Dennis Christopher Carrelli (born December 2, 1950) is an American retired actor whose film credits include Breaking Away (1979), Fade to Black (1980), Chariots of Fire (1981), It (1990), and Django Unchained (2012).
Early life Dennis Christopher Carrelli, the youngest of four children, was born in Philadelphia on December 2, 1950,"UPI Almanac for Monday, Dec. 2, 2024". United Press International. "Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius. They include actor Dennis Christopher in 1950 (age 74).""Dennis Christopher". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023."Christopher, Dennis (1950–)". snaccooperative.org."Actors and Actresses Born in December 1950". onthisday.com. to Vincent Albert Carrelli, an insurance salesman, and the former Anna Marie Doogan. His parents married in 1936. He had two brothers, Vincent Carrelli Jr. (a talent manager who later went by the name Vince Cannon) and Edward Carrelli, along with one sister, Patricia Kratzinger Laros.
Christopher graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School in 1968.1968 Bon-Aire (Yearbook). Monsignor Bonner High School, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. p. 144. He attended Temple University, but dropped out in 1969.
Career In 1967, Christopher made a guest appearance on The Time Tunnel in the episode "Merlin the Magician" (S1E27). A chance encounter with Federico Fellini, who was filming in Rome at the time, led to the director casting him as a hippie in the film Roma (1972). After that, Christopher worked as an assistant to the fashion designer Halston.https://www.huffpost.com/us/entry/3698096/amp
Christopher's breakthrough role was as Dave Stohler in the coming-of-age classic Breaking Away (1979). His performance won him the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer and the Youth in Film Award for Best Juvenile Actor in a Motion Picture, as well as garnering a Golden Globe nomination.
Christopher's other roles include American track star Charlie Paddock in Chariots of Fire (1981), as well as tragic film-buff psychopath Eric Binford in Fade to Black, a turn which earned him a nomination for a Saturn Award for Best Actor (1980), Damon in The Falling (1985), Nathan Flowers in A Sinful Life (1989) and Leech in Plughead Rewired: Circuitry Man II (1994). Television roles include "Jack of All Trades" in the Profiler TV series, Eddie Kaspbrak in Stephen King's It (1990), Desmond Floyd in Jake Speed (1986) and Bellegarde in the HBO series Deadwood.
Christopher guest starred in two Star Trek episodes: the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Search (Part II)" and the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Detained". He guest-starred as the demon-sorcerer Cyvus Vail in three episodes of Angel.
He reunited with his Breaking Away "father" Paul Dooley, playing Dooley's son for a third time, in a 2003 episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. The two had first played father and son in Robert Altman's A Wedding (1978). In December 2006, he played Dr. Martin Ruber in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries The Lost Room.
Christopher was cast as Leonide Moguy in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained (2012). He learned through his agent that the screenplay had been re-written to accommodate him. Furthermore, Tarantino later told Christopher that he had seen every one of his films the week that they were released, even Dead Women in Lingerie (which Christopher considers his worst). Production of the film made a very positive impact on Christopher, who stated, "...a lot of my idea of happiness came from working on this film...".Riley, Jenelle (December 14, 2012). "Dennis Christopher on Tarantino, DiCaprio, and 'Django Unchained'". Backstage.