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George DiCenzo

American actor (1940–2010) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Ralph DiCenzo (April 21, 1940 – August 9, 2010) was an American actor and one-time associate producer of Dark Shadows. He was in show business for over 30 years, in film, TV, stage, and commercials.[1] DiCenzo played Marty's grandfather Sam Baines in the film Back to the Future. He also had a minor role in William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist III.

Born
George Ralph DiCenzo

(1940-04-21)April 21, 1940
Died (aged 70)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • acting teacher
  • producer
Yearsactive1970–2006
Quick facts Born, Died ...
George DiCenzo
DiCenzo in 2007
Born
George Ralph DiCenzo

(1940-04-21)April 21, 1940
Died (aged 70)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • acting teacher
  • producer
Years active1970–2006
Spouse
Donna Artz-DiCenzo
​
(m. 1999)​
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Life and career

DiCenzo was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He appeared in more than 30 feature films, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), The Choirboys (1977), The Frisco Kid (1979), The Ninth Configuration (1980), Back to the Future (1985), About Last Night (1986), Walk Like a Man (1987), The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988), 18 Again! (1988), Sing (1989) and The Exorcist III (1990).

He appeared in Hotel, directed by Mike Figgis, and Tempted, directed by Bill Bennett. He also played the late baseball commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti in the television film Hustle about disgraced baseball great Pete Rose. In 2002 George played Ennio Salieri in the video game Mafia, and also provided the voice of Earnest Kelly in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, released that same year.

In 1976, he appeared in the CBS television film Helter Skelter as prosecuting attorney Vincent Bugliosi. In the 1981–82 television season, DiCenzo was a regular on McClain's Law, with James Arness and Marshall Colt, starting with the television film McClain's Law, structured as the series' pilot. He appeared in the 1977 miniseries Aspen, the 1980 television film The Night the City Screamed, and made regular appearances on Murder, She Wrote, Law & Order and NYPD Blue.

His own series included Equal Justice and Joe's Life in the early and mid-1990s. He appeared as a guest star in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Semi-Professional". In the early 1990s, DiCenzo appeared on Broadway with Nathan Lane in On Borrowed Time.

DiCenzo's voice can be heard in commercials, audiobooks, and cartoon series. His roles in the latter include the title character in BlackStar (1981), Hordak in She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985–1986), and Captain America in Spider-Man (1981) and Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981–1983). He was an acting teacher in New York City and Philadelphia for several years. He apprenticed under his mentor Milton Katselas at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.[2]

Death

DiCenzo died of sepsis on August 9, 2010, at the age of 70.[3] He was buried in the North and Southampton Churchyard at Churchville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Filmography

Film

More information Year, Title ...
George DiCenzo film credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1970House of Dark ShadowsDeputyUncredited
1971Going HomeSergeant
1972Across 110th StreetPatrolman
1974Shoot It Black, Shoot It BlueGeorge
1975The Swiss Family RobinsonSuramin
1975Las Vegas LadyEversull
1977Close Encounters of the Third KindMajor Benchley
1977The ChoirboysLieutenant Grimsley
1979The Frisco KidDarryl Diggs
1980The Ninth ConfigurationCaptain Fairbanks
1981Gangster WarsArnold Rothstein
1981McClain's LawLieutenant DeNisco
1983Breach of Contract
1985The Secret of the SwordHordak (voice)[4]
1985Back to the FutureSam Baines
1986The LongshotDeFranco
1986About Last NightMr. Favio
1986Omega SyndromePhiladelphia 'Phil' Horton
1987Walk Like a ManBob (Bub) Downs
1988The New Adventures of Pippi LongstockingMr. Blackhart
198818 Again!Coach
1989SingMr. Marowitz
1989Face of the EnemyJames Wald
1990The Exorcist IIIStedman
1992Gypsy EyesWyden
1997Lesser ProphetsJerry
1998IlluminataJailor
2000It Had to Be YouMel
2001TemptedByron Blades
2001HotelBoris
2004StatesideDetective #2
2006A Guide to Recognizing Your SaintsUncle George(final film role)
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Television

More information Year, Title ...
George DiCenzo television credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1973 Ironside Joe Episode: "Another Shell Game"
1973 Ironside Paul Benson Episode: "Downhill All the Way"
1973 Gunsmoke Newt Episode: "Susan Was Evil"
1974 Barnaby Jones Sy Landau Episode: "Foul Play"
1974 Kung Fu Jesse Episode: "The Predators"
1974 The Rockford Files Harry Stoner Episode: "Tall Woman in Red Wagon"
1975

Streets of San Francisco Frank Episode: Dead Air 1975

Gunsmoke Mr. Bruce Episode: "The Fires of Ignorance"
1975 S.W.A.T. Owings Episode: "Sole Survivor"
1975 Kojak Harry Ferguson Episode: "Be Careful What You Pray For"
1976Helter SkelterVincent BugliosiTelevision film
1977 Aspen Abe Singer 3 episodes
1977–1980 Hawaii Five-O Len Sessup, Alika Kalei, Yuri Bloch 3 episodes
1979 The Waltons Calvin Satterfield 2 episodes
1981 BlackStar John Blackstar (voice) 13 episodes[4]
1981 McClain's Law Lt. DeNisco Television film
1981–1982 McClain's Law Lt. DeNisco 15 episode
1981–1983 Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends Captain America, Cyclops, additional voices 24 episodes
1982 Spider-Man Captain America (voice) Episode: "The Capture of Captain America"
1984 Magnum, P.I. M. Barry Aldridge Episode: "Blind Justice"
1985–1986 She-Ra: Princess of Power Hordak, Bow, additional voices 93 episodes
1987 The Equalizer Frank Dorgan Episode: "Memories of Manon"
1988 The Equalizer Bruno Dominic Episode: "A Dance on the Dark Side"
1980 The Night the City Screamed Cliff Barrankos Television film
1990–1991 Equal Justice D.A. Arnold Bach 26 episodes
1991 Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion Albert Nardone Television film
1991 In the Heat of the Night Ramon Palez Episode: "A Woman Much Admired"
1992 Law & Order Eddie Palmieri Episode: "The Working Stiff"
1993–1994 Batman: The Animated Series Ubu (voice) 2 episodes[4]
1993 Joe's Life Stan Gennaro 11 episodes
1993 Animaniacs Commandant (voice) Episode: "Puttin' on the Blitz"[4]
1995–1996 NYPD Blue Pete Russell 2 episodes
1997 Law & Order Sam "Bunny" Russo Episode: "Barter"
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Judge Raoul Sabatelli Episode: "Semi-Professional"
2004 Hustle A. Bartlett Giamatti Television film
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Video games

More information Year, Title ...
YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 Mafia Ennio Salieri [4]
2002 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Earnest Kelly [4]
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References

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