Dann Florek
This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (June 2020) |
Dann Florek | |
---|---|
Born | Ezekial Dann Florek May 1, 1950 Flat Rock, Michigan, U.S. |
Other names | Dann Florek |
Occupation | Actor, director |
Years active | 1982-present |
Spouse(s) | Karen Florek (m. 1980) |
Ezekial Dann Florek (born May 1, 1950) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his role as New York City Police Captain Donald Cragen on NBC's Law & Order and its spinoff Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Early life[]
Ezekial Dann Florek was born in Flat Rock, Michigan, the son of Leonard Florek, a chiropractor, and Darlene Florek. He attended Eastern Michigan University, but never graduated. He moved to New York City to pursue an acting career in the theatre.[1]
Career[]
Florek worked his way into supporting roles in such diverse 1980s films as Sweet Liberty, Moon Over Parador and Angel Heart. He also played Mr. Slate in the live-action film version of The Flintstones.
Florek played Dave Meyer, the husband of Susan Ruttan's character, Roxanne Melman, on 22 episodes of NBC's hit drama L.A. Law beginning in 1988. Florek also had a recurring role in the WB sitcom Smart Guy as the high school gym coach. He also appeared in several episodes of Roseanne.
Law & Order[]
Starting in 1990, Florek co-starred in the NBC police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order as Capt. Don Cragen.[2]
The first few years of Law & Order had mediocre ratings and finally, after the close of the 1992-93 season, NBC told creator/executive producer Dick Wolf that they would cancel the low-rated show unless he added a few women to the all-male cast.[citation needed] Wolf reluctantly complied and fired Florek as well as Richard Brooks (who played Paul Robinette), replacing them with S. Epatha Merkerson and Jill Hennessy, respectively. However, Florek was allowed to direct a few Law & Order episodes in 1994 and 1995.[citation needed]
Florek reprised the role of Cragen in the 1995 episode "Bad Faith" (which he also directed), and in the 1998 TV-movie Exiled, centered on former L&O star Chris Noth's character, Mike Logan. In 1999 he returned to the Cragen role, only this time on the Law & Order spin-off series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as the titular unit’s captain.[citation needed] Florek was written out of the series during its 15th season, and his final episode aired on January 15, 2014.[2] He reprised his role in the 21st episode of season 16 in May 2015.
Personal life[]
Florek and his wife, Karen, live in Venice, Los Angeles. Karen works as an artist. His brother, Dave, is also an actor. All three trained at the Daniel L. Quirk Jr. drama school at Eastern Michigan University.
Florek received an honorary Bachelor of Arts and an honorary Doctorate of Arts, on December 13, 2008, and December 14, 2008, respectively, from Eastern Michigan University at the school's winter commencement ceremony. Florek was the keynote speaker at the event.[3]
Filmography[]
Film[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Eddie Macon's Run | Man in bar | |
1986 | Sweet Liberty | Jesse | |
1987 | Angel Heart | Herman Winesap | |
1987 | Five Corners | Policeman | |
1988 | Sunset | Marty Goldberg | |
1988 | Moon over Parador | Toby | |
1989 | An Innocent Man | Prosecuting Attorney | Uncredited |
1991 | Flight of the Intruder | Lt. Cmdr. Mad | |
1994 | The Flintstones | Mr. Slate | |
1994 | Getting Even with Dad | Wayne | |
1998 | Hard Rain | Mr. Mehlor | |
2000 | Beautiful Joe | Happy | |
2002 | Law & Order: The Beginning | Himself | Video documentary short |
2003 | Focus Room | William | |
2003 | SVU Beginning | Himself | Video short |
2004 | Law & Order: The First 3 Years | Himself | Video documentary short |
2004 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Police Sketch: Dann Florek | Himself | Video documentary short |
