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Louis Zorich

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Louis Zorich
Born(1924-02-12)February 12, 1924
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJanuary 30, 2018(2018-01-30) (aged 93)
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
EducationRoosevelt University (BA)
Art Institute of Chicago (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, musician
Years active1958–2016
Spouse
​
(m. 1962)​
Children3
RelativesChris Zorich (nephew)

Louis Zorich (February 12, 1924 – January 30, 2018) was an American actor. He played sporting goods salesman Burt Buchman, Paul Buchman's father, on the NBC series Mad About You from 1993 to 1999.[1][2]

Early years

Zorich was born in Chicago, Illinois,[3] the son of Croatian immigrants.[4] He attended Earle Elementary School[5] before going on to attend Roosevelt University and Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago (now at DePaul University) in his hometown of Chicago.[6] Louis's nephew, Chris Zorich, played professional football. [7]

Zorich served in the U.S. Army during World War II.[8]

Theatre

Zorich made his Broadway debut in 1961 in Becket starring Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn.[9][10] In 1969 he played a "venal Italian cardinal" in Hadrian VII[11] where he was nominated for a Tony Award.[12]

In 1973 Zorich and his wife, the award-winning film and stage actress Olympia Dukakis, founded the Whole Theatre Company in Montclair, New Jersey — that state's first resident professional theater.[13] They operated the theater for 18 years.[14]

In the 1976 revival of They Knew What They Wanted, Zorich played middle-aged Napa Valley grape farmer Tony[15] and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.[12] Critic Douglas Watt wrote, "Zorich underlines the heartiness, canniness and energy of Tony -- even after he has suffered that crushing wedding-day accident --- in countless shrewd and effective details."[15] He played Mr. Maraczek in the 1993 Broadway musical revival She Loves Me.[12] Critic Frank Scheck wrote, "...Louis Zorich is moving as the store owner trying to cope with the news of his wife's infidelity."[16] Zorich said in 1993, "Actors are by nature introverted, sensitive people, who can lead behind their characters. Every time I walk on that stage I still get nervous."[9]

Zorich was on the faculty of HB Studio in New York City. He also edited the anthology What Have You Done: The Inside Stories of Auditioning from the Ridiculous to the Sublime.[14]

Film and television

Zorich played the Russian Constable in the movie version of Fiddler on the Roof (1971)[17] and a cab dispatcher in the comedy For Pete's Sake (1974).[18]

In The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), Zorich played a Greek restaurant owner.[19] Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote, "Louis Zorich is funny as a nice, helpful, harassed coffee-shop owner who feeds the Muppets in their lean days..."[20] In a TV adaptation of Death of a Salesman (1985), he played Ben, the older brother of Willy Loman.[21] Zorich appeared as a millionaire in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) with Steve Martin,[2] and played a shady murder victim in the TV crime drama series Columbo.[22]

He co-starred in the critically acclaimed comedy TV series Brooklyn Bridge as family patriarch Jules Berger.[23] In a 1993 interview, Zorich was asked which assignment best matched his personality. He said, "I think it would be Jules Bergen, the grandfather I played in Brooklyn Bridge. By nature, I'm rather easygoing and tend to let thing slide." Zorich mentioned that the series "afforded me the type of visibility that you can't always get in the theater..."[12]

