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George Dzundza

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George Dzundza
Born(1945-07-19)July 19, 1945(age 78)
Rosenheim,Germany
OccupationActor
Years active1973–2011
Spouse
Mary Jo Vermeulen
​
​
(m.1982)​
Children3

George Dzundza(/ˈzʊndzə/ZUUND-zə;[1]born July 19, 1945)[2]is an American television and film actor. His notable work includesThe Waltons(1975),Skokie(1981),Open All Night(1981),No Way Out(1987),The Beast(1988). He appeared inThe Deer Hunter,Streamers,Impulse,White Hunter Black Heart,The Butcher's Wife,Basic Instinct,Crimson Tide,Dangerous MindsandCity by the Sea,Law & Order,andJesse.

Early life and education[edit]

Dzundza was born inRosenheim,Germany, to a Ukrainian father, Roman Dzundza, originally fromKalush, Poland(now a city ofUkraine), and a Polish mother, Maria Humenecka, originally fromLviv, Poland(another city now part ofUkraine). His parents wereforced into factory labourby theNazis.[3]He spent the first few years of his life indisplaced personscamps with his parents and one brother.[4]

The family moved toAmsterdamin 1949, then moved to the US in 1956, settling in theLower East SideofManhattanin New York City.[5]He attendedXavier High SchoolinManhattan.He attendedSt. Johns Universityand also studied underStella Adler[6]andHarold Clurman.[7]

Career[edit]

Dzundza began acting in his freshman year of college at the insistence of another student.[8]However, his professional stage debut was in a 1973New York Shakespeare Festivalproduction ofKing Lear.[5]

Dzundza starred in a short-lived 1981 sitcom seriesOpen All Night,[8]about the owner of a "Store 364" convenience store inInglewood, California.[9]He portrayedAmerican NazileaderFrank Collinin the 1981made-for-televisionmovieSkokie.[10]

In 1987, Dzundza played Sam Hesselman, a disabled man in a wheelchair, inNo Way Out[11][6]and Commander Daskal inThe Beastin 1988.[12]Other major film roles of his includeThe Deer Hunter,[13]Streamers,[13]Impulse,[13]White Hunter Black Heart,[13]The Butcher's Wife,[13]Basic Instinct,[13]Crimson Tide,[13]Dangerous Minds[13]andCity by the Sea.[6]

He was an original cast member of theNBCdramaLaw & Order,[13]playingNYPDSergeantMax Greeveyin the first season only. Dzundza quit after the first season of the show.[14]

His other acting work includes an appearance onThe Waltons(1975),[13]and playing theArchie Bunker-like father in the short-livedChristina ApplegatesitcomJesse.[13]He voicedsupervillaintheVentriloquistinBatman: The Animated Series,[13]andPerry WhiteinSuperman: The Animated Series.[13]

In 2005, he playedAnubis(aka "Jim" ) in theStargate SG-1Season 8 episode "Threads".[13]Dzundza portrayedGeorge O'Malley's father Harold onGrey's Anatomy.[13]

Personal life[edit]

Dzundza has been married since 1982 to Mary Jo Vermeulen.[7]They have three daughters[2]as well as two grandchildren.[7]

He is a naturalized US citizen.[2]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1973 Massage Parlor Murders Mr. Creepy
1974 Fischia Il Sesso Dean
1975 The Happy Hooker Chet
1978 The Deer Hunter John Welsh
1981 Honky Tonk Freeway Eugene
1983 Streamers Cokes
1984 Best Defense Steve Loparino
1986 No Mercy Captain Stemkowski
1987 No Way Out Sam Hesselman
No Man's Land Uncle Mike Uncredited
1988 The Beast Daskal
Honor Bound Wocjinski
1990 Impulse Lt. Joe Morgan
White Hunter Black Heart Paul Landers
1991 The Butcher's Wife Leo Lemke
1992 Basic Instinct Detective Gus Moran
1995 Crimson Tide Chief of the Boat (COB)
Dangerous Minds Hal Griffith
1997 That Darn Cat Boetticher
Do Me A Favor Wallace Muller
1998 Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero Dr. Gregory Belson Voice, direct-to-video[15]
Species II Colonel Carter Burgess Jr.
1999 Instinct Dr. John Murray
2000 Above Suspicion Stamos
2002 Determination of Death Mac
City by the Sea Reg Duffy
2005 National Lampoon's Adam & Eve Eve's dad
2006 Superman: Brainiac Attacks Perry White Voice, direct-to-video[15]
2010 The Chosen One Norman

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1974 Kung Fu Mr. Evans / 1st John Episode: "Night of the Owls, Day of the Doves"
Great Performances Gentleman Episode: "King Lear"
1975 Movin' On Charlie Banner Episode: "From Baltimore to Eternity"
Starsky & Hutch Crandell Episode: "Snowstorm"
The Waltons A.J. Covington Episode: "The Abdication"
Grady George Kosinski 3 episodes
Joe Forrester Episode: "The Best Laid Schemes"
1976 Bert D'Angelo/Superstar Mike Zuber Episode: "Murder in Velvet"
1977 The Streets of San Francisco Paul Weber Episode: "The Canine Collar"
1978 The Defection of Simas Kudirka Gruzauskas TV film
1979 Salem's Lot Cully Sawyer 2 episodes

