Jake Pavelka

Though he began his onscreen career as an actor, Jake Pavelka found greater fame as a bachelor looking for his bride on reality television. Born Jan. 27, 1978 in Dallas, TX, Pavelka developed an interest in flying at an early age, taking pilot lessons when he was just 12 years old. After attending the University of North Texas and Embry Engineering for Aerospace Science, he earned his pilot's license and became an airline captain at 23, then a flight instructor just a few years later. In 2000, he began flying for Atlantic Southeast Airlines. During this period, Pavelka briefly flirted with an acting career, taking turns in local commercials before a 1999 appearance on "Walker, Texas Ranger" (CBS, 1993-2001) as Chuck Norris' character in flashback. He repeated the favor for Norris in the television movie "The President's Man" (CBS, 2000). In both cases, he was billed under the stage name of Jake Landrum. In 2009, Pavelka was submitted by his church group as a "morally" inclined contestant on the fifth season of "The Bachelorette" (ABC, 2003- ). Though he did not win the hand of Jillian Harris, his quiet but romantic demeanor won him numerous fans, as did his late-inning reappearance to warn her about the less-than-honorable intentions of another suitor, Wes Hayden. His popularity earned him the title role for the 14th season of "The Bachelor" (ABC, 2002- ), on which he was wooed by 25 female contestants vying to be his bride. He ultimately selected Vienna Girardi as his ideal mate, with the pair set to be engaged on the finale of the series. Meanwhile, he was announced as one of the celebrity contestants on season 10 of "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC, 2005- ), where he was partnered with professional dancer, Chelsie Hightower. After performing a homage to Tom Cruise's "Risky Business" (1983) dance, complete in his underwear and oxford, Pavelka was eventually voted off the show. And only weeks later, he and Girardi announced their engagement and relationship was kaput in June 2010.