Cliff Gorman
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
An unmistakable character player with a prominent chin, a shock of thick, dark hair and eyebrows to match, the explosive Cliff Gorman has typically played tough, loud-mouthed and somewhat sleazy cops and crooks, or overly confident and rather obnoxious studs who aren't as attractive as they think. All his characters also seem to have a thick New York accent and an edge no matter the part of the globe in which they toil. After receiving a degree in education from NYU, Gorman worked as a truck and ambulance driver, and was also employed by a collection agency and as a probation officer for young delinquents. He began acting Off-Broadway in the mid-1960s and was part of Jerome Robbins' American Theatre Laboratory from 1966-67.
In 1968, Gorman delivered an OBIE-winning performance in the controversial landmark play, "The Boys in the Band." Important in dramatizing gay themes and yet often reviled for its vitriolic portrait of a group of self-hating homosexuals, "Boys" attracted a great deal of attention, not least for Gorman's lisping and limp-wristed Emory. After making his screen debut as another gay character in George Cukor's "Justine" (1969), he recreated Emory for William Friedkin's stagy 1970 film version. He finally broke out of typecasting with another very noticed stage role: Lenny Bruce in "Lenny" (1972). As the foul-mouthed, bitterly hilarious, trailblazing and ultimately tragic standup comic, Gorman won both a Tony and a Drama Desk Award for this showcase role.
Gorman lost the role to Dustin Hoffman for Bob Fosse's screen "Lenny," but his feature work picked up with the lead in "Cops and Robbers" (1973). (Fosse later cast him in a very Bruce-like role in "All That Jazz" 1979). While not a prolific actor, Gorman's roles are usually large and invariably vivid, as in "Hoffa" (1992), as the club owner who insults the eponymous anti-hero. He was especially splendid chasing Jill Clayburgh in "An Unmarried Woman" (1978).
Gorman has periodically returned to the stage. His sharp, urban image suited him for Neil Simon banter; he received a Tony nomination for his supporting work in "Chapter Two" (1978). Continuing to demonstrate a flair for comedy, he replaced Ron Liebman in "Doubles" (1985) and starred opposite Marlo Thomas in "Social Security" (1986) His TV work, meanwhile, has ranged from telefilms "Brink's: The Great Robbery" (CBS, 1976) to "The Bunker" (CBS, 1981), in which he played Joseph Goebbels. Gorman first played Detective Sgt. Aaron Greenberg opposite Richard Crenna's Lt. Frank Janek in the miniseries "Doubletake" (CBS, 1985). The two weathered actors have reprised the roles for several sequels, including "Internal Affairs" (CBS, 1986), and "A Silent Betrayal" (CBS, 1994).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1965
Acted onstage in New York in the play, "Hogan's Goat", opposite Faye Dunaway
1966
Was a member of Jerome Robbins' American Theatre Laboratory
1968
Acted onstage in New York in the play, "Ergo"
1968
Had first important stage success Off-Broadway in the landmark comedy-drama, "The Boys in the Band"
1969
Made feature film debut in "Justine", directed by George Cukor
1970
Recreated his stage role in William Friedkin's film adaptation of "The Boys in the Band"
1972
Breakthrough stage role as Lenny Bruce in "Lenny"; won Tony Award as Best Actor
1973
Received top billing in his third feature film, "Cops and Robbers"
1978
Acted on Broadway in the Neil Simon comedy-drama, "Chapter Two"; received a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor
1981
Played Joseph Goebbels in the CBS war drama TV-movie, "The Bunker", starring Anthony Hopkins as Adolph Hitler
1983
Played a leading role in the feature, "Angel", his last film for nine years
1985
First TV miniseries, the two-part crime drama, "Doubletake"; also marked the first time he played Detective Sergeant Aaron Greenberg in an ongoing series of TV-movies opposite Richard Crenna
1985
Succeeded Ron Liebman in the role of Lennie in the Broadway production "Doubles"
1986
Acted onstage in "Social Security"
1992
Returned to features to play prominent supporting roles in the films, "Night and the City" and "Hoffa"
1995
Starred in "Down Came a Blackbird" for Showtime
1997
Made TV pilot, "Desert Breeze" for Fox
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
