Jordan Charney (born April 1, 1937) is an American character actor known for Ghostbusters (1984), Network (1976) and Hill Street Blues (1981).
Early life Charney was born in Brooklyn, New York,"Mail Bag". Waco Tribune-Herald. August 30, 1964. p. 6-D. Retrieved April 6, 2025. "Brooklyn-born Jordan Charney speaks Hebrew, French and Yiddish and is currently studying Russian. He graduated from Brooklyn College in 1960 with a BA degree in speech and theater, and made his Broadway debut in 1961 in 'The Zoo Story.' He is a bachelor." on April 1, 1937, the son of Rose—née Resnick—and Abraham Charney."He Lost Weight, Got the Part". Kings Courier. November 9, 1957. p. 22. Retrieved April 6, 2025. "A temporary job in a New York public relations firm last month accidentally opened the door to the career Jordan Charney, 20, fourth year student at Brooklyn College, has wanted for as long he can remember. Jordan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Abe Charney of 1421 E. 7 St., decided he would like to be an actor on the day he appeared in his first kindergarten playlet. [...] Jordan was told that without "going on any diet at all, and without ever feeling hungry, he could accomplish his desired loss of weight. [...] Three weeks later, Jordan's weight was down from 200 pounds to 180 pounds, a good weight for a six footer. The drama coach at Brooklyn College was delighted, and so was Jordan; he got the title role in Billy Budd.""Engagement Announcements—Weddings and Shower Crowd Calendar: Resnick—Charney". Brooklyn Eagle. June 29, 1930. p. 17. Miss Rose Resnick, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Solomon H. Resnick of 250 Penn St., will be married to Abraham Charney, son of Isaac Charney, today at 1 o'clock at Rabbi Riskioff's Congregation on Lafayette Avenue. He is a graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School and of Brooklyn College,"School and College News: Flood of Vets; Borough Students Abroad; G. O. Chiefs; Students Score". The Brooklyn Eagle. July 4, 1954. p. 10. Retrieved April 6, 2025. "N. Y. U. has presented a $1,280 scholarship and gold medal to Katharine Critchley of Abraham Lincoln High School for her prize-winning short story in the university's Prose Writers' Contest. Jordan Charney, of the same school, won the Brooklyn District prize." where, in November 1957 and 1958, respectively, he portrayed the title character in productions of Coxe and Chapman's Billy Budd—adapted from Melville's like-named novel—and of Sophocles' tragedy, Oedipus Rex."Grecian Drama Presented by College Group". Brooklyn Record. Majoring in speech and theatre, while also reinforcing his studies via summer stock engagements (primarily with the Woodstock Playhouse), Charney earned his BA in 1960 and made his Off-Broadway debut the following April in Edward Albee's Zoo Story, replacing Peter Mark Richman as Jerry.Walls, Bette (January 28, 1967). "Lets Talk TV: Kraft Foods Contest Opens; Today's Profile—Jordan Charney". The Reporter-Times. p. 6. Retrieved April 6, 2025. "While still in college, Charney prepped for his acting career by appearing in summer stock productions, principally at Woodstock (N.Y.) Playhouse under the direction of Cyril Simon. He also was identified with the Habimah Haktanah theater group of New York City, which led to a contract offer from the Israeli Theater in Tel Aviv, which he turned down,"Adler, Stella; Paris, Barry, ed. (2012). Stella Adler on America's Master Playwrights: Eugene O'Neill, Thornton Wilder, Clifford Odets, William Saroyan, Tennessee Williams, William Inge, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee. New York: Vintage Books. p. 363. . "William Daniels as Peter and Mark Richman as Jerry in an early 1960s production of Edward Albee's The Zoo Story. 'Fight for your bench, for your parakeet—fight, you son-of-a-bitch! If you want it, fight for it.'" In 1962, Charney sought to further his education, as part of the Lincoln Center Training Program."Rabbit Run Team Plans 1963 Season". The Cleveland Plain Dealer. August 26, 1962. p. 2-H. Retrieved April 6, 2025. "Rabbit Run Theater winds up its season with 'Glass Menagerie' this week after which the company’s players will return to New York. [...] For Charney, leading man in the company, the end of the season means the beginning of his residency at New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. MISS MILES also will become part of the Lincoln Center training program."
Career Many of Charney's earliest screen roles were on daytime television, with appearances in numerous soaps. Charney created the role of creepy Julian Dark in the early to mid-1960s on the CBS soap, The Secret Storm. He played Sam Lucas, a former convict who became a lawyer, in both Another World and its spin-off Somerset, playing the role from 1967 to 1974. He also appeared as Lt. Vince Wolek on One Life to Live (1975–1977). Other roles were on Love of Life and All My Children.
Charney portrayed newspaper editor Ted Bergman in the 1977 CBS series The Andros Targets. In 1980, he played Capt. Roger Westerby, an old flame of Corabeth Godsey, in a season eight episode of The Waltons. He had a recurring role as Frank Angelino, Jack Tripper's boss, on Three's Company (1981–1983). He is often cast as a judge, attorney, prison warden, or police officer. He has made appearances on Knots Landing,Falcon Crest, Dynasty, Night Court and 100 Centre Street, among many other series. He can also be seen in the recurring role of Judge Donald Karan on Law & Order.
In 1982, Charney portrayed renowned theatre director and drama critic Harold Clurman in Universal's Frances Farmer biopic (alongside Jessica Lange as Farmer and Jeffrey DeMunn as Clifford Odets);Connelly, Mark (2024). The Group Theatre: An Enduring Legacy. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 293. . "Frances Farmer (1913–1970) played Lorna Moon in Golden Boy and appeared in Thunder Rock. Jessica Lange was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Frances Farmer in the 1982 film Frances with Jordan Charney portraying Harold Clurman and Jeffrey DeMunn playing Clifford Odets." he has also appeared in such films as The Hospital, Network, and Ghostbusters, and acted on the CBS Radio Mystery Theater.
