The son of Yugoslavian immigrants, character actor Louis Zorich began his career in Canada following his training at the Goodman School of Theater in his hometown of Chicago, IL. He made his Broadway debut in Jean Anouilh's "Becket" (1960), starring Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn, and has returned to the Great White Way in such productions as "Death of a Salesman" (1984) and "She Loves Me" (1993), among others. With his wife Olympia Dukakis, Zorich co-founded the Whole Theater in Montclair, New Jersey in 1972, maintaining it for 18 years before finally having to close it.
After appearing in a small role as a cab driver in Don Siegel's "Coogan's Bluff" (1968), Zorich achieved a higher profile as the constable in Norman Jewison's "Fiddler on the Roof" (1971). His other feature credits include "The Muppets Take Manhattan" (1984) and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (1988), both for director Frank Oz, and John Sayles' "City of Hope" (1991). Zorich has achieved his greatest exposure by far from series TV, particularly as the star of CBS' "Brooklyn Bridge" (1991-93) and in the recurring role of Paul Reiser's father on the long-running "Mad About You" (NBC, 1992-99).
- Born:
February 12, 1924 in Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Job Titles:
Actor, Bus driver, Physical education instructor
Family
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Daughter: Christina Zorich.
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Father: Christ Zorich. Yugoslavian immigrant
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Mother: Anna Zorich. Yugoslavian immigrant
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Son: Peter Zorich. co-founded a line of food products called Famous Fixins
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Son: Stefan Zorich.
Education
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Roosevelt College, Chicago, Illinois, music
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Goodman Theater School of Drama, Chicago, Illinois
Milestones
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1943 Served in US Army
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1959 Made New York stage debut in Shadow of Heroes at the York Theatre
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1960 Broadway debut in Becket , with Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn
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1966 Feature film debut as Russian Ambassador in Japanese sci-fi flick Gammera the Invincible
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1967 Acted on Broadway in Hadrian VII
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1968 Played a taxi driver in Don Siegel s Coogan s Bluff
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1969 Co-starred with Alec McCowen in the Broadway production of Hadrian VII ; nominated for a Supporting Actor Tony Award
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1971 Portrayed the constable in Norman Jewison s Fiddler on the Roof
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1972 Co-founded with wife Olympia Dukakis the Whole Theater in Montclair, NJ, maintaining it for 18 years before finally having to close it
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1984 Back on Broadway as Ben in revival of Arthur Miller s Death of a Salesman , starring Dustin Hoffman
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1984 Provided the voice of Pete in Frank Oz s The Muppets Take Manhattan
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1985 Reprised Broadway role in CBS version of Death of a Salesman
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1988 Portrayed Greek millionaire in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels , second film with director Oz
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1991 Featured as Mayor Baci in John Sayles City of Hope
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1993 Appeared on Broadway as Maraczek, owner of the perfumery where the two lovers work, in the revival of the musical She Loves Me
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1997 Acted the part of Rudy Warner in Commandments
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2001 Portrayed the producer Dmitri Weisman in the Broadway revival of Follies
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2005 Starred opposite Michelle Williams in the drama A Hole in One
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First worked as actor in Canada following his studies at the Goodman Theater School of Drama
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Landed first TV job in Canadian production of Les Miserables
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Played recurring role of Paul Reiser s father Burt Buchman in long-running CBS sitcom Mad About You ; role made regular as of the 1997-1998 season
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Returned to Broadway in cast of Neil Simon s The Odd Couple
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Starred as Jules Berger opposite Marion Ross as his wife Sophie in CBS series Brooklyn Bridge