Dennis Franz
Detective Andy Sipowicz
Now entering his 11th season on ABC's critically acclaimed drama, Dennis Franz has amassed a mantelfull of accolades for his complex and compelling performance on NYPD Blue. An eight-time Emmy nominee, he has won the Award for Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times. This is unprecedented — to win four Emmys for the same character on the same dramatic series. He was also a 1994 Golden Globe Award winner, received five Best Actor awards from the Viewers for Quality Television, won the very first SAG award for Best Actor in a Drama in 1994 (and again in 1996), and for Best Ensemble Acting in a Drama (in 1995 and 1997).
Franz received critical acclaim for his guest-starring roles on ABC's Civil Wars and the television movie, In the Line of Duty: Stand-Off at Marion. He starred in the TV movie, Moment of Truth: Caught in the Crossfire, and the ABC miniseries Texas Justice. During the 1989-90 television season he starred as Lieutenant Stan Krieger on the series Nasty Boys.
In feature films Franz has starred in City of Angels, and his voice can be heard — as the police horse — in the film Doctor Dolittle. Other feature credits include American Buffalo, Die Hard II: Die Harder, The Package, Dressed to Kill Popeye, Blowout, Remember My Name, Perfect Couple, , Psycho II and A Fine Mess.
Born in Maywood, Illinois, Franz was active in high-school baseball, football and swimming. During his junior year he tried out for a part in a school production of The Crucible because his girlfriend was auditioning. He got his part, she didn't, and so a promising romance was lost.
Dennis attended Wright Junior College in Chicago and then Southern Illinois University, majoring in speech and theater. Following graduation he enlisted in the military and did an 11-month tour of duty in Vietnam. Returning home, he got together with some college buddies and organized several theater companies in the Chicago area, including The Organic Theater Company.
In 1983 Franz began his association with Steven Bochco, portraying Sal Benedetto on the critically acclaimed Hill Street Blues. TV Guide voted him "Villain of the Year". Bochco later asked Franz to star in Bay City Blues, a series about minor league baseball players. When the series ended after four episodes, the producers of Hill Street Blues created the role of Lieutenant Buntz for Franz so he could return to "The Hill." Buntz became very popular and Franz remained with the series for its last two seasons, 1985-86 and 1986-87. This led to a short-lived spin-off, Beverly Hills Buntz.
In his spare time Franz snow-skis, plays golf and gives of his time and talent to charitable organizations. The Los Angeles Police Department Reserve officers presented him with their 2000 "Twice A Citizen" Award. He serves on the board of the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance since its inception in January, 2000, and co-hosted — with Katie Couric — their first ROCK 'N RACE TO FIGHT COLON CANCER, in Washington DC His appearance in May, 2001, on Celebrity Millionaire earned $250,000 for the charity. The Academy of the American Veteran Awards named Dennis as "Veteran of the Year 2002."
Franz has also hosted the Revlon Run/Walk in Los Angeles, benefiting breast and ovarian cancer research, and the Los Angeles Police Department's golf tournament.
He was presented with his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 19, 1999, and that date was proclaimed "Dennis Franz Day" in Hollywood.
Franz was among a select group — including Faith Hill, Britney Spears and *NSYNC — who read selections from Pope John II's private prayer / poem books for a CD that serves as a companion piece to "The Private Prayer Books of Pope John Paul II," a seven volume collection of his personal writings. Proceeds are donated to charities selected by the Vatican.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Detective John Clark, Jr.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar will be seen in the upcoming TBS film Atomic Twister, and has also been seen as U.S. Marine Jason Johnson in The Princess and the Marine, based on a real-life tale of forbidden love.
Gosselaar is no stranger to episodic drama. In 1998, he was seen in the coming-of-age series Hyperion Bay, and also starred in D.C. Additionally, he starred in the popular comedy Saved by the Bell.
Gosselaar starred opposite Alan Arkin in the comedy Necessary Parties and in a half-dozen other movies-of-the-week, including ABC's For the Love of Nancy, Saved By the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas, She Cried No, Dying to Belong, and Born into Exile.
