Dan Lauria
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Solidly-built with a permanent disgruntled look on his face, Dan Lauria is best remembered as Kevin Arnold's middle-management, working-stiff but loving father on ABC's long-running "The Wonder Years" (1988-93).
Lauria grew up in Lindenhurst, NY, and developed his interest in performing from his aunt who used to awaken him to watch old movies on TV. A joke cracked on the football field in college led to acting lessons with Yale's Constance Welch. After a three year stint in the Marines, during which he served in Vietnam, Lauria returned to school and earned an MFA in playwriting. He joined the Washington Theatre Club where he performed in over 50 plays before decamping to NYC and a stint on the CBS soap opera "Love of Life." He wrote and starred in the Off-Broadway production "The Game Plan" and spent several years in touring companies and in off-off- and off-Broadway shows. Lauria had a regular role on the ABC soap "One Life to Live."
In 1985, the actor moved West to film the busted pilot "Brass," with Carroll O'Connor. He began making guest appearances on series like "Moonlighting" and "Hill Street Blues" and finally landed a regular berth with "The Wonder Years." Once cast on that show, he moved to higher profile TV-movies, including the well-reviewed "David" (ABC, 1988) and the controversial "Howard Beach: Making the Case for Murder" (NBC, 1989). Lauria starred opposite Joanna Kerns in the NBC miniseries "The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake" (1990) and was featured in several of the network's "In the Line of Duty" TV-movies. He briefly returned to series TV in support of Patty Duke in "Amazing Grace" (NBC, 1995) and has continued to lend his considerable weight to various shows in guest shots.
On the big screen, Lauria made his debut in "Without a Trace" (1983) and had small roles in "9 1/2 Weeks" (1986) and in the blockbuster "Independence Day" (1996). His best known role, however, may be as the police captain to undercover cops Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez in "Stakeout" (1987) and its sequel "Another Stakeout" (1993).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1970
Served in US Marines; achieved rank of captain; did tours of duty in Vietnam
1975
TV debut on the CBS daytime drama "Love of Life"
1978
Wrote and starred in the play "Game Plan"; was produced off-Broadway at Theatre Four
1982
TV-movie debut, "Muggable Mary" (CBS)
1983
Feature film debut, "Without a Trace"
1986
Had a recurring role on CBS' "Cagney & Lacey" as Detective Dupnik
1987
Co-starred as the police captain in the feature "Stakeout"
1988
Co-starred as the father, Jack Arnold, on the ABC sitcom "The Wonder Years"
1992
Returned to NYC theater, appearing off-Broadway in "Other People's Money"
1993
Reprised role of police captain in "Another Stakeout"
1996
Had a recurring role on FOX's "Party of Five" as Coach Russ Petrocelli
1998
Played James Webb in the HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon"
1999
Acted in the Showtime series "The Hoop Life"
2006
Appeared on the New York stage in an Off Broadway production of "A Stone Carver"
2009
Returned to the Off Broadway stage, appearing as Jimmy Hoffa in Brian Lee Franklin's "Good Bobby"
2010
Made his Broadway debut as legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi in "Lombardi" at Circle in the Square Theatre
2012
Was a cast-member on the sitcom "Sullivan & Son"
2015
Landed a supporting role in the feature comedy "The Concessionaires Must Die!"
2016
Was cast in the Fox baseball drama "Pitch"
Family
Companions
