Hank Garrett

Hank Garrett (born October 26, 1941) is an American actor and comedian,[1] best known for the television role of Officer Nicholson on Car 54, Where Are You?[2][3]

Early life and career

Garrett was born in New York, to Sam and Ida Greenberg, Jewish Russian immigrants. His birth certificate lists his name as Henry Greenberg Cohen Sandler Weinblatt.[4] His family lived in Harlem. Garrett began powerlifting, bodybuilding and karate as a means of self-protection in a rough neighbourhood. He was the 1958 winner of the Junior Olympic Powerlifting competition. This led to an extended stint (1957-1966) in professional wrestling under the name of The Minnesota Farm Boy.[5] After several years in pro wrestling, Garrett turned to comedy and performed a regular routine in the New York Catskill Mountains, using anecdotes from his childhood years in Harlem.[6]

Television career

As well as his regular role on Car 54, Where are You?,[7] Garrett has acted in a number of television productions[8][9] including episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard, Knots Landing, Max Headroom, Santa Barbara, Three's Company, Knight Rider, Columbo, Dragnet, Kojak, Alien Nation. Garrett is also known for his voiceover work on Garfield and GI Joe.

Film career

Among Garrett's film credits are notable roles in Serpico, Three Days of the Condor,[10] Death Wish, and The Sentinel. Garrett tends to be cast as the "heavy" in many roles,[11]including his portrayal of the infamous killer postman in Three Days of the Condor,[12] for which he won the New York Film Critics’ Award.[13] Garrett has co-starred with television and film notables including Peter Falk, Patrick Stewart, Kathleen Turner, Christopher Lloyd, Al Pacino, Sophia Loren, James Coburn and James Earl Jones.

Personal life

Garrett has been married twice. His first wife was Agnes Deangelis (1963-1979); Linda Slessinger (1982-2008). In 2014, Garrett is active in philanthropic causes, and is on the Screen Actors Guild board. He lives in the San Fernando valley and is working on production of a one-man show.[14][15][16]

References

  1. ↑ "heater Reviews: Festen, Just Imagine, Never Land, Save Gertrude". by L.A. Weekly Theater Critics, October 14, 2009
  2. ↑ "the star of "Car 54 Where are you?" TALKS TO RETROCRUSH". RetroCrush.
  3. ↑ Tim Brooks; Earle F. Marsh (24 June 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. pp. 220–. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1.
  4. ↑ http://www.hankgarrett.net
  5. ↑ "Savage, Orndroff, Graham top 2009 PWHF induction list". by GREG OLIVER — Producer, SLAM! Wrestling.
  6. ↑ David Everitt (2001). King of the Half Hour: Nat Hiken and the Golden Age of TV Comedy. Syracuse University Press. pp. 166–. ISBN 978-0-8156-0676-5.
  7. ↑ CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU?: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (DVD). Film Threat.
  8. ↑ Alex McNeil (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Penguin Books. p. 642. ISBN 978-0-14-024916-3.
  9. ↑ American Film. American Film Institute. 1979. p. 76.
  10. ↑ "The Celebrity Collector". Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine.
  11. ↑ Leonard Rubenstein (1979). The great spy films. Citadel Press. ISBN 978-0-8065-0663-0.
  12. ↑ Barnes & Noble Books (2004). TV Guide film & video companion. Barnes & Noble Books. p. 886. ISBN 978-0-7607-6104-5.
  13. ↑ "Car 54: Where are you? set for a return to the small screen after more than 50 years". Daily Mail.
  14. ↑ Jay Robert Nash, Stanley Ralph Ross Cinebooks, 1987
  15. ↑ Cinefantastique, Volumes 6-7 Frederick S Clarke F. S. Clarke, 1977
  16. ↑ New York Media, LLC (31 July 1972). New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. pp. 51–. ISSN 00287369.

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