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Dennis Franz
| Dennis Franz | |
 | |
| Birth name | Dennis Franz Schlacta |
| Born | October 28, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Notable Roles | Lt. Norman Buntz in Hill Street Blues
Detective Andy Sipowicz in NYPD Blue |
| Notable Episodes | |
| Awards | star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame |
Dennis Franz is an American actor best known for his role in the crime drama NYPD Blue.
Contents |
Biography
Born Dennis Franz Schlachta in Maywood, Chicago, his father was a German immigrant and both he and Franz's mother were postal workers. After leaving school, Franz studied for a degree in speech and theatre at Southern Illinois University. Immediately after graduating, he was drafted and enlisted in officer school, going on to do an 11-month tour of duty in Vietnam with a reconnaissance unit.
After returning home, he suffered from depression for a time and briefly worked as a postman and security guard. In 1972 he joined the Organic Theatre Company and performed with them both in Chicago and across the US. He appeared in several Chicago-based films, including Robert Altman's A Wedding before moving to Los Angeles, where he became a member of Altman's resident company.
He made his TV debut in Chicago Story in 1982, before going on to become a regular in projects of producer Steven Bochco, playing two different roles - unscrupulous Detective Sal Benedetto and streetwise Lt. Norman Buntz in popular cop series Hill Street Blues. Buntz also featured in a short-lived 1987 spin-off series, Beverly Hills Buntz. In 1993 Franz took on the role for which he is best-known, as Det. Andy Sipowicz, in highly successful TV cop series NYPD Blue. He stayed with the show all through its 12 seasons.
Although best-known as a television actor, Franz has also featured in a number of movies, including a number directed by Robert Altman and Brian de Palma, as well as Bruce Willis hit Die Hard 2: Die Harder and the 1998 City of Angels.
He married Joanie Zeck in 1982 and has two step-daughters.
Roles
Starring Roles
| Series | Role | Year(s) | Season(s) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Story | Joe Gilland | 1982 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Bay City Blues | Angelo Carbone | 1983 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Hill Street Blues | Lt. Norman Buntz | 1985–1987 | 6 | 7 | ||||||||||
| Beverly Hills Buntz | Private Investigator Norman Buntz | 1987–1988 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Nasty Boys | Stan Krieger | 1990 | 1 | |||||||||||
| NYPD Blue | Detective Andy Sipowicz | 1993–2005 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Recurring Roles
| Series | Role | Year(s) | Season(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hill Street Blues | Detective Sal Benedetto | 1983 | 3 |
Guest Starring Roles
| Series | Role | Episode | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| The A-Team | Sam Friendly | 2x19 - Chopping Spree | February 14, 1984 |
| T.J. Hooker | Andros Margolis | 4x04 - Hardcore Connection | November 3, 1984 |
| Simon & Simon | Frank Mahoney | 4x14 - Almost Foolproof | January 3, 1985 |
| Hunter | Sergeant Jackie Molinas | 1x14 - The Snow Queen (1) | March 23, 1985 |
| Hunter | Sergeant Jackie Molinas | 1x15 - The Snow Queen (2) | March 30, 1985 |
| The A-Team | Brooks | 3x23 - Beverly Hills Assault | April 9, 1985 |
| Matlock | Jack Brennert | 3x08 - The Mayor (1) | January 31, 1989 |
| Matlock | Jack Brennert | 3x09 - The Mayor (2) | February 7, 1989 |
| Civil Wars | Murray Seidelman | 1X1 - Pilot | November 20, 1991 |
Awards and Accolades
Primetime Emmy Awards
- Won: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999)
- Nominated: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1995, 1998, 2000, 2001)
Golden Globe Awards
- Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Drama (1995)
- Nominated: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Screen Actors Guild Awards
- Won: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series (1993, 1995)
- Nominated: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
