jury Duty: The Comedy (1990)

Cast the First Stone (1989) as Charles Drake

Acceptable Risks (1986) as Dr. Shaw

Beverly Hills Madam (1986)

The Leftovers (1986) as the Commissioner

Television Series:

General Hospital (1993 to the present) as Edward Quartermaine
Days of Our Lives (2005) as Micky Horton

Television Guest Appearances:

Cheers

Night Court (1991) as Kitteridge in the episode "Presumed Insolvent

Beverly Hills, 90210

Dallas

Doogie Howser, M.D.