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRole Notes1971Blood and LacePete1971The Young GraduatesPan1972RomaThe HippieUncredited19773 WomenSoda Delivery BoyUncredited1977September 30, 1955Eugene1978A WeddingHughie Brenner1979California DreamingT.T.1979Breaking AwayDave StohlerBAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film RoleNominated – Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year — Actor1979The Last WordBen Travis1980Fade to BlackEric BinfordTaormina International Film Festival for Bronze Mask AwardYoung Artist Award for Best Juvenile Actor in a Motion PictureNominated – Saturn Award for Best Actor1981Chariots of FireCharles Paddock1982Don't Cry, It's Only ThunderBrian Anderson1983Didn't You Hear...Kevin1986Flight of the Spruce GooseStan1986Jake SpeedDesmond Floyd1986Alien PredatorDamonAlso known as The Falling1988FriendsJohn1989A Sinful LifeNathan Flowers1990Circuitry ManLeech1991The Disco YearsMr. ReeseShort film1991Dead Women in LingerieLapin1993DoppelgangerDoctor Heller1993Necronomicon: Book of the DeadDale PorkelPart 21994Plughead Rewired: Circuitry Man IILeech1995Aurora: Operation InterceptVictor Varenkov1995Bad English I: Tales of a Song of a Britunknown role1996It's My PartyDouglas Reedy1996The SilencersComdor2001Mind RageSteve2004Nine LivesMikey2010Queen of the LotOdin Johannessen2012Django UnchainedLeonide MoguyNominated – Gold Derby Award for Ensemble Cast2013PrisonersMr. JonesUncredited2013The Slippery SlopePastor TomasoShort film2021Pennywise: The Story of ItHimselfDocumentary film
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1967The Time TunnelYoung MerlinUncreditedEpisode: "Merlin the Magician"1976Bernice Bobs Her HairCharleyTV movie1979ElvisNick AdamsTV movie1983Faerie Tale Theatre JackEpisode: "Jack and the Beanstalk"1984Tales of the UnexpectedDriverEpisode: "Number Eight"1984Trapper John, M.D.Daryl KirbyEpisode: "Promises...Promises"1985MoonlightingBenjamin WylieEpisode: "The Lady in the Iron Mask"1986Cagney & LaceyDr. StanleyEpisode: "A Safe Place"1986The EqualizerFather Nicholas Kostmayer Episode: "The Cup"1987StingrayJoshua WilliamsEpisode: "The Second Finest Man Who Ever Lived"1987The Law & Harry McGrawJacob HosslerEpisode: "Murder by Landslide"1987HoopermanDanny WellesEpisode: "Blues for Danny Welles"1988ChristabelU.S. AirmenMiniseriesEpisode: "#1.3"1989MatlockNoel BishopEpisode: "The Star"1990ItEddie KaspbrakMiniseries1990–93Murder, She WroteDr. Henry Carlson / Lyman TaggartEpisodes: "Shear Madness", "Final Curtain"1991MonstersLaurence BauerEpisode: "Hostile Takeover"1991False ArrestWally RobertsTV movie1992Civil WarsJamie BerneEpisode: "Oceans White with Phone"1992Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader StoryRandyTV movie1993CuracaoFriedrichUncreditedTV movie1994Winnetka RoadSam FranklinEpisode: "Women in Love"1994Star Trek: Deep Space NineBorathEpisode: "The Search: Part II"1994The Cosby MysteriesEric HumboldEpisode: "Mirror, Mirror"1995The WatcherSaschaEpisode: "Heartburned"1995Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee NightmarePruitt Taylor BeachaumpTV movie1996SeaQuest 2032Ambassador DillingtonEpisode: "Reunion"1996The SentinelDr. Anthony BatesEpisode: "Cypher"1996Pacific BlueDr. Mortimer T. AntonEpisode: "The Phoenix"1996Tarzan: The Epic AdventuresPhilip D'ArnotEpisode: "Tarzan's Return: Part I"1996The Burning ZoneDr. BalfourEpisode: "Lethal Injection"1996–99ProfilerJack of All Trades / Albert Newquay / Sheriff Ed Post47 Episodes (Main role Seasons 1&2, Recurring Season 3, Guest Season 4)1997SkeletonsJim NortonTV movie1998New York UndercoverDr. RoyceEpisode: "Spare Parts"2000–01FreakyLinksVince Elsingseries regular (13 episodes)2001The Ballad of Lucy WhippleJoshua 'Carrots' BealeTV movie2001RoswellBobby DupreeEpisodes: "Disturbing Behavior", "How the Other Half Lives"2001Kate BrasherJesusEpisodes: "Jeff", "Georgia"200118 Wheels of JusticeVin MalfiEpisode: "The Game"2002Star Trek: EnterpriseDanikEpisode: "Detained"2002Crossing JordanCharles RutledgeEpisode: "One Twelve"2003Six Feet UnderKevin LambEpisode: "Nobody Sleeps"2003Law & Order: Criminal IntentRoger CoffmanEpisode: "Cherry Red"2004AngelCyvus VailEpisodes: "Origin", "Power Play", "Not Fade Away"2004NYPD BlueGerard ProsserEpisode: "The Vision Thing"2006DeadwoodBellegardeRecurring role (5 episodes)2006The Lost RoomDr. Martin RuberMiniseries3 episodes2006Trapped!AdrienTV movie2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationRichard Dorsey / Homeless GuyEpisodes: "Cockroaches", "Lying Down with Dogs"2008Criminal MindsAbner MerrimanEpisode: "Damaged"2013UnforgettableLukas EmmingerEpisode: "Line Up or Shut Up"2014PerceptionFred GormanEpisode: "Cobra"2016GravesMartin TreadwellRecurring role (4 episodes)
Theatre YearTitleRoleVenueNotes1981The Little FoxesLeo HubbardMartin Beck Theatre126 performances1983BrothersTommyMusic Box TheatreOne performance
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