Gosselaar's first major studio film was the 1998 Paramount release Dead Man on Campus. He has also built his image as a versatile indie actor with such projects as White Wolves, Under a Killing Moon, Abraxus II, and Sticks and Stones.
Having tried his hand at a variety of sports, Gosselaar has narrowed his sporting interests to three: golf, hockey, and his first love, motorcycle racing. He continues to do his part to steer young people into sports and away from the hazards of drugs, having served as an official spokesperson for the United States Soccer Organization and D.A.R.E.
Gordon Clapp
Detective Greg Medavoy
Born and raised in the small town of North Conway, New Hampshire, Clapp first appeared in an Equity theater production at the age of 12. He graduated from South Kent High School, a boys' boarding school in Connecticut, where he also appeared in several plays. He went on to appear in a number of other drama productions when he attended Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachussetts, from which he graduated as an English major.
With a group of friends Clapp became part of a children's touring theater based in Bennington, Vermont, and toured New England for three seasons. He also performed in summer stock in North Conway, then took up residence in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he appeared for two seasons at the Neptune Theatre.
Subsequently Clapp moved to Toronto, where for three years he performed in theater and in Canadian TV movies. In 1978 he made his feature film debut, appearing with Michael Douglas in Running. Then it was back to North Conway to make a film that became a surprise hit, Return of the Secaucus Seven, directed by his friend John Sayles. Following this, Clapp became a member of the National Arts Center Theatre Company in Ottawa for five seasons, and followed that with regional theater in Philadelphia and Buffalo.
In 1985, Gordon appeared with Don Adams in Check It Out, a syndicated sitcom produced in Toronto, where he also appeared in several movies for the Canadian Broadcasting Company. Two more films for director Sayles followed: Matewan and Eight Men Out. In 1988, he appeared in the film, Termini Station, with Colleen Dewhurst. Sunshine State, his fifth film for John Sayles, was released Summer, 2002, and he can be seen in a cameo in Disney's Baby's in Black. Other feature film credits include Skeletons in the Closet, William Friedkin's Rules of Engagement and The Rage: Carrie 2.
Clapp moved to Los Angeles in 1989, and soon was cast in the ABC television movie Small Sacrifices. TV series guest appearances include Night Court, Cheers, The Wonder Years, Cop Rock and Civil Wars. He starred in the ABC movies for television, Abandoned and Deceived and Badge of Betrayal; the cable television movie The Morrison Murders, as well as the television anthology, Dead Man's Gun. He recently guest-starred on the PBS drama American Family.
Henry Simmons
Detective Baldwin Jones
An exceptional athlete, Henry Simmons pursued his business degree while attending college on a basketball scholarship. After graduating, he accepted a position at a prestigious Fortune 500 company, and it was only a short while later that he decided to pursue acting full-time. Simmons began his acting career while doing odd jobs to support himself, and often spent nights sleeping on a friend's couch or in the back room of the theater in which he was performing.
He got his lucky break while rehearsing for an independent feature film. Although that film was never produced, it led to a role in the New Line feature, Above the Rim. What followed were numerous on-stage appearances at LaMaMa Theatre Company and at other esteemed institutions.
In 1996, Simmons landed a role in a pilot, which led to a role on the soap, Another World. Other television credits include appearances on New York Undercover, Swift Justice, Saturday Night Live and The Cosby Mysteries.
Simmons also stars in the soon-to-be-released independent romantic comedy, Let It Snow. He also starred in the independent film, On the QT, in which he portrays the son of James Earl Jones' character, and A Gentleman's Game.
Simmons has two sisters, including one twin, and maintains a close relationship with his family.
Bill Brochtrup
P.A.A. John Irvin
Bill Brochtrup got his big career break when he was cast for two episodes on NYPD Blue during the show's second season. Brochtrup's portrayal of the extremely efficient police administrative aide endeared him to viewers, as well as the show's producers.
