Conrad Dunn (born March 9, 1950) is an American actor. He began his screen career with the role of Francis "Psycho" Soyer in Stripes (1981). Working for some ten years under the name George Jenesky, he achieved soap-opera stardom in Days of Our Lives as Nick Corelli, a misogynistic pimp who evolved from bad guy to romantic lead. He returned to the name Conrad Dunn and began working extensively in Canadian as well as U.S. film and television. He excels as a villain, and has found depth in such TV films as We the Jury (1996) and the miniseries The Last Don (1997–1998). For two seasons he portrayed the freelance detective Saul Panzer in the A&E TV series Nero Wolfe (2001–2002). He is also a veteran stage performer and director who studied at East Los Angeles College, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles and the Stella Adler Conservatory in New York.
Life and career Born and raised in Los Angeles, Conrad Dunn studied at East Los Angeles College, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, and with Stella Adler in New York. After seeing him on the stage, a casting director asked him to read for the role of Francis "Psycho" Soyer in Stripes (1981), his first feature film. His introductory speech, described by one reviewer as "Conrad Dunn's adroit tribute to Travis Bickle", was singled out by film critic Roger Ebert:
The response from drill sergeant Hulka, played by Warren Oates—"Lighten up, Francis"—became a popular movie quote.
Taking the name George Jenesky, Dunn performed over seven seasons (1981–1990) in the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives. His character, Nick Corelli, became a fan favorite, a despicable pimp who evolved into a romantic lead and one of the show's main characters. Nick's murder was one of the series' notable whodunits.
He has made numerous appearances in films and on television, frequently as the villain. In the mid-1990s he returned to the name Conrad Dunn and began working extensively in Canada as well as the U.S. Notable TV roles include an antagonistic juror in the USA Network film We the Jury (1996), a remorseless mobster in two CBS miniseries (1997–1998) adapted from Mario Puzo's The Last Don, and the arch villain in the 2000 pilot for TNT's supernatural drama series Witchblade. In 2001 he joined the principal cast of the A&E TV series Nero Wolfe (2001–2002), portraying the superlatively competent freelance detective Saul Panzer for two seasons. His later appearances include the films Chicago (2002), Owning Mahowny (2003) and Ving Rhames' Animal 2 (2007), and the TV series Suits (2012).
In addition to his work in film and television, Dunn was artistic director of three acting companies—The Frances Farmer Memorial Players (1977–1979), The Fly by Night Players (1981–1982) and The Dakota Repertory Theatre Company (1983–1991). He produced and performed in two notable Los Angeles productions—the award-winning Guests of the Nation (1989), and the first Equity performance of Seed of Darkness: The Final Tale of Edgar Allan Poe (1990)—that were both directed by Ron Burrus, leading exponent of the work of Stella Adler.
Dunn's other stage credits include a 1994 production of Edward Albee's The Zoo Story, simultaneously performed in American Sign Language. "Notwithstanding the value of bringing this important work to a non-hearing audience, the energy of the gestures generated by the actors actually underscores the emotional impact of their fateful encounter," wrote Variety. He later performed in Jim Garrard's Peggy's Song in Toronto (2012), North Hollywood (2019) and Kingston, Ontario (2020), and was recognized as best actor in a play at the 2019 Valley Theatre Awards. Dunn has also directed many original one-act plays showcasing the writers and actors at the Actors Workout Studio, in the NoHo Arts District of Los Angeles.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1981 Stripes Francis "Psycho" Soyer 1981 Days of Our Lives (TV series) Nick Corelli as George Jenesky 1983 T.J. Hooker (TV series) Douglas Nelson "Too Late for Love" 1983 Buffalo Bill (TV series) "Woody Quits" 1983 Alice (TV series) Customer "The Robot Wore Pink" 1984 Days of Our Lives Nick Corelli as George Jenesky 1985 Hill Street Blues (TV series) Sonny Murdo "You're in Alice's" 1986 Stewardess School Referee as George Jenesky 1986 Jumpin' Jack Flash Man with Umbrella at Phone Booth as George Jenesky 1986 Amazing Stories (TV series) Gas Station AttendantWarden's Guard "Gather Ye Acorns", as George Jenesky"Life on Death Row", as George Jenesky 1986 Hunter (TV series) Rocket "The Set Up", as George Jenesky 1986–1990 Days of Our Lives Nick Corelli as George Jenesky 1988 Alien Nation Quint as George Jenesky 1989 True Believer Slim Jim as George Jenesky 1988 Hunter Tommy Orlowski "Presumed Guilty", as George Jenesky 1990 Death Warrant Konefke as George Jenesky 1990 Dark Justice (TV series) Ted "Prime Cuts", as George Jenesky 1992 Tequila and Bonetti (TV series) Wayne "Mama", as George Jenesky 1993 Inside Edge Hip-Hop as George Jenesky 1993 Without Warning: Terror in the Towers (TV) Mohammed Salameh as George Jenesky 1995 Highlander: The Series (TV series) Matthew "Blind Faith" 1995 The Marshal (TV series) Louie-Louie "Rainbow Comix" 1995 Due South (TV series) Siracusa "The Witness" 1996 Side Effects (TV series) Dr. Irwin Pfaff "Behind the Scenes" 1996 Ed McBain's 87th Precinct: Ice (TV) Henry Gore 1996 Mask of Death Frank Dallio 1996 Silent Trigger Klein "Supervisor" 1996 We the Jury (TV) Rafael Ramos 1996 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (TV series) Mr. Marsden "Who Is Kwai Chang Caine?" 