Dennis Franz

Biography

Dennis Franz is a retired American actor who began his career with Chicago's Organic Theater Company and was typecast as a police officer. He guest starred on shows such as The A-Team and Hunter, then joined Hill Street Blues as the corrupt Detective Sal Benedetto in the 1982 to 1983 season. He returned to that series in 1985 as Lieutenant Norman Buntz and later starred in its spin-off, Beverly Hills Buntz. He worked often with Brian De Palma and Robert Altman, and his films include Die Hard 2 (1990) and City of Angels (1998), his final screen role. Franz is best known for Detective Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue, a part he played from 1993 to 2005 that earned him four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. He also voiced Captain Klegghorn on Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series and retired from acting after NYPD Blue ended in 2005.

81years old

Turns 82 on October 28in 16 days

Born October 28, 1944Maywood
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
Dennis Franz Schlachta (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 14
Career span: 35 years1965 to 2000

Genres

Drama50%, 7 films
Thriller50%, 7 films
Action29%, 4 films
Crime29%, 4 films
Mystery29%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Franz started out as an actor with the Organic Theater Company in Chicago. His looks caused him to be typecast as a cop early in his career, though he had also performed Shakespeare.
A first
By his own count, Dennis Franz played the character of Andy Sipowicz as his 28th role as a police officer.

Dennis Franz movies on Netflix

Altman on His Own Terms2000IMDb rating 8.5as Himself
City of Angels1998IMDb rating 6.7as Nathaniel Messinger
American Buffalo1996IMDb rating 5.8as Don
Die Hard 21990IMDb rating 7.2as Capt. Carmine Lorenzo
The Package1989IMDb rating 6.4as Lt. Milan Delich
A Fine Mess1986IMDb rating 4.8as Phil
Runaway Train1985IMDb rating 7.2as Cop
Body Double1984IMDb rating 6.8as Rubin the Director
Psycho II1983IMDb rating 6.6as Warren Toomey
Blow Out1981IMDb rating 7.4as Manny Karp
Dressed to Kill1980IMDb rating 7.0as Detective Marino
Remember My Name1978IMDb rating 6.3as Franks
The Fury1978IMDb rating 6.3as Bob Eggleston
Mickey One1965IMDb rating 6.3as Minor Role in Dressing Room

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

City of Angels1998 Drama, Fantasy, Romanceas Nathaniel Messinger
IMDb rating 6.7136K votes
Die Hard 21990 Action, Thrilleras Capt. Carmine Lorenzo
IMDb rating 7.2410K votes
Blow Out1981as Manny Karp
IMDb rating 7.478K votes
Dressed to Kill1980as Detective Marino
IMDb rating 7.056K votes
Psycho II1983as Warren Toomey
IMDb rating 6.636K votes
Body Double1984as Rubin the Director
IMDb rating 6.846K votes
The Package1989as Lt. Milan Delich
IMDb rating 6.415K votes
American Buffalo1996as Don
IMDb rating 5.84.2K votes

Most often with

Brian De Palma directed four of these films. Four actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Jeff Goldblum

Anthony Perkins

Nancy Allen

J. Patrick McNamara

Brian De PalmaDirector, 4 films

Films together

Jeff Goldblum2 films together, 1978 to 2000
Jeff Goldblum's page
- Altman on His Own Terms2000IMDb rating 8.5Franz as HimselfGoldblum as Narrator…
- Remember My Name1978IMDb rating 6.3Franz as FranksGoldblum as Mr. Nudd
Anthony Perkins2 films together, 1978 to 1983
Anthony Perkins's page
- Psycho II1983IMDb rating 6.6Franz as Warren ToomeyPerkins as Norman Bates
- Remember My Name1978IMDb rating 6.3Franz as FranksPerkins as Neil Curry
Nancy Allen2 films together, 1980 to 1981
Nancy Allen's page
- Blow Out1981IMDb rating 7.4Franz as Manny KarpAllen as Sally
- Dressed to Kill1980IMDb rating 7.0Franz as Detective MarinoAllen as Liz Blake
J. Patrick McNamara2 films together, 1978 to 1981
J. Patrick McNamara's page
- Blow Out1981IMDb rating 7.4Franz as Manny KarpMcNamara as Detective at Hospital
- The Fury1978IMDb rating 6.3Franz as Bob EgglestonMcNamara as Robertson
Brian De PalmaDirector, 4 films, 1978 to 1984
All films by Brian De Palma
- Body Double1984IMDb rating 6.8Franz as Rubin the Director
- Blow Out1981IMDb rating 7.4Franz as Manny Karp
- Dressed to Kill1980IMDb rating 7.0Franz as Detective Marino
- The Fury1978IMDb rating 6.3Franz as Bob Eggleston

Box office

What Dennis Franz's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top

Combined worldwide box office

$575 million

11 of the 14 films have a worldwide figure.

11Worldwide figure
1Never in cinemas
2Figure not found

Top grosser

Die Hard 21990Capt. Carmine Lorenzo$240 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Die Hard 21990as Capt. Carmine Lorenzo
$240M41.7% of the total
2
City of Angels1998as Nathaniel Messinger
$199M34.5% of the total
3
Psycho II1983as Warren Toomey
$35M6.0% of the total
4
Dressed to Kill1980as Detective Marino
$32M5.5% of the total
5
The Fury1978as Bob Eggleston
$24M4.2% of the total
6
Blow Out1981as Manny Karp
$12M2.1% of the total
7
The Package1989as Lt. Milan Delich
$11M1.9% of the total
8
Body Double1984as Rubin the Director
$8.8M1.5% of the total

$14.6 millionfrom the other 3 films with a worldwide figure, 3% of the total

Awards

Seven awards and honors from 1994 to 1999, six of them major.

Top

Dennis Franz's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Golden Globes
	Best Actor – Television Series Drama		Won
Emmy Awards
1999	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	NYPD Blue	Won
1997	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	NYPD Blue	Won
1996	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	NYPD Blue	Won
1994	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series	NYPD Blue	Won
SAG Awards
	Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series		Won
Other honors
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top