Louis Zorich
Born(1924-02-12)February 12, 1924
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, the son of immigrants from Croatia, Anna (née Gledic) and Christ Zoric.[3] He attended Earle Elementary School[4] 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.[5] Louis's nephew, Chris Zorich, played professional football. [6]

Zorich served in the U.S. Army during World War II.[7]

Theatre

Zorich made his Broadway debut in 1961 in Becket starring Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn.[8][9] In 1969 he played a "venal Italian cardinal" in Hadrian VII[10] where he was nominated for a Tony Award.[11]

In 1973 Zorich and his wife founded the Whole Theatre Company in Montclair, New Jersey — that state's first resident professional theater.[12] They operated the theater for 18 years.[13]

In the 1976 revival of They Knew What They Wanted, Zorich played middle-aged Napa Valley grape farmer Tony[14] and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.[11] 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."[14] He played Mr. Maraczek in the 1993 Broadway musical revival She Loves Me.[11] Critic Frank Scheck wrote, "...Louis Zorich is moving as the store owner trying to cope with the news of his wife's infidelity."[15] 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."[8]

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.[13]

Film and television

Zorich played the Russian Constable in the movie version of Fiddler on the Roof (1971)[16] and a cab dispatcher in the comedy For Pete's Sake (1974).[17]

In The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), Zorich played a Greek restaurant owner.[18] Critic Vincent Canby wrote, "Louis Zorich is funny as a nice, helpful, harassed coffee-shop owner who feeds the Muppets in their lean days..."[19] In a TV adaptation of Death of a Salesman (1985), he played Ben, the older brother of Willy Loman.[20] 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.[21] He co-starred in the critically acclaimed comedy TV series Brooklyn Bridge as family patriarch Jules Berger.[22] 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..."[11]

Personal life

Zorich was married to Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis for 56 years, from 1962 until his death.[23] They had three children together. He died at his Manhattan apartment at the age of 93 on January 30, 2018.[24][3]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1966Gamera, the Giant MonsterRussian Ambassador
1968What's So Bad About Feeling Good?Uncredited
1968Coogan's BluffTaxi Driver
1969PopiPenebaz
1971Cold TurkeyDouglas TruesdaleUncredited
1971They Might Be Giants2nd Sanitation Man
1971Fiddler on the RoofConstable
1971Made for Each OtherPandora's Father
1973The Don Is DeadMitch DiMorra
1974The Rehearsal
1974For Pete's SakeNick
1974Newman's LawFrank Lo Falcone
1974Sunday in the CountryDinelli
1976W.C. Fields and MeGene Fowler
1977A Good Dissonance Like a ManGeorge W. Chadwick
1977The Other Side of MidnightDemonides
1980The ChangelingStewart AdlerUncredited
1980Up the AcademySheik Amier
1984The Muppets Take ManhattanPete
1985Death of a SalesmanBen LomanTV movie
1985Walls of GlassLerner
1986Club ParadiseSwiss Businessman
1986Where Are the Children?Kragopoulos
1988Cheap ShotsLouie Constantine
1988Dirty Rotten ScoundrelsGreek Millionaire
1989Bloodhounds of BroadwayMindy
1991City of HopeMayor Baci
1991Missing PiecesOchenko
1993 - 1999Mad About YouBurt Buchman
1997CommandmentsRudy Warner
1997Kiss & TellLouis
1998A Fish in the BathtubMorris
1999Joe the KingJudge
2001Friends & FamilyMarvin Levine
2004A Hole in OneSammy
2007Running FunnyStan
2009Run ItAngelo
2011DetachmentGrampa
2011A Bird of the AirStowalski
2011The Tall ManLou
2015Emily & TimTim Hanratty(segment 'Attachment')
2016No Pay, NudityLester'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. 1 2 "Louis Zorich, theater, film actor, 93". Philadelphia Inquirer. February 4, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  3. 1 2 O'Donnell, Maureen (February 4, 2018). "Actor Louis Zorich, South Side native and husband of Olympia Dukakis, dead at 93". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  4. "cpsalumni.org". www.cpsalumni.org. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  5. Yahoo! Movies: Louis Zorich Biography. Retrieved October 21, 2007. Archived June 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. Downey, Mike (May 13, 2007). "Mother's Day sweet reminder to Zorich". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  7. 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.
  8. 1 2 Bonelli, Winnie (June 11, 1993). "Tales of a master thespian". The Herald-News. Passaic, NJ. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  9. "("Zorich" search results)". Drama Desk. Archived from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  10. Oppenheimer, George (January 9, 1969). "'Hadrian' a Striking Club to Majesty". Newsday.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Bonelli, Winnie (June 11, 1993). "Tales of a master thespian". The Herald-News. Passaic, NJ. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  12. Bass, Milton R. (August 14, 1975). "The Lively World". The Berkshire Eagle. Massachusetts, Pittsfield. p. 6. Retrieved February 27, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 "Meet & greet actor Louis Zorich on Sunday at 'Talkin' with Louis!'". The Montclair Times. New Jersey, Montclair. March 18, 2010. p. D 7. Retrieved February 27, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  14. 1 2 Watt, Douglas (January 28, 1976). "...and they got it". Daily News. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  15. Scheck, Frank (June 22, 1993). "Evokes Longing For Shows of Bygone Eras". Christian Science Monitor.
  16. Noyes, Jean (November 4, 1971). "Who's New in Montclair". The Montclair Times. Montclair, NJ. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  17. Westgate, Barry (August 1, 1974). "Shameless Streisand showcase". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  18. Siskel, Gene (July 13, 1984). "Muppets: They'll take Manhattan". Times-Advocate. Escondido, CA. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  19. Canby, Vincent (July 13, 1984). "Film: Broadway Setting For 3d Muppet Romp". New York Times.
  20. O'Connor, John (September 13, 1985). "TV Weekend; Hoffman In 'Death Of A Salesman'". New York Times.
  21. Gardella, Kay (February 8, 1990). "Fact is, Saturday's 'Columbo' is a real winner". Daily News. New York, NY. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  22. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  23. 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.
  24. 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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