Biography
George Dzundza's face slowly sank into the collective subconscious of American culture after nearly 30 years before the cameras. Audiences may be hard-pressed to name him, though his familiar face is like that of a distant cousin one has never met but keeps stumbling across while thumbing through old family photo albums. From his turn as an enraged, cheated-on spouse in the horror classic
Salem's Lot (1979) to a recent turn as
Robert De Niro's partner in 2002's
City by the Sea, you can't get away from Dzundza once you've put a name to the face. Aggressively pursued by the president of the Stagers Society (who threatened to have him expelled lest he audition for an upcoming production) at college orientation, a nervous Dzundza hastily agreed and quickly landed the part. A quick rise through the theater circuit soon landed Dzundza some prime supporting roles on the small screen, and it wasn't long until he was gaining exposure on such diverse shows as
Starsky and Hutch and
The Waltons. In 1975, Dzundza made his film debut with a role in
The Happy Hooker, and through the remainder of that decade and well into the '80s he frequently alternated between television and film. Following appearances in
The Deer Hunter and
Salem's Lot, Dzundza was cast as the lead in the short-lived sitcom
Open All Night, and through the remainder of the decade he landed roles in such high-profile theatrical releases as
Best Defense (1984),
No Mercy (1986), and
No Way Out (1987). It wasn't until 1990 that Dzundza would make a return to weekly television, though his role as Sgt. Max Greevey on Law & Order certainly made up for lost time. Even if he did leave the series after only one season, the decision ultimately served him well and his feature career subsequently flourished. As Dzundza's career advanced into the '90s, it also evolved and found him branching out by lending his voice to such animated television efforts as
Superman and Batman: Gotham Knights. A short-lived stint opposite
Christina Applegate followed with
Jesse in 1998, and after moving back to features with roles in
Instinct (1999) and
City by the Sea, Dzundza settled nicely into the role of Father Tom "Grizz" Grzelak in the popular television series
Hack in 2002. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide