Bill Duggan
Bill Duggan ’99 is an entertainer to the core.
As the host of the hit Home and Garden Television show “Curb Appeal,” the 29-year-old has done everything from playing Barbies with two little girls whose home’s facade was being redone to holding a mock funeral for a pine tree that a homeowner was reluctant to have removed.
“I’m glad people watch the show,” says Duggan, who will host about 40 episodes in a year. “It’s not just about taking down walls or decorating a house, so it appeals to both sexes. We all-whether we rent or own-sit in our house and envision how it could be improved. Shows like ‘Curb Appeal’ can give people that inspiration.”
All of the homes that are featured in the home makeover show are located in the Bay Area, which is a bonus for Duggan, a fifth-generation San Franciscan who now lives in Hollywood.
“The houses we work on take four days to nine months to complete, depending on the extent of the makeover, the weather, and the indecisiveness of the homeowner,” he says. Duggan comes in near the end of the project, helping shape the story and recapping the work that was done to make the front of a house more inviting from the curb.
“I have Santa Clara to thank for this job,” says Duggan, who was introduced to the show’s producer at an SCU friend’s party. “I totally dig the Jesuits and their philosophy.” Duggan attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco before earning an acting scholarship to attend Santa Clara.
He studied theatre and political science at SCU while acting in various on-campus shows, serving in student government, and interning in Washington, D.C. and at San Francisco City Hall. “I kept busy and got a lot out of it,” he recalls. “I’ve seen the benefit of going to school at Santa Clara. It’s such a community.”
Duggan was hired by SCU’s Alumni Office after graduation. While working at the University, he continued to pursue acting on the stage and screen. He has appeared in numerous television commercials and print ads and has made cameos in TV shows such as “Nash Bridges,” “General Hospital,” and “The Shield.”
As for his career aspirations, Duggan says hosting “Curb Appeal” is “definitely a step in the right direction. I want to be an entertainer who brings enjoyment into people’s living rooms.” He adds that he would love to host a game show. “I’m pursuing it all-I’m an actor for hire.”