12 Days: Peter Gallagher in While You Were Sleeping

'A hopelessly romantic Chicago Transit Authority ticket booth operator is mistaken for the fiancée of a comatose patient.'

All good Christmas stories have a naughty character to balance out all the sugar and sweetness.  A Christmas Story had Scott Farkus, Home Alone had the robbers.  Miracle on 34th Street had the arrogant psychologist Granville Sawyer and It's A Wonderful Life had Mr. Potter.  It also had the mean old pharmacist Mr. Gower who abused young George. That's not even including Christmas' biggest naughty doers, Scrooge and The Grinch.

Every story needs an antagonist, and in 1995's While You Were Sleeping, that role goes to Peter, played by actor Peter Gallagher.  Although not really known as a Christmas movie, the film begins at Christmas time with Peter and Lucy, (Sandra Bullock) having their first meeting on Christmas morning.

Peter's role as an antagonist comes to light in as we get to know a little about the character while he lies in a coma.   Peter doesn't actually wake up, until near the end of the film.  The main love story is between Lucy and Peter's brother Jack, (Bill Pullman) but were initially led to believe she and Peter might be end game.  Most regular movie goers however, knew right away Peter was not the guy, we just had to be patient until being introduced to Jack.

I think I saw While You Were Sleeping years ago, on television, or maybe on video, but I didn't remember much about the story, other than it's how it ends.  When it saw it listed on film site as one of a long list of movies that take place at Christmas, but aren't Christmas movies, I decided to give it another look.  

It was as formulaic as a Sandra Bullock rom-com can be.  Sometimes it works, and it sort of did this time, but I don't consider this one of her best films.  The supporting cast was good, and Pullman and Gallagher made a hot pair of brothers, one nice, and one a little naughty, or maybe not so much naughty as just sort of a jerk.

Gallagher's hair however, looked great flying in the wind as he dashed for the train, and it had me wanting to include him as part of 12 Days.  It also had me wanting to research his on-screen nudity resume.  I knew about Summer Lovers, and given that, I expected he might have a long list of naked credits. 

Unfortunately, the list didn't end up being that long.  In addition to Summer Lovers, I could only fine one other official nude scene.  They both however, were worth a look, and a reason to do an Actors & Skin piece on  Peter Gallagher.  Check out Peter nude in Summer Lovers on the NEXT PAGE HERE: and in The Underneath on the NEXT PAGE HERE: