BIOGRAPHY

Four time Emmy winner Dennis Franz has amassed a mantle full of accolades for his performance as 'Detective Andy Sipowicz' on "NYPD Blue" A seven-time Emmy nominee, Dennis has received the voter's nod four times; 93-94, 95-96, 96-97 and 98-99 television seasons for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

This is unprecedented -- to win four Emmys for the same character in the same series, in the drama category. He has also earned seven SAG award nominations for Best Actor in a Drama, and Best Ensemble Acting, receiving the award in 1994 and 1996, five Best Actor awards from Viewers for Quality Television and a 1994 Golden Globe. "NYPD Blue" is in its eighth season on ABC TV.

Dennis is part of a very select VIP Group chosen to read selections from Pope John II's private prayer / poem books for a CD. Other celebrities who have lent their voices to this project are Jennifer Love Hewitt, Edward James Olmos, Danny Glover and Faith Hill.

The poems Dennis recorded in October, 1999 are being set to original music, composed by the world famous composer Pino Marucci. His Holiness Pope John II will also recite prayers on this CD.

Recently, Dennis teamed up with the Dixie Chicks, playing 'Earl' in the video of their hit song, "Good-bye Earl." Dennis said. "Andy Sipowicz sometimes puts despicable wife abusers away, but this time, despicable wife abuser Earl got put away -- permanently."

Dennis arrived in a police motorcade and was presented with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on February 19, 1999. That date was proclaimed "Dennis Franz Day" in Hollywood. "This is a kick," he said. "When I came from Chicago to Hollywood I always wondered how the people who have these stars felt. And let me tell you, it feels great."

In May 1999, Dennis hosted the Revlon Run/Walk in Los Angeles, benefiting Breast and Ovarian Cancer Research, and the LAPD Golf Tournament. This annual event benefits officers and their families in financial distress due to death or other extenuating circumstances.

He is a Celebrity spokesperson for RADD (Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving). Last season, he participated in their "Designate before you celebrate" campaign.

Dennis hosted "Healing the Hate," a one hour special that aired on USA Network. "Healing the Hate" was part of the "Erase the Hate" series that received the Governor's Award at the Cable Ace Awards in 1996. Dennis lent his talents to "Don't Be a Target," a series of three one hour syndicated TV specials offering tips on crime prevention.

As the voice of 'Officer Klegghorn' he joined Ian Ziering, Jim Belushi and Tim Curry in ABC and Buena Vista Television's "Mighty Ducks," a Disney Afternoon animated series. Dennis' rendition of 'Officer Klegghorn' (a cop, we might add) garnered him his first Daytime Emmy nomination for Performer in an Animated Program. He was the voice of a police horse in Paramount's "Doctor Dolittle," a feature film directed by fellow "Hill Street Blues" alumni, Betty Thomas.

He portrayed a journalist in NBC TV's "Moment of Truth; Caught in the Crossfire" and famed Texas attorney, 'Richard Racehorse Haynes' in the ABC miniseries "Texas Justice."

He guest-starred in Steven Bochco's ABC series "Civil Wars" and the NBC Movie of the Week, "In the Line of Duty; Stand-Off At Marion," directed by fellow Hill Streeter, Charles Haid.

Dennis starred as 'Lt. Stan Krieger' on "Nasty Boys" the 1989-90 NBC series. He also starred with Whoopi Goldberg in the CBS TV movie "Kiss Shot."

The hills of Hollywood, the streets of Las Vegas, the Big Apple-- New York are all a far cry from Maywood, Illinois, where Dennis was born on October 28. He is first generation German American, his father was a baker until an allergy to flour forced him to seek other employment. Eventually both Dennis' mother and father worked for the postal service. He has two older sisters.

Dennis was active in high school baseball, football and swimming. During his junior year, he attended a school play audition with his girlfriend. AI sat there and thought, "I can do this" I auditioned and there I was in 'The Crucible'. "My girlfriend didn't get the role and so a promising romance was lost," reminisces Dennis.

As Dennis's interest in acting grew, he gave up sports activities . He attended Wright Junior College in Chicago. AI loved the school, its theater and its social life so much that Wright had to tell me it was time to move on, I had too many credits. I enrolled at Southern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in speech and theater," states Dennis.

Following his 1968 graduation, a notice from the local draft board arrived. Realizing that Vietnam or Vietnam, were his choices, he thought he could outsmart the service by enlisting in officer's school one day before the draft took effect. He admits to having been curious about the service, a curiosity he regretted two weeks after enlisting. Not really wishing to become an officer and stay in the military, Dennis requested a transfer. And, transferred he was... an eleven month tour of duty in Vietnam with a reconnaissance unit.

After spending a year 'doing nothin', Dennis got together with some college buddies and they organized several theatre companies in Chicago; a traveling dinner theatre, 'The Unexpected Company' and 'The American Touring Theater,' which specialized in the classics.

In 1972, Dennis became associated with the 'Old Orchard Country Club Theatre,' a repertory company in Arlington Heights, Illinois. While there, he joined the 'Organic Theater Company' and was with them for five years. This proved to be the turning point in his theatrical career. In addition to performing in the Chicago area, the company toured the United States and Europe. They wrote much of their own material, and "Bleacher Bums" authored by Dennis and Joe Mantegna won a local Emmy Award for its PBS presentation. Dennis worked in summer theatre with June Lockhart, Joan Bennett, and Lindsay Crouse; and had a chance to perform at Chicago's famed Goodman Theatre.

Chicago was on the verge of becoming a thriving film community. Dennis appeared in "Stony Island" for director Andy Davis, as well as Robert Altman's "A Wedding," and Brian DePalma's "The Fury." Both DePalma and Altman felt that Dennis should make the move to Los Angeles. So, with his belongings in a U-Haul, he headed for L.A.

Once in Los Angeles, he got together with some of his Chicago acting buddies to put on the plays "The Mattress" and "Cops" at two Hollywood theatres and ended up right back in Chicago for his first television series, "Chicago Story."

Dennis starred as 'Nathaniel Messinger' in "City of Angels," with Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage for Warner Brothers. "I thought this was one of the best scripts I had read, and it immediately reminded me of 'Wings of Desire', I knew it was based from that.. And I had worked with Brad Silberling before on NYPD Blue. It was a departure from playing a cop," said Dennis.

He starred as 'Donny Dubrow' with Dustin Hoffman and Sean Nelson, in the film version of David Mamet's "American Buffalo." He teamed with Bruce Willis in 20th Century Fox's 1990 summer hit, "Die Hard 2, Die Harder," portraying 'Captain Carmine Lorenzo,' the over-ambitious head of Dulles Airport security.

His film credits also include; "The Package," with Gene Hackman, "Dressed to Kill" (one of his first 'cop' roles), "Popeye,""Blow Out,""Remember My Name,""Perfect Couple," "Body Double," "Psycho II," and "A Fine Mess."

Dennis guest-starred on numerous television series when he was asked to join the 'guys on the hill.' "It was very exciting to be asked to play a role on television's most critically acclaimed show, "Hill Street Blues."

"I was 'Sal Benedetto,' a notorious, selfish, evil man. I did two episodes and the character was so popular I did another three. TV Guide voted me "Villain of the Year" and I was sad to see him go."

Steven Bochco created "Bay City Blues," the story of minor league baseball players, and asked Dennis to take a starring role. He accepted and with that 'Sal Benedetto' met his maker. Unfortunately, "Bay City" was a ratings casualty and neither Dennis nor the producers could come up with a way to bring him back to "Hill Street Blues."

Eventually the producers of "Hill Street Blues" came to him with 'Lt. Norman Buntz.' Dennis found that he could rejoin the 'guys on the hill' and 'Buntz' quickly became one of the show's most popular characters.

"What I liked best about 'Buntz' was his wonderful extremes. Sure he started out as the precinct bad apple, but as time went on 'Buntz' grew many dimensions, humor, vulnerability,sensitivity, yet always capable of that hard edge. 'Buntz' was spun off into an NBC half hour series, "Beverly Hills Buntz."

In his spare time, Dennis loves to play golf and enjoys skiing. He likes team sports such a baseball and football, both as spectator and participant. Dennis is an avid Chicago Cubs fan and has cut commercials for them. Continuing his allegiance to the Cubs, Dennis sat-in for announcer Harry Carey at a Cubs/Giants game, ..."One of the most terrifying and difficult things I've ever done." In honor of the late Mister Carey, Dennis led the crowd in a rousing rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch of a Cub's home game in May, 1998.

As always, Dennis is very much interested in wildlife preservation and is a board member of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and a major supporter of Actors and Others for Animals. His cockatiel, Hector and two dogs recently passed away. He has plans to get another dog soon.
He enjoys music and sang in high school choirs. He likes country and western, fifties rock and the "Golden Oldies," but listens to Pavarotti as well. His favorite performers include James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen.

In a creative vein, Dennis enjoys writing, "Someday I'm going to put together all these silly thoughts I'm writing down, and maybe write a book, play, or movie." Directing could have a place in his future once he feels that he has acquired the knowledge needed to do so. Dennis needn't worry; with his creativity and talent, audiences will be seeing the credit, "written and directed by" Dennis Franz.