TV miniseries

1979–1980 Young Maverick Clem 2 episodes
1981 Skokie Frank Collin TV film
A Long Way Home Floyd Booth
1981–1982 Open All Night Gordon Feester 13 episodes
1983 The Face of Rage Nick TV film
Faerie Tale Theatre The Woodsman Episode: "Sleeping Beauty"
1984 The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck Lt. DeCarlo TV film
When She Says No Paul Fellows
1984, 1988 CBS Schoolbreak Special Mr. Elder / Arthur Jennings 2 episodes
1985 The Rape of Richard Beck Blastig TV film
Brotherly Love Lieutenant Conde
The Execution of Raymond Graham Prison Chaplain
1986 The Disney Sunday Movie Pete Selzer Episode: "2 1/2 Dad"
The Twilight Zone Colonel Ilyanov Episode: "Red Snow"
One Police Plaza Detective Gustav Stamm TV film
1987 Crime Story Ivan Ivanovitch Patchenko Episode: "Mig 21"
Glory Years John Moss TV film
1988 Something Is Out There Frank Dileo 2 episodes
1989 Terror on Highway 91 Sheriff Jessie Barton TV film
The Ryan White Story Dr. Kleiman
Cross of Fire Boyd Gurley TV miniseries (2 episodes) / TV film
1990–1991 Law & Order SergeantMax Greevey 22 episodes
1992 What She Doesn't Know Jack Kilcoin TV film
1993–1995 Batman: The Animated Series Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist,G. Carl Francis, Chubb Voice, 6 episodes[15]
1993 The Untouchables Warden Wyandotte 3 episodes
Animaniacs Ivan Bloski Voice, episode: "Plane Pals"[15]
1994 The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story Dr. Cecil Jacobson TV film
Matlock Michael Brennan Episode: "Brennan"
The Enemy Within Jake TV film
1996 The Limbic Region Lloyd
Road Rovers Gustav Hovac Voice, episode: "Where Rovers Dare"[15]
1996–1999 Superman: The Animated Series Perry White Voice, 8 episodes[15]
1997 The New Batman Adventures Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist Voice, episode: "Double Talk"[15]
1998–1999 Jesse John Warner, Sr. 22 episodes
2000 Touched by an Angel Bud Baxter Episode: "The Empty Chair"
Third Watch Faith's Dad Episode: "Know Thyself"
2002 The Agency Helmut Episode: "The Gauntlet"
2002–2003 Hack Tom Grzelak 22 episodes
2005 Stargate SG-1 Jim/Anubis Episode: "Threads"
2005–2007 Grey's Anatomy Harold O'Malley TV series, 7 episodes
2006 The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Coach Voice, episode: "The Secret Snake Club vs. P.E."
2008 October Road Gloy Daniels Episode: "Hat? No Hat?"
2009 The Beast Lieutenant Platko Episode: "Two Choices"
2011 Danni Lowinski Augustus 'Gus' Lowinski TV film

Video games[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Superman: Shadow of Apokolips Perry White [15]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Say How? A Pronunciation Guide to Names of Public Figures".Loc.gov. 2014-12-02.Retrieved2015-08-26.
  2. ^abc"Dzundza, George 1945—".encyclopedia.RetrievedMay 4,2022.
  3. ^Jakle, Jeanne (December 26, 1998)."Nice-guy actor won't turn fans away - or off".San Antonio Express-News/ mySA.S.A. Life.Retrieved2015-08-26– via newsbank.
  4. ^"New Yorkers bring culture to Catskills".ukrweekly.13 September 1998. Archived fromthe originalon January 5, 2006.
  5. ^ab"George Dzundza".TCM.Turner Classic Movies.RetrievedMay 4,2022.
  6. ^abc"George Dzundza".stellaadler.Stella Adler Studio of Acting. 20 August 2015.RetrievedMay 4,2022.
  7. ^abcBengel, Erick (March 13, 2014)."Dzundza directs Coaster Theatre production".The Astorian(December 7, 2018 ed.). Cannon Beach Gazette.RetrievedMay 4,2022– via dailyastorian.
  8. ^abJacobs, Jay S. (February 26, 2003)."George Dzundza".PopEntertainment.RetrievedMay 4,2022.
  9. ^Handler, David (March 3, 1982)."'Open All Night' is weird -- but good ".The Madison Courier.Madison, Indiana.p. B7.RetrievedNovember 16,2012.
  10. ^"Film documents Skokie's resistance to Neo-Nazis".San Diego Jewish World.2020-11-02.Retrieved2020-11-05.
  11. ^Slovick, Matt."No Way Out".washingtonpost.Retrieved2020-11-05.
  12. ^Kehr, Dave (2 December 1988)."'The Beast' Intrigues with Its Point of View ".chicagotribune.Retrieved2020-11-05.
  13. ^abcdefghijklmno"George Dzundza Credits".tvguide.Retrieved28 October2023.
  14. ^Courrier, Kevin; Green, Susan (November 22, 1999).Law & Order: The Unofficial Companion(2nd ed.). Los Angeles, California: Renaissance Books. p. 111.ISBN1-58063-108-8.
  15. ^abcdefgh"George Dzundza (visual voices guide)".Behind The Voice Actors.RetrievedSeptember 16,2023.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Dzundza&oldid=1233760655"