Dennis Franz

Dennis Franz
Franz at a rehearsal for the 1994 Emmy Awards
Born	Dennis Franz Schlachta (1944-10-28) October 28, 1944 (age 72) Maywood, Illinois, U.S.
Residence	Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1978–2005
Spouse(s)	Joanie Zeck (1995 - present)
Children	two step-children

Dennis Franz Schlachta (/frɑːnz/; born October 28, 1944), known professionally as Dennis Franz, is an American actor best known for his role as hard-boiled NYPD Detective Andy Sipowicz in the 1993–2005 ABC television series NYPD Blue, and Lt. Norman Buntz (1985–1987) in the similar NBC series Hill Street Blues and its short-lived spinoff, Beverly Hills Buntz.

Dennis Franz played the defense attorney for Sherman McCoy (Tom Hanks) in Brian De Palma's film version of Tom Wolfe's The Bonfire of the Vanities.

Franz was born in Maywood, Illinois, the son of German immigrants Eleanor, a postal worker, and Franz Schlachta, who was a baker and postal worker. He has two older sisters, Heidi (born 1935) and Marlene (born 1938). Franz is a graduate of Proviso East High School (in Maywood), Wilbur Wright College and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. After graduating from college, Franz was drafted into the United States Army. He served eleven months with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st in Vietnam.

Franz began his acting career at Chicago's Organic Theater Company. Although he has in the past performed Shakespeare, his appearance led to his being typecast early in his career as a police officer. (By Franz's own count, the character of Andy Sipowicz was his 28th 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 in which he played two characters over the run of that show. Franz first played the role of Detective Sal Benedetto, a corrupt cop in the 1983 season, who later kills himself. Due to his popularity with fans, he returned in 1985 as Lt. Norm Buntz, remaining until the show's end in 1987. He also starred in the short-lived Beverly Hills Buntz as the same character.