George Dzundza

A fleshy, barrel-chested character player of stage, film, and TV, Dzundza can draw upon his Ukrainian ancestry to play Russians and Eastern Europeans but his upbringing on New York's Lower East Side also lends authority to his portrayals of working-class urbanites. Dzundza enjoyed fleeting fame as the fatherly cop, Detective Sergeant Max Greevey, paired with the youthful Chris Noth during the initial season of NBC's critically acclaimed "Law & Order". He departed the series (in a pine box), however, before it became one of the network's dramatic staples.

Dzundza has worked in some interesting and/or popular films over the course of his career including Michael Cimino's "The Deer Hunter" (1978), Robert Altman's "Streamers" (1983), "No Way Out" (1987), Clint Eastwood's "White Hunter, Black Heart" (1990), and "Basic Instinct" (1992). A TV-movie veteran, Dzundza has also done many TV guest spots. His stage credits include "The Ritz" and "Legend" on Broadway and a starring role in the national touring production of "That Championship Season."

Continuing to work steadily on the big screen and in television movies, Dzundza also got some breaks on series television. He landed a regular spot on the series "Jesse" playing Christina Appelgate's father and in 2002 headed up the cast of the CBS drama "Robbery Homicide Division."