Ezekial Dann Florek (born May 1, 1950) is an American actor and film director. He is best known for his role as New York City Police Captain Donald Cragen on NBC's Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Dave Meyer on L.A. Law (1988–1993).

Early life Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan, the son of Leonard Florek, a chiropractor, and Darlene Florek. He attended Eastern Michigan University where he majored in math and physics, but never graduated. He moved to New York City to pursue an acting career in the theatre.

Career

In the 1980s, Florek performed supporting roles in films such as Sweet Liberty, Moon Over Parador and Angel Heart. He also played Mr. Slate in the live-action film version of The Flintstones.

Florek played Dave Meyer, the husband of Susan Ruttan's character, Roxanne Melman, on 22 episodes of NBC's hit drama L.A. Law beginning in 1988. Florek also had a recurring role in the WB sitcom Smart Guy as the high school gym coach, and appeared in several episodes of Roseanne.

Law & Order Starting in 1990, Florek co-starred in the NBC police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order as Capt. Don Cragen.Goldberg, Leslie (10 December 2013). "Dann Florek to Exit NBC's 'Law & Order: SVU, The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2018-01-02.

The first few years of Law & Order had mediocre ratings and finally, after the close of the 1992–1993 season, NBC told creator/executive producer Dick Wolf that they would cancel it unless he added a few women to the all-male cast. Wolf reluctantly complied and fired Florek as well as Richard Brooks (who played Paul Robinette), replacing them with S. Epatha Merkerson and Jill Hennessy, respectively. However, Florek was allowed to direct a few Law & Order episodes in 1994 and 1995.

Florek reprised the role of Cragen in the 1995 episode "Bad Faith" (which he also directed), and in the 1998 TV-movie Exiled: A Law & Order Movie, centered on the character Mike Logan, played by Chris Noth.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit In 1999, he returned to the Cragen role, only this time on the Law & Order spin-off series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as the titular unit's captain. For the return of the Cragen character, Florek and Wolf created a backstory in which his wife, a flight attendant, was killed in a plane crash a few years previously, which drove Cragen, a recovering alcoholic, to start drinking again and to patronize prostitutes; he takes command of the Special Victims Unit in order to escape his addiction.

Florek was written out of the series during its 15th season, and his final episode aired on January 15, 2014. He reprised his role in the 21st episode of season 16 in May 2015. In the 500th episode of SVU, he appeared as Cragen in a video chat with his former detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), now captain of the unit. He also reprised the role of Cragen in an episode of the SVU spin-off Law & Order: Organized Crime, reuniting Cragen with his former detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) in April 2022. He subsequently appeared in the second season finale. It is revealed at the beginning of Season 27 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit that the character has died.

Personal life Florek and his wife, Karen, live in Venice, Los Angeles. Karen works as an artist. His brother, Dave, is also an actor. All three trained at Eastern Michigan University.

Florek received an honorary Bachelor of Arts and an honorary Doctorate of Arts, on December 13, 2008, and December 14, 2008, respectively, from Eastern Michigan University at the school's winter commencement ceremony. Florek was the keynote speaker at the event.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1983 Eddie Macon's Run Man in bar 1986 Sweet Liberty Jesse1987 Angel Heart Herman Winesap Five Corners Policeman1988 Sunset Marty Goldberg Moon over Parador Toby 1989 An Innocent Man Prosecuting Attorney Uncredited 1991 Flight of the Intruder Lt. Cmdr. Mad Jack 1994 The Flintstones Mr. Slate Getting Even with Dad Wayne 1998 Hard Rain Mr. Mehlor 2000 Beautiful Joe Happy 2002 Law & Order: The Beginning HimselfShort2003 Focus Room William SVU BeginningHimself2004 Law & Order: The First 3 Years Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Police Sketch: Dann Florek 2005 Jerry Orbach Tribute 2006 Copy That Dann 2011 Run Your Mouth Detective 2013 Santorini Blue Trent Parker 2023 Crater Older Dylan 2026 Chili Finger N/A

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1982 The Country Girl Larry TV movie1985 Hill Street Blues Bowers Episode: "Intestinal Fortitude" Braker Hayes TV movie1986 The Equalizer Lieutenant Ferraro Episode: "Breakpoint" Alex: The Life of a Child Dr. Tom Dolan TV movie1987 Mr. President Bosdec Episode: "Armageddon Kinda Sore" CBS Summer Playhouse Winthrop Episode: "Doctors Wilde" Hunter John Edleton Episode: "Night on Bald Mountain" 1988–1993 L.A. Law Dave Meyer 22 episodes1988 American Playhouse Judge Crane Episode: "The Trial of Bernhard Goetz" Matlock Ken Pritchard Episode: "The Hucksters" Beverly Hills Buntz Joe Volker Episode: "Buntz of the Desert" 21 Jump Street Jim Crawford Episode: "Brother Hanson & the Miracle of Renner's Pond" CBS Schoolbreak Special Stan Pallon Episode: "Gambler" Almost Grown Giardello Episode: "Ghost Town1989 Free Spirit Bill / Mr. Flynn Episode: "The Bosses Are Coming" Major Dad Buzz Episode: "Rescue Mission" The Edge Paulie Episode: "Professional Man" 1990 Grand Robert Episode: "The Healing" 1990, 1997 Roseanne Dr. Rudmen / Principal Hiller 3 episodes 1990–2004 Law & Order Captain Donald Cragen Main role (seasons 1–3); guest role (seasons 5, 10, 15)1994 Hardball Ernest 'Happy' Talbot 9 episodes Wings Bob (air traffic controller) Episode: "Insanity Claus"1995 Ellen Mr. Woodruff Episode: "$5,000" The John Larroquette Show Winters Lennox Episode: "Love on the Line" 1996 Champs Ernie Episode: "It's Must Have Been Gridlock"1997 Michael Hayes Carnap Episode: "The Confidence Man" Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Bob Gordon Episode: "Cat Showdown" Total Security Morris Silver Episode: "Dental Men Prefer Blondes" NYPD Blue Gary Hogan Episode: "Sheedy Dealings" A Nightmare Come True Det. Ron Shaye TV movie 1997–1999 Smart Guy Coach Gerber 6 episodes1998 The Pretender Don Larson Episode: "Crash" From the Earth to the Moon Robert Seamans 2 episodes The Practice Father Michael Ryan Episode: "Duty Bound" The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer Abraham Lincoln 6 episodes Little Girl Fly Away Chief GelbartTV movie The Pentagon Wars Maj. Gen. Bob Braden Exiled: A Law & Order Movie Captain Donald Cragen 1999–2025 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Main role (seasons 1–15); guest role (seasons 16, 23, 27) 2000 Strange World Det. Walter Nash Episode: "Age of Reason" 2002 L.A. Law: The Movie Dave MeyerTV movie 2014 Captain Blackout Jimmy Black 2015 Under the Dome Colonel Walker Episode: "The Enemy Within" 2018 Disillusioned Jeb TV movie 2022–2024 Law & Order: Organized Crime Donald Cragen 4 episodes 2026 The Pitt Eddie Cohen Episode: Season 2, "6:00 P.M."

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