1997 The Last Don (TV miniseries) Lia Vazzi 1997 F/X: The Series (TV series) "Script Doctor" 1997 Goosebumps (TV series) Grimm "The Barking Ghost" 1997 The New Ghostwriter Mysteries (TV series) Harry "Designer Crime" 1998 Mr. Headmistress Farley 1998 The Last Don II (TV miniseries) Lia Vazzi 1999 Traders (TV series) "Eat the Loss" 1999 Vendetta (TV) Pasquale Corte 1999 The Famous Jett Jackson (TV series) Marley "Saving Mr. Dupree" 1999 Black and Blue (TV) Enrique 1999 Execution of Justice (TV) Gay Teacher 2000 Harry's Case (TV) 2000 La Femme Nikita (TV series) The Director of Red Cell "Sleeping with the Enemy" 2000 Witchblade (TV) Tommy Gallo 2000 Turn It Up Urie 2001 Haven (TV miniseries) Josef 2001–2002 Nero Wolfe (TV series) Saul Panzer 2002 Witchblade (TV series) Tommy Gallo "Emergence""Hierophant" 2002 Martin and Lewis (TV) Lou Perry 2002 Chicago Doctor 2003 Control Factor (TV) Thrillkill 2003 Owning Mahowny Edgar 2003 Blue Murder (TV series) Kenney Roswell "John Doe" 2003 Veritas: The Quest (TV series) Moondawg "Skulls" 2004 Direct Action Captain Stone 2004 Zeyda and the Hitman Mr. Valenti 2004 Clubhouse (TV series) Defense Lawyer "Road Trip" 2004 The Eleventh Hour (TV series) "Megan Ice Cream" 2005 Cool Money (TV) City 2006 Puppets Who Kill (TV series) Plumber "Mr. Big" 2006 At the Hotel (TV series) Señor Arioso "Modern Solutions to Modern Problems" 2006 Covert One: The Hades Factor (TV miniseries) Ghalib Hassan 2006 Jeff Ltd. (TV series) Vincent "Ali Baba and the 40 Carpets""Nightmare on Stevens Street" 2007 Animal 2 Kasada 2007 Degrassi: The Next Generation (TV series) Vlad "Don't You Want Me?" 2007 The Dead Zone (TV series) Frankie Toro "Drift" 2009 Murdoch Mysteries (TV series) Professor Otranto "Snakes and Ladders" 2011 XIII: The Series (TV series) Peralta "Costa Verde" 2012 Suits (TV series) Oscar Mendoza "Break Point"
Select theatre credits Date Title Author Role Notes June 1977 Catch-22 Joseph Heller Yossarian Venture Theatre, West HollywoodDirected by Joe Ivy October – October 29, 1978 Moonchildren Michael Weller ensemble cast Stage 13, West HollywoodDirected by John Karlen September – October 1979 At Home Conrad Bromberg Stage 13, West HollywoodDirected by Conrad Dunn September – October 1979 The Girl Who Loved The Beatles D. B. Gilles ensemble cast Stage 13, West HollywoodDirected by Sam O'Neal August – September 12, 1982 Split Michael Weller ensemble cast McCadden Place Theater, Los AngelesDirected by Ron Burrus July – July 16, 1983 The Zoo Story Edward Albee Jerry The Gardner Stage, West Hollywood February – March 29, 1986 Guests of the Nation Neil McKenzie Jeremiah Night Flight Theatre, BurbankProduced and directed by Conrad Dunn May 11 – June 11, 1989 Guests of the Nation Neil McKenzie 'Awkins Court Theatre, Los AngelesDirected by Ron BurrusProduced by Conrad Dunn October – October 20, 1989 Domino Courts William Hauptman Roy Actors Forum, HollywoodDirected by Ron Burrus April 6 – May 28, 1990 Seed of Darkness Lawrence Riggins Edgar Poe Tamarind Theatre, HollywoodDirected by Ron BurrusProduced by Conrad Dunn February 14 – March 15, 1992 Wait Until Dark Frederick Knott Harry Roat Jr. Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, Simi ValleyDirected by Frederick Hoffman April – May 2, 1993 The Zoo Story Edward Albee Jerry Los Feliz Playhouse, Los AngelesDirected by Jodi Binstock March 25 – July 30, 1994 The Zoo Story Edward Albee Jerry Actors Workout Studio, North HollywoodDirected by Jodi BinstockProduced by Conrad Dunn September 13–30, 2001 The Uninvited Guest Bonnie Anderson Tarragon Extra Space, TorontoDirected by Conrad Dunn November 8–12, 2012 Peggy's Song Jim Garrard Patterson Red Sandcastle Theatre, TorontoDirected by Conrad Dunn February 16 – March 24, 2019 Peggy's Song Jim Garrard Patterson Actors Workout Studio, North HollywoodDirected by Conrad DunnProduced by Lisa Howard Cerone and Conrad DunnBest Lead Actor in a Play, 2019 Valley Theatre Awards January 23 – February 9, 2020 Peggy's Song Jim Garrard Patterson Baby Grand Theatre, Kingston, OntarioDirected by Jacob James November 6–21, 2021 The Uninvited Guest Bonnie Anderson The Sherry Theater, North HollywoodDirected by Conrad Dunn
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