Personal life

Zorich was married to Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis for 56 years, from 1962 until his death.[24] They had three children together. He died at his Manhattan apartment at the age of 93 on January 30, 2018.[25][3]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1966 Gamera, the Giant Monster Russian Ambassador
1968 What's So Bad About Feeling Good? Uncredited
1968 Coogan's Bluff Taxi Driver
1969 Popi Penebaz
1971 Cold Turkey Douglas Truesdale Uncredited
1971 They Might Be Giants 2nd Sanitation Man
1971 Fiddler on the Roof Constable
1971 Made for Each Other Pandora's Father
1973 The Don Is Dead Mitch DiMorra
1974 The Rehearsal
1974 For Pete's Sake Nick
1974 Newman's Law Frank Lo Falcone
1974 Sunday in the Country Dinelli
1976 W.C. Fields and Me Gene Fowler
1977 A Good Dissonance Like a Man George W. Chadwick
1977 The Other Side of Midnight Demonides
1980 The Changeling Stewart Adler Uncredited
1980 Up the Academy Sheik Amier
1984 The Muppets Take Manhattan Pete
1985 Death of a Salesman Ben Loman TV movie
1985 Walls of Glass Lerner
1986 Club Paradise Swiss Businessman
1986 Where Are the Children? Kragopoulos
1988 Cheap Shots Louie Constantine
1988 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Greek Millionaire
1989 Bloodhounds of Broadway Mindy
1990 Agenda for Murder Frank Staplin
1991 City of Hope Mayor Baci
1991 Missing Pieces Ochenko
1993 - 1999 Mad About You Burt Buchman
1997 Commandments Rudy Warner
1997 Kiss & Tell Louis
1998 A Fish in the Bathtub Morris
1999 Joe the King Judge
2001 Friends & Family Marvin Levine
2004 A Hole in One Sammy
2007 Running Funny Stan
2009 Run It Angelo
2011 Detachment Grampa
2011 A Bird of the Air Stowalski
2011 The Tall Man Lou
2015 Emily & Tim Tim Hanratty (segment 'Attachment')
2016 No Pay, Nudity Lester's Father (final film role)

References

  1. ^ Shapiro, Mitchell E., 1953- (October 16, 2015). The top 100 American situation comedies : an objective ranking. Jicha, Tom, 1945-. Jefferson, North Carolina. p. 55. ISBN 9781476664040. OCLC 922454302.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b "Louis Zorich, theater, film actor, 93". Philadelphia Inquirer. February 4, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  3. ^ a b O'Donnell, Maureen (February 4, 2018). "Actor Louis Zorich, South Side native and husband of Olympia Dukakis, dead at 93". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  4. ^ O’Donnell, Maureen. "Actor Louis Zorich, South Side native and husband of Olympia Dukakis, dead at 93". chicago.suntimes.com. Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "cpsalumni.org". www.cpsalumni.org. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  6. ^ Yahoo! Movies: Louis Zorich Biography. Retrieved October 21, 2007. Archived June 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Downey, Mike (May 13, 2007). "Mother's Day sweet reminder to Zorich". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  8. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (February 4, 2018). "Actor was familiar presence on television and Broadway". The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Hawaii, Honolulu. The New York Times. p. B 7. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b Bonelli, Winnie (June 11, 1993). "Tales of a master thespian". The Herald-News. Passaic, NJ. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  10. ^ "("Zorich" search results)". Drama Desk. Archived from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  11. ^ Oppenheimer, George (January 9, 1969). "'Hadrian' a Striking Club to Majesty". Newsday.
  12. ^ a b c d Bonelli, Winnie (June 11, 1993). "Tales of a master thespian". The Herald-News. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  13. ^ Bass, Milton R. (August 14, 1975). "The Lively World". The Berkshire Eagle. p. 6. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b "Meet & greet actor Louis Zorich on Sunday at 'Talkin' with Louis!'". The Montclair Times. March 18, 2010. p. D 7. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b Watt, Douglas (January 28, 1976). "...and they got it". Daily News. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  16. ^ Scheck, Frank (June 22, 1993). "Evokes Longing For Shows of Bygone Eras". Christian Science Monitor.
  17. ^ Noyes, Jean (November 4, 1971). "Who's New in Montclair". The Montclair Times. Montclair, NJ. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  18. ^ Westgate, Barry (August 1, 1974). "Shameless Streisand showcase". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  19. ^ Siskel, Gene (July 13, 1984). "Muppets: They'll take Manhattan". Times-Advocate. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  20. ^ Canby, Vincent (July 13, 1984). "Film: Broadway Setting For 3d Muppet Romp". The New York Times.
  21. ^ O'Connor, John (September 13, 1985). "TV Weekend; Hoffman In 'Death Of A Salesman'". The New York Times.
  22. ^ Gardella, Kay (February 8, 1990). "Fact is, Saturday's 'Columbo' is a real winner". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  23. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  24. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (February 2, 2018). "Louis Zorich, Familiar Actor on TV and Stage, Dies at 93". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  25. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (February 2, 2018). "Louis Zorich, Familiar Actor on TV and Stage, Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
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