Fyvush Finkel's celebrity came about via the original and unusual show "Picket Fences" (1992-1996), on which he beautifully played the outrageous, colorful, bow-tie sporting lawyer Douglas Wambaugh.
Finkel was born in Brooklyn to Polish immigrant parents. When he began acting, he adopted the first name Fyvush, Yiddish for Philip, his birth name. In doing this, he did something really different. Most entertainment figures who took a stage name did the reverse: they changed their name to sound less foreign or ethnic.
Finkel did stand-up comedy and appeared on Broadway prior to his "Picket Fences" years. He also had appeared on "Kojak" and a couple more TV shows before landing his iconic role as Wambaugh the lawyer.
Especially fun on "Picket Fences" were the exchanges between Wambaugh and Judge Jenry Bone, played by the venerable Ray Walston.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Iconic TV role: Dennis Franz
You think Dennis Franz, you think Detective Andy Sipowitz on "NYPD Blue," which appeared from 1993 to 2005.
Sipowitz was the most hard-bitten of cops, a man whose personal life had suffered greatly from the demands of the job. A cop who was very nearly burned out from dealing with sleazy criminals of all sorts and from contemplating man's general inhumanity to man.
Sipowitz wasn't pretty. He was a fireplug of a man, mostly bald, abrupt of manner and like an unmade bed in appearance. He was a Vietnam vet and recovering alcoholic.
Franz was born Dennis Franz Schlachta and is of German extraction. He served in the Airborne during Vietnam and returned to act on stage in his native Chicago.
Franz had not one but two roles on the cop show "Hill Street Blues" and also has appeared on "The A-Team," "Matlock," Hardcastle and McCormick," "Simon & Simon," and "Hunter."
Franz deserved much credit for having brought to life one of the most memorable and different of all the many TV police dramas.
Sipowitz was the most hard-bitten of cops, a man whose personal life had suffered greatly from the demands of the job. A cop who was very nearly burned out from dealing with sleazy criminals of all sorts and from contemplating man's general inhumanity to man.
Sipowitz wasn't pretty. He was a fireplug of a man, mostly bald, abrupt of manner and like an unmade bed in appearance. He was a Vietnam vet and recovering alcoholic.
Franz was born Dennis Franz Schlachta and is of German extraction. He served in the Airborne during Vietnam and returned to act on stage in his native Chicago.
Franz had not one but two roles on the cop show "Hill Street Blues" and also has appeared on "The A-Team," "Matlock," Hardcastle and McCormick," "Simon & Simon," and "Hunter."
Franz deserved much credit for having brought to life one of the most memorable and different of all the many TV police dramas.
Iconic TV role: Peri Gilpin
Peri Gilpin, born in Waco, Texas, as Peri Kay Oldham, studied acting, did live theater, and worked in TV commercials before landing her celebrity-producing role as Roz Doyle on the comedy series "Frasier."
Doyle was Frasier's radio producer, a street-wise, good looking but not raving beautiful, highly competent single gal always on the lookout for Mr. Right but usually finding only Mr. Right Now.
"Frasier," one of the best TV comic sitcoms of them all, ran from 1993 to 2004.
Gilpin has also appeared on other TV shows, including "Matlock," "Wings," "Designing Women," "Cheers," The Rosie O'Donnell Show," and "King of the Hill." She and her fellow "Frasier" cast member Jane Leeves have their own production company as well.
Doyle was Frasier's radio producer, a street-wise, good looking but not raving beautiful, highly competent single gal always on the lookout for Mr. Right but usually finding only Mr. Right Now.
"Frasier," one of the best TV comic sitcoms of them all, ran from 1993 to 2004.
Gilpin has also appeared on other TV shows, including "Matlock," "Wings," "Designing Women," "Cheers," The Rosie O'Donnell Show," and "King of the Hill." She and her fellow "Frasier" cast member Jane Leeves have their own production company as well.
Monday, April 5, 2010
IconicTV role: Matthew Gubler
Playing the blond, long-haired, green, somewhat wimpy yet brilliant character Dr. Spencer Reid on the crime show "Criminal Minds" is young actor Matthew Gray Gubler. Las Vegas-born Gubler came quickly to minor celebrity in this juicy part.
The son of a well connected family, Gubler made a name for himself as a male model prior to making a run at show biz.
At this point, Gubler is too new to acting to have made many other appearances, but he is quite well known for playing Dr. Reid on what is one of TV's best crime shows.
The son of a well connected family, Gubler made a name for himself as a male model prior to making a run at show biz.
At this point, Gubler is too new to acting to have made many other appearances, but he is quite well known for playing Dr. Reid on what is one of TV's best crime shows.