2005 | Jerry Orbach Tribute | Himself | Video short |
2006 | Copy That | Dann | Short film |
2013 | Santorini Blue | Trent Parker |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | The Country Girl | Larry | Television movie |
1985 | Hill Street Blues | Bowers | Episode: "Intestinal Fortitude" |
1985 | Braker | Hayes | Television movie |
1986 | The Equalizer | Lieutenant Ferraro | Episode: "Breakpoint" |
1986 | Alex: The Life of a Child | Dr. Tom Dolan | Television movie |
1987 | Mr. President | Bosdec | Episode: "Armageddon Kinda Sore" |
1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Winthrop | Episode: "Doctors Wilde" |
1987 | Hunter | John Edleton | Episode: "Night on Bald Mountain" |
1988 | The Trial of Bernhard Goetz | Judge Crane | Television movie |
1988–1993 | L.A. Law | Dave Meyer | 22 episodes |
1988 | American Playhouse | Judge Crane | Episode: "The Trial of Bernhard Goetz" |
1988 | Matlock | Ken Pritchard | Episode: "The Hucksters" |
1988 | 21 Jump Street | Jim Crawford | Episode: "Brother Hanson & the Miracle of Renner's Pond" |
1988 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Stan Pallon | Episode: "Gambler" |
1988 | Almost Grown | Giardello | Episode: "Ghost Town |
1989 | Free Spirit | Bill / Mr. Flynn | Episode: "The Bosses Are Coming" |
1989 | Major Dad | Buzz | Episode: "Rescue Mission" |
1989 | The Edge | Strip-Joint Operator | Television movie |
1990 | Grand | Robert | Episode: "The Healing" |
1990 | Roseanne | Principal Hiller | Episode: "Bird Is the Word" |
1990–1993, 1995, 2000, 2004 |
Law & Order | Captain Donald Cragen | 69 episodes, main and guest role |
1994 | Hardball | Ernest 'Happy' Talbot | 9 episodes |
1994 | Wings | Bob the air traffic controller | Episode: "Insanity Claus" |
1995 | Ellen | Mr. Woodruff | Episode: "$5,000" |
1995 | The John Larroquette Show | Winters Lennox | Episode: "Love on the Line" |
1996 | Champs | Ernie | Episode: "It's Must Have Been Gridlock" |
1997 | Roseanne | Dr. Rudmen | 2 episodes |
1997 | Michael Hayes | Carnap | Episode: "The Confidence Man" |
1997 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Bob Gordon | Episode: "Cat Showdown" |
1997 | Total Security | Morris Silver | Episode: "Dental Men Prefer Blondes" |
1997 | NYPD Blue | Gary Hogan | Episode: "Sheedy Dealings" |
1997 | A Nightmare Come True | Det. Ron Shaye | Television movie |
1997–1999 | Smart Guy | Coach Gerber | 6 episodes |
1998 | The Pretender | Don Larson | Episode: "Crash" |
1998 | From the Earth to the Moon | Robert Seamans | 2 episodes |
1998 | The Practice | Father Michael Ryan | Episode: "Duty Bound" |
1998 | The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer | Abraham Lincoln | 4 episodes |
1998 | Little Girl Fly Away | Chief Gelbart | Television movie |
1998 | The Pentagon Wars | Maj. Gen. Bob Braden | Television movie |
1998 | Exiled: A Law & Order Movie | Captain Donald Cragen | Television movie |
1999–2015 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Captain Donald Cragen | 331 episodes Nominated—Prism Award for Best Performance in a Drama Series |
2015 | Under the Dome | Colonel Walker | Episode: "The Enemy Within" |
2018 | Disillusioned | Jeb | Television movie |
References[]
- ^ Rose, Judy. "Roxanne`s Beau Is A Leading Man In Real Life". Chicago Tribune, 1 December 1988. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Goldberg, Leslie. Dann Florek to Exit NBC's 'Law & Order: SVU', The Hollywood Reporter 10 December 2013. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
- ^ Davis, Tracy E. (25 October 2008). "'Law & Order' star to speak at Eastern Michigan University". The Ann Arbor News. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
External links[]
- Dann Florek at IMDb
- 1950 births
- Living people
- People from Flat Rock, Michigan
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- Eastern Michigan University alumni
- Male actors from Michigan