an avid football player in his youth, sheridan studied acting at uc santa barbara as sports injuries prevented him from taking dance classes. after a brief stint at the old globe in san diego, sheridan left california to travel the world. with stops in hawaii and the mediterranean, sheridan settled for a period in edinburgh. his experience there prompted him to head home to the us and return to acting. he landed in new york and kept busy working in a number of productions by recognized playwrights as diverse as bernard shaw and neil simon.