1982 also marked the beginning of Charney's tenure as artistic director of Actors Alley theater in the San Fernando Valley in California. By November 1986 the group's membership had grown from 22 when he arrived to 70. It offered weekly classes for members and presented both free and paid-admission plays for the public.
Personal life Charney married television director / theatrical producer Nancy Cooperstein in November 1966.Wallace, Kenneth G. (October 31, 1966). "One On the Aisle: Dancer Gets Timely Job". The Record. p. 54. Retrieved April 6, 2025. "And now, romance. Jordan Charney of Brooklyn and Nancy Cooperstein of Fall River, Mass., who knew each other before, have become romantically serious since playing together in 'Viet Rock' and they're going to be married right after the November 10 opening at the Martinique." They have two children, including opera singer Allison Charney, and five grandchildren.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes 1971Plaza SuiteJesse's AideUncreditedThe HospitalHitchcock1976NetworkHarry Hunter 1980Those Lips, Those EyesProfessorWitches' BrewCharlie Reynolds1981Separate WaysHarry Bartoff1982FrancesHarold Clurman1984GhostbustersDean Yeager1985CreatorDr. Whitaker1986My Little GirlDr. Gruner2001Queenie in LoveFather 2007MoDr. LeahmanAnamorphChairman
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1965The Magnificent YankeeHalloranTelevision filmLove of LifeDr. Tony Vento18 episodes1966HawkInternEpisode: "Death Comes Full Circle"1967–1974Another WorldSam Lucas10 episodes1970SomersetEpisode #1.11974Guiding LightDr. Harold Eberhart3 episodes1976–1977One Life to LiveVince Wolek #224 episodes1977The Andros TargetsTed BergmanTelevision film1978Who'll Save Our Children?John Drake1979DallasLieutenant Sutton / Detective Rollins2 episodes1979–1983Three's CompanyFrank Angelino / Mr. Layton12 episodes 1980Marriage Is Alive and WellFritzTelevision filmThe WaltonsCapt. Roger WesterbyEpisode: "The Medal"The RopersMr. McLaughlinEpisode: "The Other Woman"The Plutonium IncidentMr. OrrTelevision film 1981Lou GrantKarl BucknerEpisode: "Catch"BensonJack BeddoesEpisode: "The Governor's House Call"Private BenjaminCapt. HookstrattenEpisode: "Judy Got Her Gun"1981–1982General HospitalDr. Seymour Katz13 episodes1981–1985Hill Street BluesEd Chapel / Marty Dignan4 episodes1982Hart to HartMr. FlowersEpisode: "Blue and Broken-Harted" 1983Blood FeudTV CommentatorTelevision filmTucker's WitchMax LeopoldEpisode: "Formula for Revenge" 1984AmazonsCongressman Harris StoweTelevision filmErnie Kovacs: Between the LaughterHarry AscotFalcon CrestNorton Crane6 episodesE/RDonaldEpisode: "Son of Sheinfeld"The Cartier AffairBen FoleyTelevision filmThe ImpostorBarela 1985Robert Kennedy and His TimesArthur M. Schlesinger Jr.3 episodesKids Don't TellTatumTelevision filmT. J. HookerCaptain PankowitzEpisode: "The Chicago Connection"Do You Remember LoveMarvin LangdonTelevision filmSanta BarbaraDr. Renfro23 episodesAmosCommissioner Bert DanielsTelevision filmHunterStuEpisode: "Killer in a Halloween Mask"Crime of InnocenceSpencer MulhollandTelevision filmFinal JeopardyMr. ClemensGlitterVincentEpisode: "Nightfall"Misfits of ScienceDr. MoyerEpisode: "Grand Theft Bunny" 1986Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder StoryPete StarkTelevision filmOur HouseJudge AlbertEpisode: "See You in Court" 1987Shell GameBob KentonEpisode: "Norman's Parking Ticket"Rags to RichesHarveyEpisode: "Born to Ride"Home FiresHal RobinsonTelevision filmHighway to HeavenJoe EastwoodEpisode: "In with the 'In' Crowd"1987–1988DynastyBill Cochran5 episodes1987, 1991L.A. LawJoseph Gennis / Samuel Adelson2 episodes 1988Knots LandingAbby's LawyerEpisode: "Lawfully Wedded"Baja OklahomaBeecher PerryTelevision filmThe Bronx ZooMr. Ted SharfEpisode: "Behind Closed Doors"The Town BullyHarmon GundersonTelevision filmTo Heal a NationSpreiregenDavidJudgeNight CourtJames McCrackenEpisode: "The Night Court Before Christmas" 1989Capone Behind BarsJ. Edgar HooverTelevision filmWhen He's Not a StrangerChancellor HammondMatlockWarden Paul Branden2 episodes 1990Mancuso, F.B.I.JiriAll My ChildrenKurt Bodine11 episodes1991Her Wicked WaysBernie RobbinsTelevision film1992–2006Law & OrderJudge Donald Karan / Dr. Mandell9 episodes1994One West WaikikiDr. Howard Braniff / Pathologist2 episodes 1995The Boys Are BackBillEpisode: "The French Class"Chicago HopeMr. HarrodEpisode: "The Ethics of Hope" 1996Innocent VictimsJudgeTelevision filmBaywatchCharlieEpisode: "Baywatch Angels"1997Touched by an AngelOfficialEpisode: "Charades"2001100 Centre StreetJudge Kelleher5 episodes 2002Law & Order: Criminal IntentMelvin ColterEpisode: "Homo Homini Lupus"Law & Order: Special Victims UnitRory O'HalloranEpisode: "Silence"
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