When NYPD Blue co-creator Steven Bochco next hired Brochtrup to reprise the role of John Irvin in the sitcom, Public Morals, it created the rare occasion for the same character to appear both in a drama and a comedy, and on different networks.
Following Public Morals, Brochtrup went on to star in the ABC series Total Security, with James Belushi. Soon after the conclusion of that series, Brochtrup returned to NYPD Blue.
Since making his professional debut a decade ago in the television series Hot Pursuit, Brochtrup has worked continuously in theater, film and television. He has guest-starred on series such as Dharma & Greg, Picket Fences and Murder, She Wrote.
His feature film credits include Ravenous, Not Again, the critically acclaimed mockumentary Man of the Year, and the futuristic Space Marines.
Brochtrup starred in and received rave notices for his performance in the off-Broadway production of Snakebit at the Century Theatre. He reprised his role in the West Coast premiere of Snakebit at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood. His previous stage credits include D.H. Lawrence's The Fox, for which he won a DramaLogue Award, and Raft of the Medusa.
Brochtrup, who once backpacked across Europe, enjoys traveling to exotic places, so much so that he spent the 4th of July with U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on a USO "meet and greet" tour. He tours the nation for a variety of charitable organizations, including Rock the Vote and AIDS Walks.
A third-generation Californian, he was raised in Tacoma, Washington, and attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
Jacqueline Obradors
Detective Rita Ortiz
Jacqueline Obradors, who is well known on both film and television, having starred opposite Harrison Ford in Ivan Reitman's Six Days, Seven Nights, joins the cast of NYPD Blue as Detective Rita Ortiz.
Obradors earned a Blockbuster Entertainment Award nomination for her role in Six Days, Seven Nights. More recently she was seen in Samuel Goldwyn's Tortilla Soup, a dramady inspired by Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman, and she will soon star in New Line Cinema's thriller, Diablo — opposite Vin Diesel — for director F. Gary Gray (2002).
Providing a key voice for Disney's animated feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Obradors also co-starred with Rob Schneider in Disney's hit comedy, Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo, and appeared in the festival circuit award-winner, Crossing Over.
Her TV credits are impressive as well: She starred with Elizabeth Perkins in NBC/Dreamworks' mid-season sitcom Battery Park, for creator/producer Gary David Goldberg (Family Ties, Spin City), and has also guest-starred in four-episodes of the NBC sitcom Jesse.
Other TV credits include Killer App, for director/producer Robert Altman, The People, with Bradley Whitford and, most recently, a guest turn on the comedy Some of My Best Friends.
Obradors is a Southern California native who enjoys traveling and yoga.
Currie Graham
Lieutenant Thomas Bale
Currie Graham's natural affinity for acting in both drama and comedy is clearly illustrated by his wide range of credits in television, as well as features. He most recently wrapped the feature Assault on Precinct 13.
Graham has had guest starring roles on several critically acclaimed dramas such as 24, Monk, CSI, The Practice and Judging Amy. Previously he was a series regular on the sitcom Suddenly Susan, in addition to having the lead in ABC's These Guys.
He fell into acting while attending high school in Ontario, Canada. As a basketball player, Graham signed up for drama, thinking it was a way to snooze before big basketball games. Instead he was forced to participate in a play, and once he hit the stage, he knew acting was his destiny. He later attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York to hone his new found talent.
Currently residing in the Los Angeles area, in his spare time Graham enjoys golf, writing and learning to play the guitar, as well as poker.
Bonnie Somerville
Detective Laura Murphy
Bonnie Somerville radiates natural beauty and a disarming "girl-next-door" appeal that immediately endears her to audiences.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Somerville grew up in a large and close-knit Irish Catholic family. She developed a deep desire to perform at a young age through singing and acting in school and community theater productions. She honed her skills studying theater at Boston College, then moved to New York City to study at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute.
Television audiences will remember her as Mona, girlfriend to Ross on Friends. She also starred in Shake, Rattle and Roll, Grosse Point and In-Laws.
Somerville has also been busy in feature films, in the independent black comedy, Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes and Bedazzled. Somerville can be currently seen in Without a Paddle. |