Iconic TV role: Alan Hale, Jr.
One of those long-time character actors who has had more roles than Domino's has delivered pizzas, Alan Hale, Jr. is nevertheless tightly identified with only one of those roles: the Skipper on that silliest of sitcoms, "Gilligan's Island."
Hale was born into the acting business; both parents worked as Hollywood actors. The senior Hale might be recalled as Little John opposite Errol Flynn in "Robin Hood."
After serving in the Coast Guard during World War II, Hale Jr. began acting in some of Gene Autry's Western movies. In the early 1960s, he also played on TV in "The Andy Griffith Show."
Celebrity was his, however, as Jonas Grumby, better known as The Skipper, on "Gilligan's Island," which ran from 1964 to 1967 and thereafter continued to appear in re-run.
In that role, Hale portrayed the hulking yet benign captain of The Minnow and father figure to the bumbling Gilligan.
The burly Hale's many TV credits over the years include "The Texan," "JOhnny Ringo," "Cheyenne," "HAwaiian Eye," "Mister Ed," "Death Valley Days," "Perry Mason," "Rawhide," "Wagon Train," "Maverick," "77 Sunset Strip," "Route 66," Perry Mason," "Batman," "The Virginian," "Gunsmoke" and many, many other shows.
Hale owned a Hollywood restaurant in his later years. The veteran actor died of cancer in 1990 at age 68.
Hale was born into the acting business; both parents worked as Hollywood actors. The senior Hale might be recalled as Little John opposite Errol Flynn in "Robin Hood."
After serving in the Coast Guard during World War II, Hale Jr. began acting in some of Gene Autry's Western movies. In the early 1960s, he also played on TV in "The Andy Griffith Show."
Celebrity was his, however, as Jonas Grumby, better known as The Skipper, on "Gilligan's Island," which ran from 1964 to 1967 and thereafter continued to appear in re-run.
In that role, Hale portrayed the hulking yet benign captain of The Minnow and father figure to the bumbling Gilligan.
The burly Hale's many TV credits over the years include "The Texan," "JOhnny Ringo," "Cheyenne," "HAwaiian Eye," "Mister Ed," "Death Valley Days," "Perry Mason," "Rawhide," "Wagon Train," "Maverick," "77 Sunset Strip," "Route 66," Perry Mason," "Batman," "The Virginian," "Gunsmoke" and many, many other shows.
Hale owned a Hollywood restaurant in his later years. The veteran actor died of cancer in 1990 at age 68.
Iconic TV role: Sean Hayes
One of the best gay guy roles on any television show was that of Jack McFarland on "Will & Grace," which first appeared in 1998. That part was ably acted by Sean Hayes, who did a fine job playing the openly and flamboyantly homosexual sometime roommate of the sitcom's leading man, played by Rob Lowe, and their beautiful friend, played by Debra Messing.
Hayes is a trained pianist and minor composer and had worked in the comedy troupe Second City in his native Chicago prior to landing the plum role that made him a minor celebrity.
Hayes is a trained pianist and minor composer and had worked in the comedy troupe Second City in his native Chicago prior to landing the plum role that made him a minor celebrity.
Iconic TV role: Sherman Hemsley
Philadelphia-born Sherman Hemsley found his ideal role as the wise cracking, slightly hyperactive dry cleaner George Jefferson, a character that first appeared in 1973 on the mega-marvelous sitcom "All in the Family."
In that show, Hemsley played the prosperous black neighbor of grumpy blue-collar racist Archie Bunker. The public liked the George Jefferson so much that in 1975, a spinoff was created for him: "The Jeffersons," which lasted for a decade.
Hemsley studied acting, served in the Air Force and worked as a postal delivery man before 1970, when he broke into show biz on Broadway.
Over the years, Hemsley also has appeared on "The Incredible Hulk," "Fantasy Island," "The Love Bloat," E/R." "The Twilight Zone," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "Designing Women," and other programs; but clearly his celebrity rests on his portrayal of George Jefferson.
In that show, Hemsley played the prosperous black neighbor of grumpy blue-collar racist Archie Bunker. The public liked the George Jefferson so much that in 1975, a spinoff was created for him: "The Jeffersons," which lasted for a decade.
Hemsley studied acting, served in the Air Force and worked as a postal delivery man before 1970, when he broke into show biz on Broadway.
Over the years, Hemsley also has appeared on "The Incredible Hulk," "Fantasy Island," "The Love Bloat," E/R." "The Twilight Zone," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "Designing Women," and other programs; but clearly his celebrity rests on his portrayal of George Jefferson.
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