Kristoff St. John
John (July 15, 1966 – February 3, 2019) was an American actor best known for playing Neil Winters on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless from 1991 until his death in 2019. Playing the role of Neil earned him two Daytime Emmy Awards from eleven nominations, and ten NAACP Image Awards. He was also known for his role as Adam Marshall in the NBC soap opera Generations, for which he received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations; and his role as a young Alex Haley on the ABC miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.
Also recorded as Christoff St. John
Kristoff St. John

John Mathew Smith from Laurel, Maryland, USA · Kristoff St. John · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Born
- 15 July 1966
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, U.S.
- Died
- 3 February 2019
- Place of death
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Known for
- Roots: The Next Generations Generations The Young and the Restless
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Honours
- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- Languages
- English
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John (July 15, 1966 – February 3, 2019) was an American actor best known for playing Neil Winters on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless from 1991 until his death in 2019. Playing the role of Neil earned him two Daytime Emmy Awards from eleven nominations, and ten NAACP Image Awards. He was also known for his role as Adam Marshall in the NBC soap opera Generations, for which he received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations; and his role as a young Alex Haley on the ABC miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.
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wikidata · Q966834 · wikipedia · Kristoff St. John
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Born — 15 July 1966 • Birthplace — New York City, New York, U.S. • Died — 3 February 2019 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Resting Place — Valley Oaks Memorial Park, Westlake Village, California, U.S. • Other Names — Christoff St. John • Known for — Roots: The Next Generations Generations The Young and the Restless • Parents — Christopher St. John • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1975–2019 • Children — 3
Early life
Early life
Kristoff St. John was born July 15, 1966, in New York City and grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Los Angeles. His father, Christopher St. John, is a producer, actor and director, while his step mother, Marie, is an entertainer. He was of African-American, Portuguese, and Polish descent.
Career
Career
As a ten-year-old child, St. John had a featuring role on the Saturday-morning comedy Big John, Little John, broadcast on NBC in 1976. St. John portrayed a young Alex Haley in the 1979 ABC miniseries Roots: The Next Generations. He also made a small appearance as Booker Brown on the ABC sitcom Happy Days, as well as a boyfriend of Denise Huxtable on an early episode of The Cosby Show. In his first major role, he appeared as Charlie Richmond Jr. in the 1985 CBS sitcom Charlie & Co. St. John's first major soap role was Adam Marshall on the NBC soap opera, Generations. After the show's cancellation in 1991, he originated the role of Neil Winters on The Young and the Restless, and played the character for 28 years; no African American actor had appeared on the series more frequently than St. John. In 1992, he won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series for his role. On September 5, 1994, he hosted CBS Soap Break. In 2005, St. John became a special host for TV Guide Channel. In 2007, he received his fifth Daytime Emmy nomination. He was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor. In 2008, St. John won his second Daytime Emmy, as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. In 2014, A Man Called God, a documentary that St. John co-directed with his father Christopher St. John, debuted at the San Diego Black Film Festival. The film was awarded there, and at other festivals such as the American Documentary Film Festival, and the Beverly Hills Film Festival. Kristoff's final appearance as Neil aired on February 6, 2019. Late in April, it was revealed that Neil had died of a stroke.
Personal life
Personal life
St. John was married and divorced twice. He had a son Julian (1989–2014) and a daughter Paris Nicole (born 1992) with his first wife, boxer Mia St. John. Julian died suddenly November 23, 2014, following a long history of mental illness. St. John was married to Allana Nadal from 2001 to 2007, and they had a daughter, Lola (born April 15, 2003). On August 31, 2018, he was engaged to Russian model Kseniya Olegovna Mikhaleva. St. John was a vegan and animal rights advocate; he appeared in two PETA ad campaigns.
Death
Death
St. John died at his Los Angeles, California, home on February 3, 2019, at age 52. His death was ruled accidental with the cause listed as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1975 — That's My Mama — Andy — Episode: "Weekend Daddy" • 1976–1977 — Big John, Little John — Homer — 11 episodes • 1976 — Happy Days — Booker Brown — Episode: "Football Frolics" • 1977 — Wonder Woman — Linc — Episode: "The Bushwhackers", (as Christoff St. John) • The San Pedro Beach Bums — Ralphie • 1979 — The Champ — Sonny • Roots: The Next Generations — Young Alex Haley — 26 episodes, (as Christoff St. John) • 1979–1980 — The Bad News Bears — Ahmad Abdul Rahim — 26 episodes, (as Christoff St. John) • 1982 — Sister, Sister — Daniel "Danny" Burton — TV movie • 1984 — The Cosby Show — David James — Episode: "How Ugly Is He?" • 1985–1986 — Charlie & Co. — Charlie Richmond Jr. — 18 episodes • 1988 — A Different World — E.Z. Brooks — Episode: "Advise and Descent" 1988 • What's Happening Now!! — Beautiful Bob Bledso — Episode: "The candidate" • 1989–1991 — Generations — Adam Marshall — 208 episodes • 1989 — Finish Line — Tito Landreau — TV movie • 1991–2019 — The Young and the Restless — Neil Winters — Series regular • 1995 — CBS Soap Break — Host • Hangin' with Mr. Cooper — Eric — 6 episodes • 1996 — Martin — Fred Livingston — Episode: "Kicked to the Curb" • The Crew — Darnell — Episodes: "Winds of Change" Parts 1 & 2 • 1997 — The Jamie Foxx Show — Morris — Episode: "Break Yourself, Fool" • Living Single — Norwood — Episode: "Reconcilable Differences" • The Nanny — Himself • 1998 — Family Matters — D'Andre — Episode: "Throw Urkel from the Train" • 2002 — Trois 2: Pandora's Box — Victor DuBois • 2005 — Carpool Guy — Steven • 2007 — Spiritual Warriors — Hospital Administrator • 2009 — Everybody Hates Chris — Himself — Episode: "Everybody Hates Spring Break" • 2013 — 20 Feet Below: The Darkness Descending — Smitty • 2013 — The First Family — C.J. Patton — Episode: "The First Pitch" • 2014 — A Man Called God — Director — Documentary film co-directed with Christopher St. John • 2017 — A Christmas Cruise — Jake — TV movie • 2019 — Home Is Where The Killer Is — Dr. Fredericks — (final film role)
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the heading Christoff St. His recorded language was English. He was the child of Christopher St. He married Mia St. 3 children are recorded: Paris St. John, Lola St. John and Julian St.

Daniel Goddard and Kristoff St. John at the Universal Hilton Hotel 21st Annual Movieguide® Awards, www.movieguide.org
Movieguide®
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1966
Kristoff St. John born at New York City.
2019
Kristoff St. John died at Woodland Hills.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
New York City.
Birth place
Woodland Hills.
Death place
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Work — Result — Ref • 1985 — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television Series — Charlie & Co. • 1990 — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Generations • 1991 — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series — Generations • 1992 — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 1993 — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Leading Actor — The Young and the Restless • 1993 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 1994 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 1996 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 1997 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 1998 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 1999 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2000 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2001 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2002 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2003 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2003 — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor — The Young and the Restless • 2004 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2005 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2006 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2007 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2007 — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2008 — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2008 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2013 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2014 — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2015 — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2016 — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — The Young and the Restless • 2017 — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — The Young and the Restless
Citations
References
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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