Louis Zorich
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
"As a kid in Chicago, I went to vaudeville and loved it. Somehow, I think I always wanted to be on the stage. I was stationed at Fort Kilmer, NJ in World War II [before] being sent to Europe, when they brought in 'Rosalinda' a musical adaptation of 'Die Fledermaus', and I knew then I'd have to be onstage. I tried to to get into the Special Services branch, to work in projects like that, but I couldn't. I was with an Engineer battalion in Europe, but I didn't see any combat. Spent most of the time in England and France ..."Olympia [Dukakis] and I have been married for 31 years, but except for the Whole Theater, we seldom work together. Would you believe I was up for the part of her husband in the movie 'Moonstruck', but I didn't get it? Vince Gardenia did. Norman Jewison [the director] didn't think I was right for it." --Louis Zorich to Daily News, November 2, 1993.
Zorich and wife Dukakis have performed together at the Williamstown Theatre, where they have done in Zorich's words "a lot of Chekhov."
Biography
The son of Yugoslavian immigrants, character actor Louis Zorich began his career in Canada following his training at the Goodman School of Theater in his hometown of Chicago, IL. He made his Broadway debut in Jean Anouilh's "Becket" (1960), starring Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn, and has returned to the Great White Way in such productions as "Death of a Salesman" (1984) and "She Loves Me" (1993), among others. With his wife Olympia Dukakis, Zorich co-founded the Whole Theater in Montclair, New Jersey in 1972, maintaining it for 18 years before finally having to close it. After appearing in a small role as a cab driver in Don Siegel's "Coogan's Bluff" (1968), Zorich achieved a higher profile as the constable in Norman Jewison's "Fiddler on the Roof" (1971). His other feature credits include "The Muppets Take Manhattan" (1984) and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (1988), both for director Frank Oz, and John Sayles' "City of Hope" (1991). Zorich has achieved his greatest exposure by far from series TV, particularly as the star of CBS' "Brooklyn Bridge" (1991-93) and in the recurring role of Paul Reiser's father on the long-running "Mad About You" (NBC, 1992-99). Louis Zorich died on January 30, 2018 at the age of 93.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1959
Made his New York stage debut in "Shadow of Heroes" at the York Theatre
1960
Made his Broadway debut alongside Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn in "Becket"
1966
Made his feature-film debut as the Russian Ambassador in Japanese sci-fi flick "Gamera the Invincible"
1966
Returned to Broadway in cast of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple"
1967
Acted on Broadway in "Hadrian VII"
1968
Played a taxi driver in Don Siegel's "Coogan's Bluff"
1969
Co-starred with Alec McCowen in the Broadway production of "Hadrian VII"; nominated for a Supporting Actor Tony Award
1971
Portrayed the constable in Norman Jewison's "Fiddler on the Roof"
1972
Co-founded with wife Olympia Dukakis the Whole Theater in Montclair, NJ, maintaining it for 18 years
1984
Provided the voice of Pete in Frank Oz's "The Muppets Take Manhattan"
1984
Was back on Broadway as Ben in a revival of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" starring Dustin Hoffman
1985
Reprised Broadway role in CBS version of "Death of a Salesman"
1988
Portrayed a Greek millionaire in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", his second film with director Oz
1991
Was featured as Mayor Baci in John Sayles' "City of Hope"
1991
Starred as Jules Berger opposite Marion Ross as his wife Sophie in CBS series "Brooklyn Bridge"
1993
Appeared on Broadway as Maraczek, owner of the perfumery where the two lovers work, in the revival of the musical "She Loves Me"
1997
Acted the part of Rudy Warner in "Commandments"
2001
Portrayed the producer Dmitri Weisman in the Broadway revival of "Follies"
2005
Starred opposite Michelle Williams in the drama "A Hole in One"
2016
Appeared in his final screen role as Lester's father in the dramedy "No Pay, Nudity"
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"As a kid in Chicago, I went to vaudeville and loved it. Somehow, I think I always wanted to be on the stage. I was stationed at Fort Kilmer, NJ in World War II [before] being sent to Europe, when they brought in 'Rosalinda' a musical adaptation of 'Die Fledermaus', and I knew then I'd have to be onstage. I tried to to get into the Special Services branch, to work in projects like that, but I couldn't. I was with an Engineer battalion in Europe, but I didn't see any combat. Spent most of the time in England and France ..."Olympia [Dukakis] and I have been married for 31 years, but except for the Whole Theater, we seldom work together. Would you believe I was up for the part of her husband in the movie 'Moonstruck', but I didn't get it? Vince Gardenia did. Norman Jewison [the director] didn't think I was right for it." --Louis Zorich to Daily News, November 2, 1993.
Zorich and wife Dukakis have performed together at the Williamstown Theatre, where they have done in Zorich's words "a lot of Chekhov."
