Don Amendolia (born 1944) is an American actor.
Career Born in 1944 in Woodbury, New Jersey, Amendolia was raised in Glassboro, New Jersey. He had a minor part in a school play at Camden Catholic High School and started acting as a student at Glassboro State College (since renamed as Rowan University).Williams, Victoria. "Stage presence", Gloucester County Times, April 30, 2009. Accessed March 20, 2025. "Don Amendolia had just one line in his senior class play -- Annie Get Your Gun -- at Camden Catholic High School in 1962.... Don was born to a Glassboro family in Woodbury's Underwood Hospital in 1944.... But while attending Glassboro State College, he was encouraged by his first significant stage time in Campus Players' production of Matchmaker."
He played Big Al Kennedy in the NBC soap opera Sunset Beach and had recurring roles on Twin Peaks, Night Court, and It's Garry Shandling's Show. He also guest-starred on Cheers, Newhart, Family Ties, Life Goes On, Valerie, Perfect Strangers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Ellen, Seinfeld, and Law & Order. He appeared in such films as Wayne's World (1992), Fearless (1993), Ed Wood (1994), Boogie Nights (1997), and Bounce (2000).
Amendolia directed one episode of Growing Pains and two episodes of Harry and the Hendersons. He has appeared on Broadway in 33 Variations, Stepping Out, and My One and Only. He directed the rotating cast of the Off-Broadway show, Wicked. He also played the Wizard on the second national tour of the musical Wicked. He played his first performance on December 9, 2009, replacing Tom McGowan.
Amendolia gave acting lessons and assigned workouts to the cast of the film Purple Rain.
Filmography Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1983Without a TracePolice Officer1987The Secret of My SuccessExecutive1992Wayne's WorldAnnouncer1993FearlessMale Survivor1994Ed WoodSalesman1994Twin SittersPa Falcone1995A Walk in the CloudsFather Coturri1997Boogie NightsBank Worker2000BounceInfinity Attorney2001Skeletons in the ClosetDetective CarlsonDirect-to-video2014Lucky StiffUncle Tony
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1981Ryan's HopeHarry Quindy3 episodes1982The Country GirlRalphTelevision film1983CheersHenry 'Hank' ZenzolaEpisode: "Affairs of the Heart"1983An Uncommon LoveRomaineTelevision film1984Mama MaloneDino Forresti13 episodes1988Eisenhower and LutzVitoEpisode: "Pride and Prejudice"1988Family TiesTomEpisode: "Beyond Therapy"1988NewhartArtEpisode: "Goonstruck"1988, 1992Night CourtJohnny Dugan / Mr. Barsotti3 episodes1989–1990It's Garry Shandling's ShowRichie1990Designing WomenEdEpisode: "Tough Enough"1990FramedEllisTelevision film1990Cop RockDr. WatoonEpisode: "Happy Mudder's Day"1990Twin PeaksEmory Battis5 episodes1991ValeriePhil MortonEpisode: "A Sneaking Suspicion"1991Perfect StrangersKing FerdinandEpisode: "Weekend at Ferdinand's"1991The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirMr. CummingsEpisode: "Something for Nothing"1991Life Goes OnProducerEpisode: "The Smell of Fear"1993L.A. LawPeter SwillingEpisode: "Where There's a Will"1993Precious VictimsJudgeTelevision film1994FrasierGuardEpisode: "Travels with Martin"1994–1995Days of Our LivesJames Murchison / Maurice3 episodes1995My Brother's KeeperFather GardinerTelevision film1996SeinfeldDennisEpisode: "The Rye"1996EllenMr. KoundakianEpisode: "Ellen: With Child"1997Sunset BeachBig Al Kennedy7 episodes2002In-LawsJoeEpisode: "Crown Vic"2003Law & Order: Criminal IntentMichael CarlingEpisode: "But Not Forgotten"2004Law & OrderGregory FinneyEpisode: "Cut"
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