Dennis Franz is the stage name of Dennis Franz Schlachta (born October 28, 1944), an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning American actor best known for his role as Andy Sipowicz, a gritty police detective in the television series NYPD Blue.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, he is a graduate of Proviso East High School (in Maywood, Illinois) and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

After graduating college, Franz was drafted into the United States Army. He served eleven months in an airborne unit in Vietnam . He is a supporter of the United States military in the Global War on Terrorism. Franz urged Americans to get behind the troops saying “They are defending our country. Thank God that we have people in this world that are willing to do it.”

Acting career

Franz began his acting career at Chicago's famed Organic Theater. Although he has in the past performed Shakespeare, his "look" led to his being typecast early in his career as a police officer. (By Franz' own count, the character of Detective Andy Sipowicz was his 27th role as a police officer). He has also guest-starred in shows such as The A-Team. Other major roles were on the television series Hill Street Blues and short-lived Beverly Hills Buntz as the morally-questionable Norman Buntz.

Franz went on to win four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue. The character of Sipowicz was ranked #23 on Bravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters list.

Animation

Franz once appeared as himself on the popular animated sitcom The Simpsons, portraying a deviant and cruel Homer Simpson in a made for TV movie when Homer was accused of sexual harassment. A famous quote from this scene is as follows.

[While recklessly driving with a cat in the middle of the road.]

Girly victim: "No, Mr. Simpson! A cat is a living creature!"

Dennis Franz as Homer: "I DON'T CARE!"

Filmography

• City of Angels (1998) .... Nathaniel Messinger

• Mighty Ducks the Movie: The First Face-Off (1997) (V) (voice) .... Captain Klegghorn

• American Buffalo (1996) .... Don 'Donny' Dubrow, Owner Rvterbands Variety

• Mighty Ducks (1996) TV Series (voice) .... Captain Klegghorn

• Healing the Hate (1996) (TV) .... Host

• Texas Justice (1995) (TV) .... Richard 'Racehorse' Haynes

• Moment of Truth: Caught in the Crossfire (1994) (TV) .... Gus Payne

• NYPD Blue (1993-2005) TV Series .... Det. Andy Sipowicz

• In the Line of Duty: Siege at Marion (1992) (TV) .... Bob Bryant

• N.Y.P.D. Mounted (1991) (TV) .... Tony Spampatta

• Nasty Boys (1990) TV Series .... Lt. Stan Krieger (1990)

• Die Hard 2 (1990) .... Capt. Carmine Lorenzo

• Nasty Boys, Part 2: Lone Justice (1990) (TV)

• The Package (1989) .... Lt. Milan Delich

• Kiss Shot (1989) (TV) .... Max Fleischer

• Beverly Hills Buntz (1987) TV Series .... Norman Buntz

• Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Pat Hobby Teamed with Genius (1987) (TV) .... Louie

• A Fine Mess (1986) (uncredited) .... Phil

• Deadly Messages (1985) (TV) .... Detective Max Lucas

• Body Double (1984) .... Rubin

• Bay City Blues (1983) TV Series .... Angelo Carbone (1983)

• Hill Street Blues (1981) TV Series .... Det. Sal Benedetto (1983)/Lt. Norman Buntz (1985–1987)

• Psycho II (1983) .... Warren Toomey

• Chicago Story (1982) TV Series .... Officer Joe Gilland

• Blow Out (1981) .... Manny Karp

• Chicago Story (1981) (TV) .... Officer Joe Gilland

• Popeye (1980) .... Spike

• Dressed to Kill (1980) .... Detective Marino

• Bleacher Bums (1979) (TV)

• A Perfect Couple (1979) .... Costa

• Stony Island (1978) .... Jerry Domino

• A Wedding (1978) .... Koons

• The Fury (1978) .... Bob

• Remember My Name (1978) .... Franks

Trivia

George Costanza (played by Jason Alexander) has a large-size picture of a smiling Dennis Franz hanging on his bathroom wall in an episode titled 'The Bizarro Jerry' on the sitcom Seinfeld. George wishes to pattern his "hairstyle" after Dennis Franz and uses his image as a guide.