George Dzundza ( ; born July 19, 1945) is an American retired actor. He is known for his varied work in film and on television, including The Deer Hunter (1978), Skokie (1981), No Way Out (1987), The Beast (1988), Impulse (1990), White Hunter Black Heart (1990), The Butcher's Wife (1991), Basic Instinct (1992), Crimson Tide (1995), Dangerous Minds (1995), and City by the Sea (2002).
Dzundza's television roles include Sergeant Max Greevey on the first season of Law & Order (1990–91), Tom Grzelack on Hack (2002–03), Harold O'Malley on Grey's Anatomy (2005–2007), and the voices of Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist and Perry White in the DC Animated Universe. He also starred on the short-lived sitcom Open All Night (1981). Along with the ensemble cast, Dzundza won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance in the Robert Altman film Streamers (1983). Dzundza also appeared on one episode of Matlock.
Early life and education Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, shortly after the end of World War II, to Ukrainian father Roman Dzundza and Polish mother Maria Humenecka. His father was from Kalush and mother from Lviv, both in what is now Ukraine. Each had been conscripted into forced labor by the Nazi regime. Dzundza spent his early years living in displaced persons camps with them.
Dzundza's family moved to Amsterdam in 1949, then to the US in 1956, eventually settling on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City. He became a naturalized US citizen. He attended Xavier High School and St. Johns University, and studied theatre under Stella Adler and Harold Clurman.
Career Dzundza began acting in his freshman year of college at the insistence of another student. However, his professional stage debut was in a 1973 New York Shakespeare Festival production of King Lear, which was later aired as an episode of Great Performances. He starred in the Festival's 1973-74 national tour of That Championship Season. He also starred in the Broadway productions The Ritz and Legend, and in A Prayer for My Daughter at the Public Theatre. In 1979 he played the role of Cully Sawyer in the horror film, Salem's Lot.
Dzundza starred in a short-lived 1981 sitcom series Open All Night, about the owner of a "Store 364" convenience store in Inglewood, California. He portrayed American Nazi leader Frank Collin in the 1981 television film Skokie. In 1983, he starred in Robert Altman's film Streamers, based on the David Rabe play of the same name. The film's ensemble cast collectively won the Best Actor Award at the 40th Venice International Film Festival.
In 1987, Dzundza played Sam Hesselman, a disabled man in a wheelchair, in No Way Out and Commander Daskal in The Beast in 1988. Other major film roles of his include The Deer Hunter, Impulse, White Hunter Black Heart, The Butcher's Wife, Basic Instinct, Crimson Tide, Dangerous Minds and City by the Sea.
He was an original cast member of the NBC drama Law & Order, playing NYPD Sergeant Max Greevey in the first season only. Dzundza left after the first season of the show.
His other acting work includes an appearance on The Waltons (1975), and playing the Archie Bunker-like father in the short-lived Christina Applegate sitcom Jesse. He voiced supervillain the Ventriloquist in Batman: The Animated Series, and Perry White in Superman: The Animated Series.
In 2005, he played Anubis (aka "Jim") in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Threads". Dzundza portrayed George O'Malley's father Harold on Grey's Anatomy.
Personal life Dzundza has been married to Mary Jo Vermeulen since 1982. They have three daughters and two grandchildren.
Now semi-retired, Dzundza resides in Astoria, Oregon, where he directs community and regional theatre productions.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1973 Massage Parlor Murders Mr. CreepyAlso assistant director1974Fischia Il SessoDean1975The Happy HookerChet 1978 The Deer Hunter John Welsh 1981 Honky Tonk Freeway Eugene 1983 Streamers Cokes 1984 Best Defense Steve Loparino 1986 No Mercy Captain Stemkowski1987 No Way Out Sam Hesselman No Man's Land Uncle Mike Uncredited1988 The Beast DaskalHonor BoundWocjinski1990 Impulse Lt. Joe MorganWhite Hunter Black Heart Paul Landers 1991 The Butcher's Wife Leo Lemke 1992 Basic Instinct Detective Gus Moran1995 Crimson Tide COB Walters Dangerous Minds Hal Griffith1997 That Darn Cat Boetticher Do Me A Favor Wallace Muller1998 Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero Dr. Gregory Belson (voice) Direct-to-video A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. Species II Colonel Carter Burgess Jr. 1999 Instinct Dr. John Murray 2000 Above Suspicion Stamos2002Determination of DeathMacCity by the Sea Reg Duffy 2005 National Lampoon's Adam & Eve Eve's dad 2006 Superman: Brainiac Attacks Perry White (voice) Direct-to-video2010The Chosen OneNorman
