Dennis Franz

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Dennis Franz

at a rehearsal for the 1994 Emmy Awards
Born October 28, 1944 (1944-10-28) (age 64)
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Dennis Franz (born October 28, 1944) is an American actor best known for his role as Andy Sipowicz, a gritty police detective in the television series NYPD Blue (New York City Police Department).

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Personal life

Franz was born Dennis Franz Schlachta in Chicago, Illinois, the son of German immigrants[1][2][3] Eleanor, a postal worker, and Franz Schlachta, who was a baker and postal worker.[4] Franz is a graduate of Proviso East High School (in Maywood, Illinois) and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.[5] After graduating from college, Franz was drafted into the United States Army. He served eleven months with the 82nd Airborne Division in Vietnam.[6]

[edit] Career

Franz began his acting career at Chicago's famed Organic Theater Company. Although he has in the past performed Shakespeare, his "look" led to his being typecast early in his career as a police officer. (By Franz' own count, the character of Detective Andy Sipowicz was his 27th role as a police officer). He has also guest-starred in shows such as The A-Team. Other major roles were on the television series Hill Street Blues in which he played two characters over the run of that show: Sal Benedetto and Norm Buntz. He starred in the short-lived Beverly Hills Buntz as the morally-questionable Norman Buntz.

Franz went on to win four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue. The character of Sipowicz was ranked #23 on Bravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters list.[7]

He starred as "Earl", the abusive husband, in the Dixie Chicks' music video "Goodbye Earl" and as Nathaniel Messinger in the 1998 film, City of Angels.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] See also

United States Army portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ SMOKE 03/98 - Dennis Franz
  2. ^ TV HEROES: #6: Dennis Franz.(Features) - The Independent (London, England) - HighBeam Research
  3. ^ News-Record.com: Archives Search: 01 results for search "( (unq:"0EAF85A3C033421C") ) "
  4. ^ Dennis Franz Biography (1944-)
  5. ^ Utterback, Wayne (2007-04-19). "Emprace the 'Dark': Author, SIUC alumnus reprints book about Strip" (in English). Daily Egyptian: pp. 7. 
  6. ^ Dennis Franz - Trailer - Showtimes - Cast - Movies - New York Times
  7. ^ The 100 Greatest TV Characters: Famous Television Stars and Pop Icons - Official Bravo TV Site

[edit] External links

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Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor - Drama Series

Peter Falk (1976) · James Garner (1977) · Edward Asner (1978) · Ron Leibman (1979) · Edward Asner (1980) · Daniel J. Travanti (1981) · Daniel J. Travanti (1982) · Ed Flanders (1983) · Tom Selleck (1984) · William Daniels (1985) · William Daniels (1986) · Bruce Willis (1987) · Richard Kiley (1988) · Carroll O'Connor (1989) · Peter Falk (1990) · James Earl Jones (1991) · Christopher Lloyd (1992) · Tom Skerritt (1993) · Dennis Franz (1994) · Mandy Patinkin (1995) · Dennis Franz (1996) · Dennis Franz (1997) · Andre Braugher (1998) · Dennis Franz (1999) · James Gandolfini (2000)
v • d • e
NYPD Blue
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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Franz"
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