Chad Allen Chad Allen Lazzari , better known simply as Chad Allen , is the American actor who played Jono in , a fourth season episode of . Performing on television since the age of four , he is perhaps best known for his role as Matthew Cooper on the CBS series " Dr . Quinn , Medicine Woman " . Personal life . Allen was born in Cerritos , California , and he grew up in Long Beach . He was the youngest of four boys and was born along with his twin sister , Charity . When he began acting , it was decided that " Chad Lazzari " was a name more fitting for a " dark - haired Italian " rather than a boy with blond hair and blue eyes , so his professional name became " Chad Allen . " In 1996 , Allen was outed as gay when a tabloid published photographs on him kissing another man . Since then , Allen has become an open advocate of the gay community . In 2006 , he appeared on the CNN talk show " Larry King Live " to support the legalizing of gay marriage . Career . 1978 – 1992 . Allen ' s first acting job was a commercial for fast food restaurant McDonald ' s at the age of four . When he was six , he filmed a role in the pilot episode of the CBS medical drama " Cutter to Houston " , which later had a brief run in 1983 . Fellow " Star Trek " alumni K Callan , Jim Metzler , and Noble Willingham were regulars on this series . In 1981 , director Michael Vejar cast Allen in an episode of " Simon & Simon " with Michael Ansara . Between 1983 and 1988 , Allen appeared as Tommy , the autistic son of Dr . Donald Westphall , on the NBC medical drama " St . Elsewhere " . Although initially a minor role , Allen ' s character took on a greater significance during the show ' s final episode , in which it was indicated that the entire series had taken place in his mind . Many " Star Trek " veterans had regular or recurring roles on " St . Elsewhere " , including Ed Begley , Jr . , Ellen Bry , Ronny Cox , Bruce Greenwood , Norman Lloyd , Deborah May , France Nuyen , Kavi Raz , Jennifer Savidge , Alfre Woodard , and Jane Wyatt . From 1986 through 1988 , Allen was a regular cast member on the NBC drama series " Our House " . Allen was nominated for three Young Artist Awards for his work on this series , winning one . He then became a regular on the short - lived NBC sitcom " My Two Dads " , winning another Young Artist Award . Allen made his film debut in the science fiction / horror comedy " TerrorVision " , about a family whose satellite TV system becomes a passageway to an alien world . and guest actor Gerrit Graham portrayed Allen ' s character ' s father in this film , while DS9 guest star Bert Remsen played his grandfather . Allen received a Young Artist Award nomination for his performance in this film . Allen has also been nominated by the Young Artist Awards for his guest appearance on the adventure series " Airwolf " ( in an episode with James Whitmore , Jr . ) and for his recurring role as Rob on the sitcom " Webster " ( which starred Eugene Roche ) . He was also nominated for his performance in the 1985 NBC TV movie " Code of Vengeance " and for voicing in the animated 1986 TV special " Happy New Year , Charlie Brown ! " His other credits during the 1980s include three other TV movies which aired in 1985 : " Not My Kid " ( with Andrew Robinson ) , " The Bad Seed " ( with Anne Haney , Richard Kiley , and David Ogden Stiers ) , and " A Death in California " ( with Michael Cavanaugh , Bruce Gray , Kerrie Keane , William Lucking , John McLiam , Joel Polis , Liam Sullivan , Kenneth Tigar , Granville Van Dusen , George D . Wallace , and Fritz Weaver ) . He also guest - starred on such shows as " Tales from the Darkside " ( with Seymour Cassel ) and " Hunter " ( directed by Alexander Singer ) . In the early 1990s , Allen starred in such TV movies as " Camp Cucamonga " ( with Richard Herd ) and " Murder in New Hampshire : The Pamela Wojas Smart Story " ( with Larry Drake ) . " Dr . Quinn " and beyond . In 1992 , Allen was offered the role of Matthew Cooper on " Dr . Quinn , Medicine Woman " . He signed on for the show ' s pilot to earn money for his college tuition , believing it would not be picked up as a series . " Dr . Quinn " was not only picked up , it ended up lasting for six years . Allen ' s co - stars on " Dr . Quinn " included Joe Lando , who previously appeared in , and Erika Flores , who played Marissa Flores in the TNG episode . Many other " Star Trek " veterans had significant roles on this series , including Barbara Babcock , Michelle Bonilla , Nick Ramus , Gail Strickland , and Helene Udy . After " Dr . Quinn " came to an end in 1998 , Allen made guest appearances on " The Love Boat : The Next Wave " ( directed by Anson Williams and starring Phil Morris ) in 1998 and on " NYPD Blue " ( starring Gordon Clapp and Sharon Lawrence ) in 1999 . Allen made a second appearance on " NYPD Blue " , playing a different character , in a 2004 episode with fellow TNG guest star Steven Anderson . In 2005 , Allen and guest star Brett Rickaby played the younger and older versions of the same character in an episode of " Cold Case " ( The episode also feature fellow TNG guest stars Daniel Roebuck and Patti Tippo ) . Allen has also appeared on such shows as " Charmed " , " Criminal Minds " , and " CSI : Miami " . For the latter , he appeared in an episode with " Enterprise " regular Jolene Blalock . In 2008 , he had a recurring role on the soap opera " General Hospital : Night Shift " . In addition to his many TV guest appearances , Allen has also starred in such recent films as " What Matters Most " ( with Jim Metzler and Marshall R . Teague ) , " A Mother ' s Testimony " ( a TV movie with Keith Szarabajka ) , " Paris " ( with Biff Yeager ) , " Downtown : A Street Tale " ( with John Savage ) , and " End of the Spear " . He has also starred as gay detective Donald Strachey in several films , from " Third Man Out " in 2005 through " Ice Blues " in 2008 . 2010 and beyond . In 2010 , Allen portrayed Loogie in the comedy " Spork " , with Richard Riehle , on which he also worked as producer . He then portrayed Lance Robinson in the " Dexter " episode " Everything Is Illumenated " , with Peter Weller and Shawn Crowder . Allen worked also as co - producer on the documentary " Hollywood to Dollywood " , a television documentary about . Allen himself and Leslie Jordan were interviewed on ths documentary . More recently , Allen appeared in the horror film " Fright Flick " ( 2011 ) and the romance " For Better of for Worse " ( 2011 , with Stanley Kamel ) . In 2015 , Allen announced his retirement form acting to become a clinical psychologist .