Television Year Title Role Notes1974 Kung Fu Mr. Evans / 1st John Episode: "Night of the Owls, Day of the Doves" Great Performances Gentleman Episode: "King Lear"1975 Movin' On Charlie Banner Episode: "From Baltimore to Eternity" Starsky & Hutch Crandell Episode: "Snowstorm" The Waltons A.J. Covington Episode: "The Abdication" Grady George Kosinski 3 episodes Joe Forrester Episode: "The Best Laid Schemes" 1976 Bert D'Angelo/Superstar Mike Zuber Episode: "Murder in Velvet" 1977 The Streets of San Francisco Paul Weber Episode: "The Canine Collar" 1978 The Defection of Simas Kudirka Gruzauskas Television film 1979 Salem's Lot Cully Sawyer Miniseries 1979–1980 Young Maverick Clem 2 episodes1981 Skokie Frank CollinTelevision film A Long Way Home Floyd Booth 1981–1982 Open All Night Gordon Feester 13 episodes1983 The Face of Rage Nick Television film Faerie Tale Theatre The Woodsman Episode: "Sleeping Beauty"1984 The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck Lt. DeCarloTelevision film When She Says No Paul Fellows 1984, 1988 CBS Schoolbreak Special Mr. Elder / Arthur Jennings 2 episodes1985 The Rape of Richard Beck BlastigTelevision film Brotherly Love Lieutenant Conde The Execution of Raymond Graham Prison Chaplain1986 The Disney Sunday Movie Pete Selzer Episode: "2 1/2 Dad" The Twilight Zone Colonel Ilyanov Episode: "Red Snow" One Police Plaza Detective Gustav Stamm Television film1987 Crime Story Ivan Ivanovitch Patchenko Episode: "Mig 21" Glory Years John Moss Television film 1988 Something Is Out There Frank Dileo 2 episodes1989 Terror on Highway 91 Sheriff Jessie BartonTelevision film The Ryan White Story Dr. Kleiman Cross of Fire Boyd Gurley Miniseries 1990–91 Law & Order Sergeant Max Greevey Main cast (22 episodes) 1992 What She Doesn't Know Jack Kilcoin Television film 1993–95 Batman: The Animated Series Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist, G. Carl Francis, Chubb (voices) 6 episodes1993 The Untouchables Warden Wyandotte 3 episodes Animaniacs Ivan Bloski (voice) Episode: "Plane Pals"1994 The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story Cecil Jacobson Television film Matlock Michael Brennan Episode: "Brennan" The Enemy Within JakeTelevision film1996 The Limbic Region Lloyd Road Rovers Gustav Hovac (voice) Episode: "Where Rovers Dare" 1996–99 Superman: The Animated Series Perry White (voice) 10 episodes 1997 The New Batman Adventures Arnold Wesker/The Ventriloquist (voice) Episode: "Double Talk" 1998–99 Jesse John Warner Sr. Main cast (22 episodes)2000 Touched by an Angel Bud Baxter Episode: "The Empty Chair" Third Watch Faith's Dad Episode: "Know Thyself"2002 The Agency Helmut Episode: "The Gauntlet" 2002–03 Hack Tom Grzelak Main cast (22 episodes) 2005 Stargate SG-1 Jim/Anubis Episode: "Threads" 2005–07 Grey's Anatomy Harold O'Malley 7 episodes 2006 The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Coach (voice) Episode: "The Secret Snake Club vs. P.E." 2008 October Road Gloy Daniels Episode: "Hat? No Hat?" 2009 The Beast Lieutenant Platko Episode: "Two Choices" 2011 Danni Lowinski Augustus 'Gus' Lowinski Television film
Video games YearTitleVoice roleNotes2002Superman: Shadow of ApokolipsPerry White2004Shellshock: Nam '67Platt2009Batman: Arkham AsylumBlackgate ThugUncredited
Stage appearances YearTitleRoleVenueNotes1973King LearGentlemanDelacorte Theater, Off-BroadwayFor Shakespeare in the ParkThat Championship SeasonGeorge SikowskiU.S. tour1974Mert and PhilDream ManVivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway1975–76The RitzAbeLongacre Theatre, Broadway1976A Streetcar Named DesireMcCarter Theatre, PrincetonLegendWilliam F. P. MorganEthel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway1977As To The Meaning of WordsHartman Theatre, StamfordA Prayer for My DaughterKellyPublic Theater, Off-Broadway1999Measure for MeasurePompeyAhmanson Theatre, Los Angeles
Awards and nominations InstitutionYearCategoryWorkResultGold Derby Awards2007Drama Guest ActorGrey's Anatomy2010Drama Guest Actor of the DecadeVenice Film Festival1983Best ActorStreamers
References
Notes
External links
Dzundza on the Internet Broadway Database Dzundza on the Internet Off-Broadway Database