From 'Party Of Five' To 'Haunted'

Actor Matthew Fox is best known for his six-year run as Charlie Salinger, the oldest sibling in the hit TV series "Party Of Five." Last week, he returned to series television as Private Investigator Frank Taylor in the new supernatural UPN series "Haunted."

He talks about it on The Early Show.

About Haunted:

The new show revolves around Frank Taylor (Matthew Fox), whose life was changed by two events. The first - the kidnapping of his child- led to his divorce and a change of careers from police officer to private investigator. The second, a near-death experience, results in his being haunted by lost souls from beyond the grave who help him to solve his cases.

In terms of intensity the film has been compared to both "The Sixth Sense" and "X-Files". Fox shas said he hopes the show accomplishes the simplicity of "The Sixth Sense."

"They did not use any special effects, and we're trying to avoid using special effects; just keep it simple," he says. As for the X-Files, he says he only saw a few episodes so he can't tell whether that would be a fair comparison.

"But I know it had a cult following of viewers that were very passionate about it. I know they are probably looking for a new show to watch, so I hope they give us a chance. Our goal is to be the scariest show on television. Some have criticized us for taking the scares so seriously and not lightening up, but you can't be all things to all people all the time. I hope we stay really scary," he says.

"Haunted" is in a highly competitive time slot. against "Fraiser," "The Guardian" and "Smallville". So what are Fox's expectations?

"Every show had really strong season premieres this week, so we hope things level off in coming weeks. UPN has put a lot of hope in us. They've given us a great slot behind "Buffy," but even "Buffy" didn't start out as strong this season as they hoped. Word of mouth is going to help this show. It is so unique, people that watch it get hooked," he says.

About Matthew Fox:

• Born July 14, 1966 in Crowheart, Wyo.
• Attended Columbia University in New York City and majored in economics. He also attended Atlantic Theater Company in New York and studied acting; David Mamet founded the company.
• In 1992, he appeared on the TV show "Wings" and made his TV series debut playing Danny Foley on the short-lived, "Freshman Dorm," a dramatic series focusing on the trials and tribulations of six students entering college in southern California.
• In 1993 Fox starred in the CBS Schoolbreak Special "If I Die Before I Wake," about the tragic loss of a high school track team in an airplane crash. He also made his feature-film debut in "My Boyfriend's Back," a teen-age comedy about a high school student who returns from the dead to fulfill his wish of dating the prom queen.
• From 1994-2000, he had a regular role of older sibling Charlie Salinger in the weekly drama series, " Party of Five."
• In 1999, he co-starred with Donald Sutherland in the dramatic CBS movie "Behind the Mask." Fox portrayed a mentally handicapped man.
• Fox lives with his wife Margherita Ronchi, their 2 year-old daughter, Kyle Allison Fox, and their newborn son.