George DiCenzo
| George DiCenzo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
George Ralph DiCenzo April 21, 1940 New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died |
(aged 70) Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Sepsis |
| Occupation | Screen actor, voice actor, acting teacher, producer |
| Years active | 1970–2006 |
| Spouse(s) | Donna Artz-DiCenzo (m. 1999; his death 2010) |
George Ralph DiCenzo (April 21, 1940 – August 9, 2010) was an American character actor and one-time associate producer for Dark Shadows. He was in show business for more than 30 years, with extensive film, TV, stage and commercial credits.
Life and career
DiCenzo was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He appeared in more than thirty feature films, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), The Choirboys (1977), The Frisco Kid (1979), The Ninth Configuration (1980), Back to the Future (1985), About Last Night (1986), Walk Like a Man (1987), The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988), 18 Again! (1988), Sing (1989) and The Exorcist III (1990). DiCenzo stated that one of his favorite roles was that of Vincent Bugliosi, prosecutor in the Charles Manson murder trial in the 1976 film Helter Skelter. He also appeared in Hotel directed by Mike Figgis with an all-star cast, and Tempted, directed by Bill Bennett and starring Burt Reynolds and Saffron Burrows. He also played the late baseball commissioner, A. Bartlett Giamatti, in the ESPN made-for-television movie Hustle, about disgraced baseball great Pete Rose. In 2002 George played Ennio Salieri in the 2002 video game Mafia. George also provided the voice for Earnest Kelly in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
In the 1981–1982 television season, DiCenzo was a regular on NBC's McClain's Law, with James Arness and Marshall Colt. He appeared in the 1977 miniseries Aspen, the 1980 TV movie The Night the City Screamed, and made regular appearances on Murder, She Wrote and NYPD Blue. His own series included Equal Justice and Joe's Life in the early and mid-1990s. He appeared as a guest star in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Semi-Professional".
In the early 1990s, DiCenzo appeared on Broadway with Nathan Lane in On Borrowed Time directed by his friend George C. Scott.
DiCenzo's voice can be heard on many commercials, audiobooks, and cartoon series. Notable in regards to the third is his work for Filmation; his roles include the title character in BlackStar, and Hordak in She-Ra: Princess of Power.
DiCenzo was also an acting teacher in New York City and Philadelphia for several years. He apprenticed under his mentor Milton Katselas at the Beverly Hills Playhouse in California. In addition, DiCenzo frequently privately coached students, and actors appearing on the New York stage. On an episode of Inside the Actors Studio Burt Reynolds referred to George DiCenzo as the best acting teacher in America.
George DiCenzo is a cousin of New Haven, Connecticut native Ronald DeBrigita.
Death
DiCenzo died of sepsis on August 9, 2010 at the age of 70.[1]
References
- ↑ "George Ralph DiCenzo, of Washington Crossing." Bucks Local News 11 Aug. 2010. February 7, 2012
External links
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